“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:1, 2
Depression. Even the word is depressing. I don’t begin to understand depression. I think the word is used too often in our culture. If someone says they’re depressed, that can mean the new blouse they want to buy is no longer on sale, or that they’re struggling with a physical condition that so affects body and mind that they can’t get out of bed. Worse yet, they see no hope of ever feeling better and choose to end their life rather than continue to live in the pain they feel. As I said, I don’t understand depression, so I’m not going to try to talk about it. Instead, I want to say a word to those of us who have a loved one battling this insidious disease. How can we help them? What can be done?
I was recently in a situation that made me think about these verses. I parked my car in a spot that was, well, slimy. When I stepped out of the car, I sank into the kind of mud that tries to suck the shoes off your feet. I should have known then that I was in trouble! When I got back in my car later and tried to back out, I went nowhere. It was that horrible feeling of hitting the gas and seeing mud flying everywhere but you don’t move. I then did exactly what I shouldn’t have done: hit the gas harder. More spinning, more mud flying everywhere but the car still didn’t move. I finally did get the car out, but it made me realize that people dealing with depression feel just that way. No matter what they try, no matter how hard they hit the gas, they just spin their tires. The mud, or depression, that holds them just pulls them deeper and deeper. In their frantic attempts to pull free of this mire that tries to suck them down, they inadvertently spray anyone close to them with dirt and yuck.
I don’t know if the hope found in these verses is more for the depressed person or for their loved ones. Sometimes we are the ones who have to hold on to hope for the person who just can’t see even a faint glimmer of light. We’re the ones who need to remember that God is coming. He sees our pain, He hears our cries. Some other versions say He “inclined to me.” I like that better than “turned” because the original word means to “spread out.” I see God reaching out His hand to us, stretching as far as He needs to. Sometimes the best way we can help a struggling loved one is to help them touch the hand God is reaching out to them. Other times, we simply sit with them in the muck and allow the mud to be sprayed all over us, knowing that God is always faithful. Whether the cause of the depression is situational or physical – or both, He hears, He understands, and He cares. He will lift them out of the pit and set them on a firm rock. Keep believing! Whether you’re the one struggling with depression or the one just wanting to help, don’t stop looking for God’s deliverance!