Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 63, 9 April 1943, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

(Supplied by the W.hakatfne Ministers' Association).

of our God, as Elijah did of old. Depression has. many causes . . . A smi'.e, with kindly understanding words may accompany a reminder that Jesus said 'He of good cheer. I have overcome the world'; that faith should be to our daily living as sails to a boat, with prayer the breeze that lifts thorn." With so many excellent answers, I lie Editor found, it difficult to deide which was best. The prize went 0 one avlio wrote; —- j 1 "I would not call depression itself sin, for so many factors contribute L this state of mind—ill health, pmperament, environment. The sin Les in not lighting these elements, [nd allowing depression to get the upper hand. It can, and has been conquered, in many cases by prayer, and strength of purpose. To those who continually moan, M get so dreadfully depressed' I would say, 'Look around, you at those whose case 1 is so much more pitiable than your own,' and 'Look up, and laugh and live.' " Months afterwards a New Zealand lady wrote from India:- — Sir.—l was very interested a while ago in your competition "is Depression a Sin?" Your comment on one of the answers was. "I wonder what our missionaries think of this?" I wonder if any of them will answer? I am not one of your missionaries but perhaps, the next best thing as I am a missionary of the Church of Scotland: but all my home connections are with New Zealand and I am known to many of your readers. To-day lias been one of those days which in the opinion of your competitor might justify depression as problems of suffering and sorrow and poverty seem to have been pressing from all directions with an insistance Avhich is not the usual. Ycl just because, the temptation of depression at present is somewhat strong, I feel moved to answer your query. I jyn sure depression is a just as I am sure that fear is a sin. Surely both are definite signs of lost communication with God and a faith that falls; short of lil'cs requirements. Who has most need to be fearless—he who sits' at ease at home in some safe part of the world (if such is to be found) or lie who goes out to battle? Who has most need of a deep-rooted optimismhe who lives a sheltered life or he who is surrounded by social, economic and spiritual circumsances he knows to be wrong and who constantly soems to sec wrong triumphant? Surely for the latter Satan's surest weapon is depression." For such a man, so long as he has no optimism founded on faith in the love and power of our Master and certainly of the ultimate triumph of right, must stand disarmed for he fight against evil and surely that is sin. Were we sinless we would never fear, nor be depressed, nor lack in love, nor lose our temper. Yet sure-, ly he who in danger fears but over-* comes and goes out to face the danger is a braver man than he who has no fear because there is nothing to fear because he dares nothing, or he is too stupid to see the danger. So he who, perhaps because of the very love that is» in his heart, falls into, depression but conquers it and goes on with renewed vigour surely is a stronger force than he who comes up against nothing to baffl-e him. But there is only one way to overcome depression, as any other sin, and that is to give it its proper name and bring it in penitence to the foot of the Cross and there get power to overcome. This will be very late as a competition answer, but mails nowadays take no account of time. I am, etc., Grace M. Patterson. Bengal, India.

IS DEPRESSION A SIN ? t A preacher spoke of the Deadly Sin of Depression. This led a religious' journal to take up the question and run it as a competition. Following are some of the answers from rentiers scattered throughout New Zealand. Tt proved a timely question, and, was well discussed: — ing and you felt depressed, could anyone say that it was a sin? (How would missionaries * answer this?) V • • » Look to your general health. Take a toni:- —and then forget yourself. Learn to give yourself to others: Learn to forgive, and such forgiveness includes our. own past mistakes. Cultivate a sense of humour; presently that sense of humour will nourish wfthout conscious cultivation, and there will be no room for depression." • • « m I used to be moody. 1 met a man perpetually joyful. He showed me T cou'.d be released from depression if 1 surrendered all areas: of my life to Christ. Experiment proved this true. This story I would share with the person defeated by depression. m • • ■» ■ "Depression should be. fought like, any other failing. Work that employs the brain as well as the hands, outdoor employment, an amusing light book, or a deep one, or, best of all, cheerful society, will help to cure depression. In these sad times cure may be difficult, but as Hume says;, "A propensity to Hope and Joy is real riches, and one to Fear and Sorrow real poverty." "To the person continually saving 'I get so depressed,' I would, ask were they being true to their inner self, to get into this state. Advise finding something to take up their interest. Tell them everyone gets depressed at times, and. give them some of their own medicine, which is sometimes a good cure. Say, I get so terribly depressed." * * i • "Care, even though exercised upon legitimate objects, if carried, to excess has in it the nature of sjlis. Most of us carry burdens which our Heavenly Father never meant us to carry. Anxiety often makes us doubt God's loving kindness, and we drift away from Him." "If God is first in our lives, there is absolute faith and trust in Him and no place for depression. If we live, work/ and pray for others, there is no time to be. depressed." * 'm m •* "As. a canker worm destroys, trees and plants, so does depression undermine the physical and destroy the spiritual life. Ask your doctor for a tonic, and sec that you get more rest. Allow the Great 'Physician to turn His searchlight into evex*y crevice of your being. Makfi the most of what you have, not o<" what you have not.'' •»««<* "Depression! It curies as a thief in the night, often for no known reason. Get rid of it. Weed your gardeni; visit a friend; in stome A\*ay be busy. A four square Mfe has no corners for depression, but it will come and abide if given a welcome 1 . The sin lies in the. fostering of that enemy of enthusiasm, zeal, and work." m m M "Depression unconquered is surely a deadly sin: does it not separate us from God? We forget the power