Whakatane St. John Methodist

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 82, 14 August 1950, Page 7

Whakatane St. John Methodist

FROM THE CHURCH

“ANTIDOTE TO DEPRESSION” Speaking on the subject of “Antidote to Depression”, last night at the St. John’s Methodist Church, the Rev Wm. C. Jenkin took as his text 1 Kings 19-4. Elijah was “fed up”! The modern expression for his mood is ‘browned off’. Whatever we have given it matters little for we recognise at once the familiar mood of depression and misery, when nothing seems worth while, and life itself hardly seems worth living. Our problem is not to describe the experience, but to change it. We desire faith and hope, instead of frustration and despair. The case of Elijah can help us. Ecstasy to Despair

Elijah had passed from the heights of ecstasy to the depths of depression. This kind of alternation of moods is characteristic of human nature. It is a phenomenon to be seen all around us. There is a great readiness to avoid the responsibility for many of our moods by saying “Its my nerves.” The mood of depression is not due simply to some temperamental deficiency, a calcium deficiency, it is due to a spiritual deficiency. Elijah was very sorry for himself. That was part of his trouble; he was giving too much attention to himself. He was oppressed with a sense of loneliness; “I only am left,” he said. His depression is intensified by this spiritual isolation. There are many examples of others who have felt as Elijah did because they seem to be standing alone, e.g. there was the experience of Luther to quote only one, and Elijah’s attitude is frequently reproduced in our time. How did God deal with Elijah? Is there any hint in His dealing with this prophet of old that would be a help to us? There are at least three things to notice in God’s dealing with this man, each of which has its counterpart in our case.

1. Elijah’s attention was drawn from himself to God. We must determine to look away from our silly selves to the greatness and grace of God in Christ. Depression ends as we begin to see Him. 2. The second thing that God did in dealing with the depression of Elijah was to remind him that he was not alone as he fancied. It was presumptuous egotism on the part of the prophet. If we think of the Work of the Church in. universal terms instead of localised terms the sense of isolation begins to vanish. 3. The third thing that happened to Elijah to free him from the mood of depression was a command to be on his way doing the next job that lay to hand. There is always a job for us to do, no matter how depressed we are. Expect Too Often

Too often we expect the command of God to sound forth from the heavens like a trumpet, summoning us to an epoch-making activity, when there is nothing save the clear prompting of the ordinary round of daily duties. Let that nearest duty be done, and the misery and depression will begin to go. We hope in vain if we expect a new round of duties. God calls us to the old round in a new way, continuing that task to His greater glory, and as an immediate and direct consequence, to our lesser misery.