Depression

She struggled with doubt and melancholy for years. Despite a wholehearted commitment to serve Jesus in the most difficult situations one could possibly find on earth, she went years without hearing from God and at times wrote in her journal that she even wondered about His existence. Yet Mother Teresa never gave up her faith, despite her depression, God’s perceived silence, and her doubt over whether he saw her every day as she followed His command to care for His most destitute children. As I listened to a radio talk show host and her guest discuss Mother Teresa’s struggles with her faith, I felt even more respect and awe for how she lived her life. She may have doubted God, but ultimately

I used to be scared of the dark. The kind of scared that—even as a sophomore in high school—I would carry my little sister (who was five years younger) into bed with me at night. Simply hearing the sound of her breathing helped me fall asleep. Some of us know what it’s like to be afraid of the dark. Not being able to see in front of your face can be a horrifying reality. Depression is like that. It’s a darkness of the soul, and it doesn’t play fair. In the midst of depression, it can feel like heavy smog that makes it impossible to see clearly, even in the light of day. It has the tendency to pollute every crevice of

There is a genuine struggle being waged by many, one that can overtake the entirety of a person’s life. I’ve seen it in those I love, in friends and family members who before they mounted this battle I may not have believed it would be one they would wage. That battle is depression: the overwhelming dark days that are intense, long-lasting often accompanied by the belief that it will never end. Walking alongside those that have waves of emotion from which they cannot break free, I have come to understand a few things about this journey. One that I think all should realize—most importantly those that are drowning in this sea of darkness. Depression Does Not Equate to God’s Disappointment God is