Nougat 20

Siblings

As my body adjusts to the time zone changes, I have been challenged to get up and writing on time. We almost didn’t get the Nougat at all, as I contemplated not doing any. Please bear with me as I try to get the rhythm back.

Lamentations is one of those books in the Bible that we don’t often reflect on publicly, as it brings to the fore that side of faith that many of us would rather ignore. That’s because it’s content suggests that the prophet was very depressed. Depression is a major mental health challenge that affects so many people in different ways. We will spend some time reflecting on this concern using the text to guide us in our reflections. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat

Lamentations 3:17 CEVDCI

[17] I cannot find peace or remember happiness.

Depression is Real 1

Siblings, it is believed that the author of Lamentations (presumed to be Jeremiah) suffered from depression. The book recounts the grief of the Israelites remaining in Jerusalem during the Babylonian exile. As the name indicates, much of the book is directed at the struggle to understand why God allowed such devastation in their land. Yet, even in the depth of the struggle to understand why God permitted destruction, faith in God’s Godness remained.

Self-Check

When we face life’s challenges, how do we respond? Do we question God’s existence, ask why we face such loss, or press on through the pain?

Application

While it is hard to accept that those who believe in Y’shua can suffer from depression, our text indicates that the struggle is real. Among the stories in Hebrew Scripture, we recall Elijah, David, Jonah, Moses, Naomi, and Hannah being depressed at points despite their faith in God.

The language of their lamentation tell us that depression may present as bitterness of spirit, lack of happiness or peace, or loneliness. Naomi even changed her name to Mara, to signify her bitterness at God’s apparent desertion. The psalms and the poetry of the Book of Lamentations also reveal that in those moments when we feel depression attempting to take us over, it is okay to pour out hearts of to God. It is fine to chronicle our journey. We may find, like Elijah did in 1 Kings 19, that we are not entirely alone. There are others who are available to support us. Also, when we find ourselves faced with any of these symptoms, and they are persistent, it is time to acknowledge the problem, so that help may be found.

Point to Ponder

How much do we know about depression? Is it something we speak of in our contexts?

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May all we seek be found in Christ