“Turn to me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.” Psalm 25:16-18
A Christian is not free from sufferings and afflictions. Jesus Christ never promised him a “rose garden”. He never offered him a life of earthly bliss and prosperity. He never said, “Follow me and you will find complete happiness , you will enjoy perfect health, or you will acquire unending material riches.”
“And He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24
“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 10:38-39
A Christian when he comes to Christ comes to terms with what he really is: sinful, helpless, and powerless before God. He cannot do things by himself and only by His grace does he breathe and live. By His grace he has been called His own through the death of His Son Jesus. By His grace he learns the divine, spiritual, and Scriptural truths about God and man, about life and death, about sin and holiness.
By His grace he gets to understand his wretched state, why man suffers from pain, difficulties, and depression. And by His grace does he find comfort in His Word and in the knowledge that his God is an immutable, all-righteous, all-loving, all-knowing, Almighty, and ever-living God.
In a way a depressed or a miserable Christian is a contradiction in terms, or an oxymoron as you might say. But since he continues to live in a broken and sinful world, he is not immune from the natural tendencies of man. God made each human being a unique individual, distinct from one another. Each has his own manifestation to every difficult situation that comes his way. That is why there is the Holy Bible, the Word of God, the word of Truth where the Christian finds solace, and which he must embrace day by day.
In his constant dealing with pain and grief and sorrow, the Christian is given the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Before His death, Jesus consoled His disciples by His words:
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:26-27
In every Christian is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; in gladness and in tribulation, He is perpetually present. The Holy Spirit teaches what Christ taught. From Scriptural truths, He brings to mind and takes to heart the thoughts and the teachings of Christ. In the comfort that He gives, He illumines the mind and directs the heart towards Christ. The wearied and perplexed soul is thus focused on Christ, not on himself. Or whether he is drawn away from himself or not, that in spite of his afflictions, his perspective on the glory that is yet to come overrules all misery and despair, and makes him forget these present earthly sufferings.
A child of God through all his afflictions finds joy and comfort in the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” Psalm 16:11
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
