Melancholy - How long can one go?

[C. Matthew McMahon]

"Melancholy seizes on the brain and spirits and incapacitates them for thought or action; it confounds and disturbs all their thoughts, and unavoidably fills them with anguish and vexation, of which there is no resemblance in any other distemper, unless it is that of a raging fever." (Timothy Rogers, Trouble of Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, (SDG: 2002) xxiv.)

How long can someone go through this without being rescued? And what things can we do to help others with getting through it?

 

[BrianBowman]

Matt,

I lived though the hell of extreme melancholy for well over a year back in the mid-90's - although I had been troubled with it (and had suppressed it) for many prior years. The dark nights of the soul and depth of woe that I sensed was overwhelming. Had God's sovereign mercy not been upon me I would have needed Psychiatry. The only thing that ultimately pull me through was the love, mercy, and grace of God in a season of deep repentance. Nehemiah 8:6-12 is good narrative of what I (as an individual) experienced with God in this season.

If you raise this issue and are asking these questions for Pastoral-related research, I can provide more details if you will U2U me. I'm not comfortable revealing these details here. Although the story is my own, I believe that its very compelling as it touches many issues concerning Christian ethics in the Church, Marriage, Divorce, and the Family. Most of all it centers around rescuing and developing young people who have "fallen through the cracks" in our communities and churches.

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by BrianBowman]

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

William Cowper was depressed quite a bit of his life. Thank God for men like John Newton. He was used of God to ease some of his troubled mind. Everybodies constitution is different. Dispair overtakes the best of us. It overtook Elijah even after great spiritual victory in 1Ki 19:4.

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Mental despair is something I have not been associated with except for a few days in my own life, and through the lives of others. The answers just don't come sometimes. But God is ever faithful, true, and good.

I may even recommend a little wine for the minds sake.
Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[Plimoth Thom]

Jonathan Edwards was another great man of God who suffered from depression for quite awhile. After a "melancholy parting from New York" in 1723 where he had been happily living, to return home to Connecticut; Edwards suffered "a low, sunk estate and condition, miserably senseless to what [he] used to be about spiritual things" for "just about three years," until he was married and began his Northampton pastorate in 1726.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

It is good and wise to acknowledge that true believers may and often do experience melancholy. The Bible contains many examples of this. We ought to avoid the naive thought that Christians are always and only happy all the time. The shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept. At the same time, we must seek by the grace of God to walk in the Spirit at all times and find the contentment that Paul spoke of knowing in all situations (Philippians 4.12) through Christ who enables us to do all things (with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible). When our brother is downcast, let us speak an encouraging word seaonsonably, let us reach out our hand. But it is also true that "The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." (Prov. 14.10) We can't make others happy, but we can point them to Christ who alone is the source of our true and perfect happiness. In this life we will have trouble and grief, yet by keeping our eyes fixed upon Him who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, we may rejoice in this life when trials abound and cause for rejoicing seems baseless. We all need encouragement to cast our cares upon the Lord (1 Peter 5.7). Paul distinguishes between worldly and godly sorrow: "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down...For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. 6 and 10). Let us exhort one another to live godly and look to Christ and so find peace and joy in our earthly lives, but let us also understand that believers go through valleys (Ps. 23.4) as well as mountaintops.

WCF, Chap. XVIII:

IV. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation, by God's withdrawing the light of His countenance, and suffering even such as fear Him to walk in darkness and to have no light:[15] yet are they never so utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may, in due time, be revived;[16] and by the which, in the mean time, they are supported from utter despair.[17]

[15] SON 5:2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. 3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? 6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. PSA 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. EPH 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. PSA 77:1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. 4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. 7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. 10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. MAT 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. PSA 31:22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. (PSA 88 throughout) ISA 50:10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

[16] 1JO 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. LUK 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. JOB 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. PSA 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. PSA 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. ISA 50:10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

[17] MIC 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. JER 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. ISA 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. 9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. PSA 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (PSA 88 throughout)

 

[Scott Bushey]

For as long as the Lord decree's.....................

 

[Puritan Sailor]

I experienced alot of this as well, and still often do, especially when I am struggling with particular sins or failures. I find the best solutions for me is to meditate on and actually believe the promises of God, and pray accordingly. There is no hope otherwise. Other times, I have found that simply getting outside and getting some fresh air, or spending some relaxing time with my family or freinds has also helped.

 

[Puritanhead]

I've been vexed on again, off again for over one-year and nine months... melancholy puts a believer on his knees in humility and in prayer... I find solace in the Psalms. It's a lot easier said than done to rejoice in trials, but I'm learning to do so, and I am trying to set my sights on the promises of God.

 

[tdowns]

Work out.

Telling one to work out might not seem like great spiritual advice, but our spirits are trapped in bodies that do work in certain ways. I've been totally depressed and felt like nothing is working right, etc. And then I've worked out either by biking, running, surfing, weights--and it never fails to bring my spirits up. I think being fit and in shape is a huge yet undervalued asset to mental health....not a fix-all by any means, but a critical element.

P.S. Start meditating on the Word while you're training for even better results.

Any scriptures that support taking care of our earthly bodies?

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by tdowns007]

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by tdowns007]

 

[Batman]

I think this is where "bearing one another's burdens" comes into play. Relief from depression/fear/anxiety has come to me as I finally reached out to my good friends and shared my grief. Pretending like everything is ok when you're dying inside only sends you spiralling further into darkness. I would encourage anyone who is struggling with depression/meloncholy to reach out to a brother in Christ who will share your burden. Don't hook up with someone who is going to chide you for not having enough faith to pull out of your depression. God loves us, and he is close to those with a broken heart.

 

[Craig]

Going through 1 1/2 years and counting...

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Originally posted by Puritanhead
I find solace in the Psalms.

My cousin once summarized the Book of Psalms in one word: "Help!"