When I have the privilege of pastoring people challenged by depression—or people walking through depression-like episodes—a common struggle is this: Everything. Slows. Down.
Getting out of bed can take hours, if not days.
Responding to texts and emails becomes as overwhelming as sitting on the bottom of the ocean and being asked to take a breath.
Even deciding what to wear for the day or cook for a meal, with closets full of clothes and millions of recipes floating around online, feels too impossible to take even a first step.
Things slow down. Then the guilt and shame convict a person that they shouldn’t be so slow, that they’ll get left behind, and they better do something about it quickly—but they can’t.
Helpless. Hopeless. Depression steals their joy, but Jesus promises to give that joy back. He slows down. Slows down for despair or depression, slows down for guilt or shame, slows down for you. As slow as you need, Jesus slows down.
Two of his gloomy followers plodded slowly away from Jerusalem in grief after Jesus was crucified and killed. They weren’t sure how to face tomorrow. Their hopes for redemption were gone.
Jesus then joins them (this is important, right here). He doesn’t push and prod them to get with the program. He doesn’t demand that they snap out of it. He doesn’t tell them just to smile because everything will be okay.
Jesus slows down to their slow pace. They don’t recognize him at first, but that doesn’t matter, he reframes their experience with God’s truths.
“‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (Luke 24:25-27)?
The Old Testament prophets in the Bible set the slow pace for the promises of God, which declared 2,000 years before that God would save the world from our sins. The glory of Jesus the Messiah came not in an instant lightning bolt display explosion of power, no, the glory of Jesus happened through years of suffering and persecution, then death, then waiting for 3 days before his resurrection, then 40 days of teaching before he ascended to the glory of heaven.
It’s as if Jesus is saying, “You’re being slow. Maybe this will help: I’m slow, too. I’ve been slow, and I’m slowing down to save you right now.” Then Jesus walks slowly through the Old Testament Scriptures, quoting different verses that prophesy and promise Jesus as the Savior.
Here’s a suggestion for encouraging your friend or loved one challenged by depression. Don’t try to rush them through it with a “just get over it” approach. Don’t tell them to snap out of it, smile and move on. Rather, slow down to their pace. Take it slow, like Jesus. Walk with them, even if it’s an extra mile, an extra week or an extra encouraging word.
PRAYER: Jesus, you are Lord over depression. I praise you for slowing down to save and heal those challenged by depression. Remind me that you walked slowly with the Emmaus disciples and I can walk slowly, too, with those challenged by depression. Hold them close, Lord. Amen.
BIBLE VERSE: Here’s a verse for your heart this week, promising that your trust in God’s timing is worth it. “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8,9). When Jesus is slow, it’s not because he’s being stalled by circumstances beyond his control or he doesn’t have what it takes to move a project along. When Jesus is slow, the Bible describes it as his “wanting” with “patience” for you.