Depression in the Pastorate
Preface
A few months ago, God had me minister on an unknown topic of depression. This depression is not only a mental illness that affects society but the Pastoral. In recent days, many news about suicide have not only affected the communities in which we live, but also the Pastoral. This article tends to highlight this cause but, more importantly, to remind us that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities of darkness. The devil’s plan is to kill, steal and destroy. The devil realizes that sexual, financial, and immoral sins are hardly prevalent among the pastorate he is using for mental health issues.
Introduction
You will not find the term “depression” in the Bible, except in the New Living Translation. Instead, the Bible uses words like downcast, sad, forlorn, discouraged, dejected, afflicted, troubled, miserable, hopeless, and brokenhearted.
However, you will find many people in the Bible who show the symptoms of this disease: Hagar, Moses, Naomi, Anna, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Nehemiah, Job, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Judas Iscariot, and Paul.
No one is immune to depression
The Bible shows that depression can affect anyone. The poor like Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, and the very rich, like King Solomon, suffered from depression. The young, like David, and the old, like Job, were also afflicted. Depression hits both women, like Hannah, who was barren, and men, like Jeremiah, the “weeping prophet.”
Many pastors really struggle with depression. This is true today and has been true throughout church history.
When David and his men arrived at Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives, sons, and daughters taken captive. Then David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to cry. (1 Samuel 30:3-4, NIV) (Amalekites)
Interestingly, emotional disappointment can also occur after a big win. The prophet Elijah defeated the false prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in an amazing display of God’s power (1 Kings 18:38). But instead of being encouraged, Elijah, fearing Jezebel’s revenge, was tired and fearful:
He (Elijah) came to a broom bush, sat under it and prayed that he might die. “I’ve had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” He then lay down under the bush and fell asleep. (1 Kings 19:1-5, NIV)
Even Jesus Christ, who was like us in everything except sin, could have suffered from depression. Messengers came to him, informing him that Herod Antipas had beheaded John the Baptist, the beloved friend of Jesus:
When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew in a boat alone to a lonely place. (Matthew 14:13, NIV)
Bottom
Members of Inland Hills Church in Chino, California, are now dealing with grief after their senior pastor, Andrew Stoecklein, succumbed to self-inflicted injuries on Saturday after a battle with depression and anxiety, his church said. He was 30 years old.
News of Stoecklein’s death came shortly after the church revealed that he had attempted to take his own life on Friday morning and had been placed on life support. He leaves behind his wife, Kayla, and three children.
Calvin Giddings, an aspiring pastor who is credited with his willingness to always offer advice and guidance to those in distress, has shocked the church congregation he attends after news broke that the young and upcoming church leader had joined-the-towel (committed suicide). Giddings, 25, who is also an environmental officer for Patentia in the West Bank of Demerara, Georgetown, Guyana, has been described as a calm and well-mannered Christian man. Shocked church members said the now-dead man would be given a high-level position in the church in the coming days. He now lets his wife and his two children die.
final results
Pastors don’t know until they realize the reality of some of the dramatic consequences of depression: broken marriages; sexual matters; resignation from the ministry; and even suicide.
causes of depression
Discouragement and depression are normal parts of being human. They can be triggered by the death of a loved one, illness, loss of a job or status, divorce, leaving home, or many other traumatic events.
There are among many five primary causes that many pastors identified as the reasons behind depression. Each of the causes is followed by a direct quote from pastors who shared their struggles.
1. Spiritual warfare.
“I don’t want to say this in a profane way, but there was a time in my ministry when all hell broke loose. I can’t explain the attacks other than spiritual warfare. The enemy intended to destroy my ministry, and I started to spiral down emotionally.
2. The surprising reality of pastoral leadership.
“I wish someone had told me how hard it is to be a pastor. My only advice was to preach the Word, and I understand the priority of preaching. But, after a year or so in my first pastorate at age 31, I saw the part most vulnerable part of local church life. It just took me by surprise. And it took me a while before I realized that I was really depressed.”
3. Sense of inadequacy
“My church is in decline. While I don’t obsess over numbers, my members started talking about decline. And when we had to eliminate a position because we couldn’t pay the person anymore, I really hit rock bottom. I felt like everything It was my fault.”
4. Critics and bullies
“Pastoral leadership really can be a death by a thousand cuts. It’s not one person or critic; it’s the constant, constant stream of criticism. It wears you down. My depression came on gradually, so when I was in deep depression, I didn’t see it come”.
5. Loneliness
“It’s really hard to find a true friend when you’re a pastor. And when you don’t have anyone to talk to about your struggles and questions, life can get lonely.”
solution to depression
1. Every Pastor needs a prayer team, a group of people who believe in you and in God’s call on your life to pray for the Pastor, his family and the vision that God has given to that ministry.
2. Every Pastor needs Pastor friends. Only a person who shares the same burdens as you will be able to fully relate to the unique challenges of this type of ministry.
3. Every pastor needs friends who are not pastors. This will help you stay BALANCED
4. Every pastor needs friends in the church who know where to draw the line of familiarity. Isolation is a big problem for Pastor’s. Many times, our hearts are hurt by those closest to us. Make friends with people in the church that you believe can be trusted and people who don’t lose respect for you when they see your imperfections.
5. Every pastor needs to be accountable. What has helped me win my bouts with depression is that I have always had loving spiritual mothers and fathers in my life who reminded me of my calling, prayed for me, and were places of safety.
6. Every Pastor needs a deep devotional life. If we disconnect from God in the name of ministry. It’s only a matter of time before we implode or explode!
7. Every Pastor needs vacation/sabbatical year. This is a dedicated time to reflect, process and listen to God. Mine is coming soon!
8. Every pastor needs reliable members in the church. There are few things more demoralizing for a pastor than trying to lead people who are inconsistent, unteachable, unwilling to serve, and unreliable. Make his job easier, not harder!
9. Every pastor needs a hobby…find something outside of church that YOU enjoy…and don’t apologize for it. It can be sports, exercise, etc… he just finds something that is not related to the ministry to give space to his humanity.
10. Last but certainly not least, every pastor needs a vision of eternity. The resilience, perseverance and hope that we must have as believers, especially as pastors, must be rooted in the revelation that one day we will stand before God and give an account of our lives. What has kept me going all these years, and I pray for years to come, is that humble realization that I will bow before the judgment seat of Christ where all my actions, motives, and words will be weighed and judged. I live in the light of eternity, and every Pastor must never lose sight of Judgment Day.
conclusion
One of the great truths of the Bible is that God is our hope when we are in trouble, including depression.
The message is clear. When depression hits you, fix your eyes on God, his power and his love for you:
• The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV)
• Didn’t I send it to you? Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, NIV)
• The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are contrite in spirit. (Psalm 34:18, NIV)
• So do not fear, because I am with you; do not lose heart, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)
• “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:11-12, NIV)
• And I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, so that he may be with you forever; (John 14:16, NIV)
• (Jesus said) “Surely I will be with you always, until the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20, NIV)
• Because we live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians, 5:7, NIV)
If you are a pastor reading this post and struggling with depression, seek help. Many pastors have been taught that depression is a sign of failure in ministry, that it is something to hide in plain sight. They are lies, blatant lies. Please get help. Now.
PRAY FOR YOUR PASTORS
Depression is real with pastors. It seems to be omnipresent. May we who serve alongside them, both staff and milk, take a few minutes each day to pray for our pastors.
Referee.
Thomas Rainer
brain williams
christianpost.com
Guiana Guiana
