‘It’s Just One Thing After Another’

The Christian, hard times and depression:

It is quite likely that most Christians – perhaps all – will have times when they are going through some pretty difficult periods. They can be struggling with grief, turmoil, loss, pain, hardship, betrayal, rejection, illness or any number of soul-crushing situations.

And when it seems to drag on for quite some time, they may well simply cry out to God in desperation and pray something like this: ‘Dear God, it is just one thing after another! Please help me!’ This would be a common reaction that so many believers have when going through dark times and deep waters.

I certainly have not been immune from all this. Even though I have been a Christian now for many decades, I can still get overwhelmed at times, and depression can quickly settle in. Indeed, just recently I have been going through a patch like this. It really can seem a bit overwhelming at times.

Truth be told, a few fleeting thoughts about suicide can even creep into my mind as well. It can get that hard. But it is especially during such times that the anchor of hope and the shield of faith must come into play. As has been said, we must believe in the dark what we learned in the light.

The need for perspective

Seeking perspective is always an important part of how we deal with this. There may well be many others who are not suffering as much as you are right now, but then again, there would be many others who are suffering much more than you.

I always think of those who have been going through sheer hell, and seek to measure my own difficulties in light of theirs. As but one example, you might have seen the story of one Israeli hostage in Gaza. Here is what she recently revealed:

Released hostage Arbel Yehoud told The Daily Mail that she was sexually assaulted “almost every single day in captivity” in a Friday interview. She noted that she did not wish to go into the details of the abuse, but shared that it was so significant and repeated that it made her want to end her own life. “I tried to end my life three times,” Yehoud said. “I felt like I couldn’t go on. There were moments when I thought it was the only way out.” https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-886646

As mentioned in another report elsewhere: “Yehoud was the final living female hostage let go, released on January 30, 2025, after 482 days in captivity.” Can you imagine that – being locked up, abused and mistreated horrifically for 482 days? Not knowing if you would ever get out alive. Not knowing if you would ever see loved ones again. Not knowing what new demonic horrors awaited you the next day.

In light of such terrible suffering, what you and I are going through may seem all rather inconsequential. Indeed, as I prayed for myself and my situation, I could not but help think about, and pray for, those going through so much worse, such as Christians living in North Korea or Communist China or Iran. So much overwhelming suffering and misery.

Yet here is something quite important to keep in mind: while we do indeed need some perspective and balance here, that does not mean that our own hardships and sufferings are inconsequential or do not matter to God. He cares as much for whatever trials and tribulations you and I are going through right now as he does of the brave Christians who are being diabolically persecuted for their faith in other parts of the world.

God knows about – and cares about – all that worries us right now and so heavily weighs us down. He knows about that stack of bills that need to be paid. He knows about the abuse we are getting from other people – perhaps workmates or even family members. He knows about the physical pains we are now enduring, be it raging arthritis or a crippling infectious disease.

He knows about our tears we have for family members who are struggling with cancer or dementia or some other matter. He knows about the heartache we have for a wayward son or daughter. He knows about the lousy condition of your old car and how you do not have enough money to buy another one.

These and a million other things that might bother us, weigh us down, discourage us, depress us, or make us want to throw in the towel are things he knows ALL about. He does not just know about them, but he cares about them, and he WILL respond – one way or another.

We might think that it is just one thing after another. We might tell God, ‘I just can’t go on like this!’ We might even start thinking about drastic measure like suicide. But the truth is, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

The deep depression you are now in might well be lifted sometime. The crushing debts you are dealing with may well get resolved. Your strained relations with loved ones or family members may not always last. Your dead-end job might not be permanent, and something else might come along.

Your vexatious and highly annoying neighbour will not be around forever. That mouthful of sore teeth and cavities and the like can be dealt with at some point. The constant criticisms and attacks you get for trying to share truth on the social media will ebb and flow.

Nothing lasts forever – except for God and his mercy and grace. So realising that there IS light at the end of the tunnel is one main way in which we can persevere, endure, and make it through the very dark clouds we are under.

Getting by with a little help from our friends

And seeking out help from others is vital. Simply knowing that folks are praying for you can be a real relief. But of course others need to know that we crave such prayer and are in great need for some spiritual intercession. So be open about your hard times. Tell others.

Trying to pretend everything is just peachy, and that we are some superstrong Christian, when you are falling apart inside and about ready to call it quits is not how we should proceed. Pretending to be someone you are not isn’t how we can get the help we desperately need.

So be honest. Tell others – at least those you know who care about you and will pray for you. I sometimes get to a point where it seems like everything is unravelling in my life. If I try to deal with it all by myself, I likely will just get into a worse condition.

So now and then I go to the social media and briefly ask for prayer, perhaps giving a few details of my struggles as well. And in my case at least I am always pleasantly surprised at how many people respond, say comforting words, and assure me they are praying for me.

Sometimes that is all I need to keep hanging on until some of the heaviness goes away, and the dawn starts to rise. We need each other, and we can’t win the many battles we are in all by ourselves. So call out to others when necessary, and do not feel bad about doing so.

Sure, God should be our first port of call – the one we turn to first. But he has so designed the world that a major way that he comforts his children and tends their wounds is through the Body of Christ. So do not neglect to use a main means by which God has chosen to minister to us and help us get through those dark hours that we find ourselves in.

Four different quotes from Charles Spurgeon, the great and godly Christian leader who often had bouts of despair and depression, are worth offering here in conclusion:

“Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.”

“I note that some whom I greatly love and esteem, who are, in my judgment, among the very choicest of God’s people, nevertheless, travel most of the way to heaven by night.”

“No sin is necessarily connected with sorrow of heart, for Jesus Christ our Lord once said, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.’ There was no sin in Him, and consequently none in His deep depression.”

“I find myself frequently depressed – perhaps more so than any other person here. And I find no better cure for that depression than to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and seek to realize afresh the power of the peace-speaking blood of Jesus, and His infinite love in dying upon the cross to put away all my transgressions.”

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