Martin Wickens

Over 140 years ago Pastor Charles Spurgeon, a renowned preacher and theologian, commented often on depression. He did so in surprisingly open ways, for his time, and with insight that still helps many today.

Consider a few of his well-known statements:

“Furthermore, remember that even after you are secure in Christ, and accepted before God, and clothed in Jesu’s righteousness, you may sometimes get despondent. Christian men are but men… But what then? Why then you can get joy and peace through believing. I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to, but I always get back again by this — I know I trust Christ. I have no reliance but in him, and if he falls I shall fall with him, but if he does not, I shall not. Because he lives, I shall live also, and I spring to my legs again and fight with my depressions of spirit and my downcastings, and get the victory through it; and so may you do, and so you must, for there is no other way of escaping from it. In your most depressed seasons you are to get joy and peace through believing. (May 20th, 1866)

“We very speedily care for bodily diseases; they are too painful to let us slumber in silence: and they soon urge us to seek a physician or a surgeon for our healing. Oh, if we were as much alive to the more serious wounds of our inner man.”

“Personally I know that there is nothing on earth that the human frame can suffer to be compared with despondancy and prostration of mind.”

Spurgeon’s Sorrows – The author of this little book, Zack Eswine, draws on personal experience and Spurgeon’s life to discuss the subject of depression. However, the pages are rooted in Scriptural principles and Bible references are scattered throughout the book.

I’ll share the outline of the book to give you some idea of its approach.

Part One – Trying to Understand Depression

• The Road to Sorrow
• Depression and our Circumstances
• The Disease of Melancholy
• Spiritual Depression

Part Two – Learning How to Help Those Who Suffer from Depression

• Diagnosis Doesn’t Cure
• A Language for our Sorrows
• Helps that Harm
• Jesus and Depression

Part Three – Learning Helps to Daily Cope with Depression

• Promises and Prayer
• Natural Helps
• Suicide and Choosing Life
• The Benefits of Sorrow

Though the book is only 142 pages long, it packs in a lot of spiritual guidance and practical truth.

Several primary truths stood out to me which helped me personally, and which I hope will help me encourage others.

“Christian Men are but Men…” We are saved and sanctified, yet sorrow, despondency, and serious depression can still lay us low. We must extend grace to ourselves and others when dark clouds overshadow lives.

Depression Has Many Causes – With amazing insight, Spurgeon saw what many still do not accept, and that is that depression can stem from many causes. Sometimes a person may find themselves laid low and relatively simply helps can lift them up. Sometimes, medical issues can cause depression. Others times the battle is spiritual. Spurgeon, and the author of this book, recognize that different approaches are needed for different kinds of depression.

Grace Must Be Extended to Ourselves and Others – When others are discouraged or depressed they do not need condemnation but rather grace and love. Simple platitudes or faux-spiritual comments do not suffice, and if we are not careful may do more harm than good. We need to approach depression with spiritual maturity and Christ-like grace.

Depressions Can Serve a Purpose – Though we would wish to avoid depression Spurgeon and the author, as do the pages of Scripture, recognize that depression can serve a purpose. Whether to help us empathize with others, to experience something of our Savior who Isaiah refers to as a “man of sorrows”, to help us lean more on the Lord, or some other end. Depression can be used of God.

Practical Helps – The book offers practical suggestions in dealing with depression ourselves and in others. It doesn’t oversimplify a complex issue, but it does point a way forward.

God’s Grace is Greater – Spurgeon found a kindred spirit in Job’s sufferings. He once preached, “I too could say with Job, ‘My soul chooseth strangling rather than life.’ I could readily enough have laid violent hands upon myself, to escape from my misery.” Gracious help is extended to those in such a frame of mind. Grace and understanding is encouraged toward those who perhaps do in the end take their own life.

Conclusion

Spurgeon’s sorrows are similar to ones faced by Job, King David, Paul, and numerous Christians throughout history and around us today. May God help us to extend grace to ourselves and others, and apply the truths that God’s Word offers to us.