Fear Gone WildSample

Depression isn’t new; throughout history we see stories of real people plagued with real seasons of depression. I find comfort in the fact that the heroes of our faith had their own dark moments of overwhelming pain—pain that drove them to the isolation of the wilderness and to the edge of their mortality. . . .

As Jesus stepped away from His baptism and into the wilderness, I wonder what thoughts were swirling in His mind. He was fully God, yet fully human, and in His humanity filled with real thoughts, real emotions, a real beating heart—fully alive. He knew the Spirit was leading Him to the wilderness to be tested, but I often wonder how He felt. Was He afraid, or was He fearless? Was He filled with joy, or was He depressed? Was He anxious or peaceful? No matter His mental state, He remained obedient. He allowed the Father, through the Spirit, to lead Him into the wild unknown (Matt. 4:1). . . .

Both Abraham and Job had every reason to turn and walk away from their faith. But they didn’t. Instead they trusted God—even in the face of death, even when it seemed ludicrous in the eyes of the world. They said yes to Him when they could have said no. They kept a tight grip on their faith when it would have been easy to give up or reach out for something or someone else to save them.

Whether the pain we are facing today is physical, mental, or both, we can choose to keep putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that even in our deepest pain, God is still near. I will never fully understand why God allows the darkness of depression to plague beautiful minds. I’ll never fully grasp why some people are healed and others aren’t. But what I do understand is that even if the darkness lasts a lifetime, we have all been promised a place in heaven where freedom and healing are forever. And maybe our dark days here will feel small and insignificant as we stand in light of eternity. In the meantime, in the wilderness of the world, where the pain is real and deep, we can continue to walk in faith. We can ask God to teach us how to embrace and live with the pain, and we can press on through every trial knowing the finish line is near.