Depression: A Devotional For The Wounded Spirit Sýnishorn

We’ve had many people within the HeartSupport community share about their experiences with depression. Many times it seems we have trouble forgetting the areas where our soul has been wounded. It’s almost like a scar that flares up and reopens into a fresh wound. Soldiers (and even one of our staff members) who served in Afghanistan and Iraq have openly shared about “soul wounds” that still cause anguish. The trauma they experienced can easily put them back in a dark place some days.

Others have shared about sexual abuse and how surviving rape or molestation has left those wounds that they can’t seem to block out of their mind. We’ve even heard stories of those who’ve had core wounds from family members that they can’t shake because the harsh messages play over and over in their minds; seemingly to remind them they’re “worthless.”

The prophet Jeremiah shared a similar experience in Lamentations 3 of a soul wound he endured. Babylon had destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and was oppressing the nation of Israel at the time Lamentations was written. It’s believed by many scholars that every able-bodied man in Israel was required to fight and pick up a sword during this season.

At the very minimum, Jeremiah experienced the horrors of war and oppression. At the most, he picked up a sword and fought. Like so many, he stated, “my soul continually remembers it,” and he bemoaned the loss of peace, happiness and hope. A reminder where his true hope came from, however, interrupts Jeremiah’s lament.

There are two pieces to what he did – 1) He expressed the weight of his soul and did not bottle those emotions. 2) He then made a deliberate choice to remember where his hope lay while focusing on the character and goodness of God. By doing so, he reminded himself that God would sustain him with new mercies and the ability to put one foot in front of the other.

Today’s Practical Step:

Write down your wound and potential frustration with God like Jeremiah did. Then write down the mercies (new or otherwise) you see God providing.