The Cause and Cure of Spiritual Depression- Conclusion

"And I said, this is my infirmity." Psalm 77:10

The grand origin of redemption finds its genesis not in the tearful repentance of the sinner but in the boundless love and free grace of our God and Savior.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3

Think, dear one, of the poignant parables of the lost sheep and the returning prodigal. Do they not vividly portray the happy rejoicings in heaven over a single repentant sinner? Surely, these are but faint echoes of the immeasurable and incomprehensible love of our God!

Study all the great and free invitations to burdened souls.

“Whosoever will, let him come.”

“Jesus stood and cried, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.’”

“Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

“Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.”

These verses are for the believer, too. If we relegate these passages to the unbeliever’s portion only, we would be wrong. As long as I sin, I am a sinner. And these promises are for sinners, pre- or post-conversion.

Dear one, listen to these accents of mercy opened wide in the Word of God for you.

These promises are the everlasting arms in which you find solace...His wounds, the divine balm for your soul's deepest brokenness. His blood, the sacred ink that forever wrote your absolution. His cross, the unshakeable bridge that traversed your sin's abyss. His grace, the purifying torrent that washed your every stain. Witness His love, the ultimate refuge for your weary spirit. This is His peace, the immovable anchor amid your life's storms. Here is His Word, the unerring lamp illuminating your path to glory.

Go to Him. In doing so, acknowledge the misery and disappointment of trying to become really holy on your own. Venture on the grace of Christ, anew and afresh. You are a miserably weak and wretched being. You can't purchase heaven, change your own heart, or practice the duties of faith in your own strength. It is impossible. You can do nothing that is free from sin. With your anxious and horror-struck mind, cast yourself again (and again and again) at the feet of this Savior. Repent. and do the first work again. Rev. 2.¹

Kneel, then, in utter humility before the throne of grace. Earnestly pray the Blessed Spirit to flood your soul anew with genuine repentance. Cry out for that sublime peace and divine consolation that springs forth only from the realization that your sins—those loathsome transgressions—are pardoned through the unspeakable sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. But don't let your prayers end there. Most fervently, pray the Holy Spirit to empower you, to embolden you with His might. Oh, this is not a mere amendment of the Old Man, but the very life of a New Man in Christ Jesus. In such a state, your steps will be directed Heavenward, and your life will be a fragrant offering to the Most High.

Next, let go of all superstition. Don’t trust your gut. The informed mind, influenced by the Spirit in the Word of God, is the only sure way to understand yourself and the safety found in Christ. Yes, read and truly come to know what justification is! It is not an experience. It is not a feeling. It is not a vision. It is not a voice.

“Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.”

Westminster Shorter Catechism Q/A 33

Lastly, and this is often the hardest, put away all the counsel of men in their own vain imaginations. Yes, let go of the theological patchwork garments of your past and, perhaps, even your present.

And dear one, know this: what you are experiencing are the sorrows of the needy, those who have recognized their own sinfulness. God's ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts. To reach heaven at last, even under feelings such as these, is infinitely better than a smooth and easy path to hell. The sorrows on the way to glory, if they are used for your good, will have their perfect work in you and will heighten the joy of heaven to come.

You are being prepared for the inheritance of the saints in light. God, by His hand, may be humbling you and fitting you beautifully as a living stone in that temple above. Only raise your heart to God and fix your love and humble trust in your Savior. “All things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Yes, even our spiritual depression. It was the lot even of the Apostles of our Lord, through much tribulation, to enter into the kingdom of heaven. So it will be for us all.

For what does Asaph say?

Psalm 77:19: “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

Will you think of these things, dear trembling one? And see if the root of your problem is you and your remedy, Christ.

1. Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;