A Surprising Truth It comes as a surprise to some that Charles Spurgeon had a lifelong battle with depression. His reputation as a famed and powerful preacher, his cheery wit, and his cigar-smoking manliness might lead us to imagine there could never be a chink in his Victorian Englishman’s armor. It shouldn’t be a surprise, […]
Did You Know That Charles Spurgeon Struggled with Depression? Read More »
When Ministry Wears You Out Years ago, I remember hearing a seasoned pastor say, “Ministry would be a cake-walk if it wasn’t for people.” His tongue-in-cheek statement revealed what people know: pastoral ministry is hard. It isn’t long until the passionate calling collides, head-on, with unrealistic expectations, traumatic events, emotional conflicts, leadership challenges, and personal
In Psalm 121, the Psalmist is in a valley and looks up to the hills and in desperation, asks, “From where does my help come?” During my first pastorate, I entered into a season of severe depression. Every day, I woke up to a mind full of fog. Every task I completed felt as if
“By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres.” (Psalm 137:1, 2) Depression is a complex condition that no single formula can heal—and we should not pretend that any can. I have too much personal and pastoral experience in trying
