Singing Christ’s hope and love into depression

It drove me deeper and deeper into hopeless agony. Although no one knew it, I was suffering from depression, comorbid with years of undiagnosed chronic illness. My body was falling apart, with organ systems dysfunctioning and continual, severe pain. My ability to cope as a young wife and mother became literally hopeless when doctors gave me no hope for living at all.

I could barely pray into this numb survival. Perhaps this is one reason why singing Christ’s hope into my suffering was God’s profound gift. Singing Scriptural songs became His answers to my short, desperate, whispered cries for help. I needed truth to cut through the thick cloud of depression, from the One who is the only way, truth, and life.

My experience was much like Job’s experience. He too was suffering from depression symptoms while he also grieved losing his children, financial security, and physical health.

In my latest bout with worsening chronic illness, I felt it starting again. Part of my past year also included grieving two grandchildren’s deaths and discouraging losses. As God’s holistically designed beings, we all live with interconnected bodies, thoughts, and emotions, so it’s not unusual. God has held me tightly in His Word and has carried me through the valley, feeding me with Scripture, His answers to my exhausted prayers of depressive thoughts. Once again, singing (and sharing) Scriptural songs has been His sustaining gift of grace.

He knew exactly what I needed, walking through the valley with me.

Dear friend, He knows exactly what you need too. 

Praying into depression

Our loving Father tells us to ask for what we need (Mt. 7:7-11), to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), to cast all our anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7), to pray for others, including our enemies (Lk. 6:28). He reminds us that His ears are open to the prayers of the righteous (1 Pet. 3:12).

For those clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that is you and me. 

In fact, He’s interceding for us when we don’t even know how to pray or what to pray for (Rom. 8:26-27, 34). God tells us to pray when we’re suffering and to ask for prayer as we suffer (Jms. 5:13-18).

And yet, if you’re like me, it’s easy to cry, “Help me” to God but then remain in our sinking thoughts, without hearing His answers of hope and love in His Word. 

Depression makes us think He’s not hearing or helping us, or He’s abandoned us…but dear one, our Lord is indeed speaking tenderly back to us.

Over the next few weeks, let’s interrupt this wretched depression with His truth, moment by moment.

Our God of hope and love is with me in my depression

I am allotted months of emptiness, 

and nights of misery are apportioned to me. 

When I lie down I say, “When shall I arise?” 

But the night is long, 

and I am full of tossing till the dawn (Job 7:3-4 ESV).

***

Never a trial that he is not there,
never a burden that he doth not bear,
never a sorrow that he doth not share,
moment by moment, I’m under his care.

(“Moment by Moment,” Whittle, D. W., p. d.)

Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food? (Job 38:41 ESV)

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Cor. 4:10 ESV, emphasis added).

God loves me, into depression

Behold, he passes by me, 

and I see him not; 

he moves on, 

but I do not perceive him (Job 9:11 ESV).

***

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it (Sg. 8:7 ESV).

Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Jn. 4:10 CSB).

Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
living with Jesus, a new life divine;
looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.

Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (Jn. 15:9 ESV).

Jesus gives me hope and love with His true Word, moment by moment

Never a weakness that he doth not feel,
never a sickness that he cannot heal;
moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still.

Jesus says, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (Jn. 5:24 ESV). 

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:31 ESV).

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, 

that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures 

we might have hope (Rom. 15:4 ESV).

Because the God of hope and love lives, I CAN face tomorrow

Like with Job, the enemy’s lies tell us nothing will ever change…

Remember that my life is a breath; 

my eye will never again see good (Job 7:7 ESV).

***

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine (Is. 43:1 CSB).

Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine (Job 41:11 ESV).

Moment by moment I’m kept in his love;
moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.

You have revealed the paths of life to me; you will fill me with gladness in your presence (Acts 2:28 CSB, emphasis added).

Material adapted from Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2022

A playlist to sing Christ’s hope and love into depression

This week’s first of three “Because He Lives” playlist gifts is for you and me to pray to God into depression, singing of our hope in Christ, finding hope as we abide in His love. I share more detail in my recent book, Singing the Gospel to Job, but “Because He Lives” was His song of rescuing grace in the darkest moments depression can bring. As we pray-sing through this week’s playlist, crafted based on principles of music therapy and Biblical lament, we’re replacing depressive thoughts with God’s Scriptural truths. Our alive Savior will help us face tomorrow, moment by moment. If this might bless you, sign up today and it will come to your email, with love and prayer from this sister who totally understands.