I recently had the opportunity to join Rebekah Hannah and Brian Walker of Anchored Hope Counseling on their podcast to consider how we might discern the difference between ordinary experiences of sadness and the overwhelming darkness of depression. Surely much more could be said by people far wiser and more experienced than I, but perhaps something in this episode will prove to be helpful in some small way. During the conversation, we reflect on questions such as:
• How do we know when sadness (a healthy emotion) has become depression? How does the Bible help us discern sadness from depression?
• Many well-intentioned believers give up on the depressed when they don't respond to Bible-verses or truisms. How would you encourage those walking with the depressed to persevere in love? What should they do when their friend is not helped by their words?
• How can the church encourage and cultivate healthy expressions of sadness?
• What role does counseling play in helping a person find help and hope in the midst of depression?
• What are some meaningful Scripture passages that apply to someone's experience of sadness or depression today?
• How do we know when sadness (a healthy emotion) has become depression? How does the Bible help us discern sadness from depression?
• Many well-intentioned believers give up on the depressed when they don't respond to Bible-verses or truisms. How would you encourage those walking with the depressed to persevere in love? What should they do when their friend is not helped by their words?
• How can the church encourage and cultivate healthy expressions of sadness?
• What role does counseling play in helping a person find help and hope in the midst of depression?
• What are some meaningful Scripture passages that apply to someone's experience of sadness or depression today?
