depression...the dark gutter of life

Depression...I thought I understood. I've been helping, or should I say trying to help a friend suffering from depression. He has past addiction issues and relationship issues. Right now he is in a place beyond my comprehesion. I can guess what it would be like...dark, untied from life, hopelessness, despair, drained. It's like pulling some one out of a dark hole, only to catch your breath...and watch him slip back in. There have been times when after taking him food, to doctors appointments, for a coffee...it looked like he had enough energy to maybe stand and we could walk out of this. It has been almost 2 months, no contact with friends, relatives, daughters, grandchildren...just me, when I'm lucky enough to get in.

He's only barely started into a journey of faith. Barely hanging on to anything, he struggles to find Jesus in any of this. He hasn't the energy, or the focus to read scripture...he needs the " living thing ", a hand to hold...some " real " light in the midst of the dark.

Depression is not infectious, but, I find the more I go into the dark alley my friend finds himself now, the more it seems to close in on me. My mind tries to convince me, " you've done all you can do...go!" But my heart tells me we're never forsaken, that even in Gethsemane...God was there. Maybe it's the " Christ in me ", that goes into the darkness. Right now, thats all I've got, that's the mustard seed I clutch that gets me through every visit.

May the darkness lift...

Comments

[Mich]

Ron, I will pray for you and your friend as it comes to mind. Depression is a very difficult place to be and it is equally difficult to watch someone go through it.

[jim]

Funny, Ron. I read this and think of the "bubble" again. Just depends on what sort of ozone we're breathing inside the plastic lid we've erected over ourselves. How to break through such barrier and reach somebody-that seems to be the question and I like what "Under the Overpass" has to say about it in a recent post. Your words say to me that your own actions here are probably "on target". We can be no more than a vessel for Him. In my prayers, buddy....

[ron cole]

Jim, Mich...thankyou, I'll covet your prayers. So much of this recent journey seems to be lived on prayer...for His strength, His wisdom, His compassion, His grace and mercy. If it were just me, this would have consumed me by now. By His spirit into this darkness I walk.

[Hope]

I've come and reread this post several times wishing for something to say that could be of any help. But nothing has come. It will be for you to tell us what got you through, what it looks like on the other side of this. I wish there was a way around but often there's only through. Peace my friend.