…with a little help from Van Gogh (thanks, Wikipedia) to paint a picture of how a friend’s friend has been feeling lately:
And the prayer, prayed on behalf of this young man, borrowed from Viktor Frankl (quoted in his biography, When Life Calls Out to Us):
God, you have stricken me with mind;
So help me now to bear this life.
I’m thinking about stepping into the mud a bit, with a few posts on depression. I’ve avoided this topic for a while, because I hate the way the intensity on the subject seems to breed misunderstanding and get in the way of productive, helpful discussion.
I reread much of the book of Job this morning, the way I sometimes like to read it (only reading Job’s words, and cheering him on for his courage in proclaiming both his despair and his innocence, in the face of well-meaning friends, who kept getting it all wrong). And that rereading, combined with concern over my friend’s friend, has stirred up my desire to wrestle with the topic of depression, again.
Sorry about your friend.. hope things get better for him.
I think the key to understanding Job is seeing it as a story of a grieving man.. he seems to go through most of the stages of grief.
I’d enjoy reading your thoughts about depression.. I struggle with it myself.
Blessings, Bob
I’m not someone who has the struggle with depression myself, I’ve been blue a couple of times but I get over it rather quickly. I have family members who have trouble with it so I do know it is a difficult thing to deal with. I had dinner with a friend not long ago who’s daughter was suffering greatly as it turns out her body was reacting to sugar. The very thing that a depressed teen reaches for. Thank God for the doctor who discovered the diet issue. She’s still recovering but is so much better.
I’m praying for the friend