Why Does God Permit Believers to Lose Peace?

When a believer loses his/her sense of peace it is a terrible thing. Many of souls have been crushed by this trial. This often leaves those on the outside looking in, as well as those going through the trial, wondering why a loving God would permit a believer to lose peace. William Bridge, in his excellent work A Lifting Up for the Downcast, gives six reasons why “permits his own people and dearest children to be discouraged, and their peace to be interrupted”:

1. Because “so long as man has encouragement elsewhere, he does not encourage himself in the Lord his God”. Our peace is interrupted so that we might run to Him who is our greatest good.
2. Because “the interruption of an ordinary blessing does raise it to an extraordinary”. We are at times discouraged so that we might further appreciate the graces we take for granted.
3. Because “He would not have His children to love their nurse more than Himself.” In other words, so that we will not be ripped off by pursuing inferior lovers.
4. So that “He might train them up unto more perfection”. “Because as [God’s] comforts do wean us from the world’s comforts, so we have need to be weaned again from these weaners.”
5. Because “many times the children of God…grow secure, vain, frothy and wanton under their peace and comfort”.
6. Because Christ is a great surgeon. “He sees that the comforts of His people sometimes are not right laid, and therefore, says He, though I desire this poor wounded soul may be quickly cured, yet because this comfort, this promise, this experience does not lie right, it must be taken off again”. The Lord would have us to be truly and deeply healed.

This book is a great resource for those that feel crushed and those that minister to those that do. Get it here.

7 Tips from John Newton On Battling Depression

Depression isn’t something new. Contrary to popular belief, Christians in ages past were not ignorant to its reality. I love reading through how the Puritans and early evangelicals (like John Newton) thought through such things as depression.

In one letter to a Mrs. Coffin we get a fair picture of Newton’s counsel to the depressed. Mrs. Coffin was a pastors wife. She also seems to have battled depressive episodes.

Here was Newton’s counsel to her:

1. Pray much. Think little.
2. Avoid musing and reasoning by yourself. (You need to battle in community)
3. Keep to the Word.
4. Realize that this is a spiritual battle.
5. Know that the “Lord keeps the key of comfort in his own hand”.
6. Wait for the Lord.
7. Take heart that your experience isn’t unChristian, in fact no Christian is exempt from conflict of soul.

I also find it interesting that Newton told Mrs. Coffin, “I believe much of your complain is constitutional”. In other words Newton thought that a good bit of her problem wasn’t sin as much as it was biology. His counsel would have been very similar to my own.

This selection was tweaked from a letter of Newton that I got from this book. The whole book is filled with gems like this.

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If you would like a more detailed explanation of any of the points feel free to ask in the comments. I’ve read enough Newton that I can explain what he means by each of these points.

The Mystery of “God Moves in Mysterious Ways”

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Those words were penned by William Cowper. There is a question, however, surrounding the circumstances that led to the poem. In the early 1900’s a story arose that Cowper had decided once again to commit suicide by drowning himself. Here is how one person tells it:

One night he de­cid­ed to com­mit su­i­cide by drown­ing him­self. He called a cab and told the driv­er to take him to the Thames Riv­er. How­ev­er, thick fog came down and pre­vent­ed them from find­ing the riv­er (ano­ther ver­sion of the story has the driv­er get­ting lost de­liber­ate­ly). After driv­ing around lost for a while, the cab­by fin­al­ly stopped and let Cow­per out. To Cowper’s sur­prise, he found him­self on his own door­step: God had sent the fog to keep him from kill­ing him­self. Even in our black­est mo­ments, God watch­es over us.

Cool story. Tullian Tchividjian picks this story up in his book Glorious Ruin when he writes, “after one of his failed suicide attempts, he wrote what has become one of my favorite hymns…” Heart-warming tale, unfortunately I can’t find historical accuracy to this story.

Many of those who share this story place the date for God Moves In Mysterious Ways (originally titled Light Shining Out of Darkness) at 1774. This is almost certainly impossible. Cowper was in such despair at this time he would have never spoke with such faith. By February of 1773 he had become convinced that God had rejected him. As one early biographer wrote, “to every consolatory suggestion he was utterly deaf, concluding that God had rejected him.”

The More Likely Story

The cab driver story is absent in all of the early biographies that I could get my hands on. The story behind the writing of God Moves in Mysterious Ways is much different. The year was 1773. Cowper had enjoyed almost a decade of respite from his earlier depression and suicidal tendencies. Then something most unwelcome happened on January 1st of 1773. A few hours after attending morning worship (where he would have heard John Newton preach), the poet was visited with what can only be termed a “terrible premonition” that he was about to return to his previous state. Before the madness set in, he put to verse a proclamation of his faith. That is what we have today entitled God Moves in Mysterious Ways.

Cowper did not recover from this fit of madness for half a decade. Some would even say that he never really recovered. This hymn was the last one of the 68 hymns that he would write with John Newton. It would later be published as part of the Olney Hymns collection.

Why the First Story?

There could be an element of truth to the first story. It is possible that Cowper had this premonition and decided that suicide would be better than enduring another bout of darkness. And it could also be possible that this hymn was a sort of repentance before he was completely enveloped in madness. But I find that unlikely knowing Cowper’s mental frame when he was prone to suicide. Such darkness would not have penned the hopeful words of this hymn.

My guess is that the cab driver story has an element of truth to it. Cowper attempted to commit suicide many times. And on many occasions he was prevented by mysterious circumstances. Yet, these should not be attached to the hymn. Yet, we like to attach these stories to the hymn because they not only make for a great story they also serve to convince us that everything will eventually make sense to us.

It is true that “even in our blackest moments God watches over us”. But the darkest times for Cowper were yet to come. Even after this particular fit of madness dissipated another was on the horizon. Before his death he said, “I feel unutterable despair”. His last words were, “What can it signify?” William Cowper died a miserable man.

The words of the hymn are true. God does move in mysterious ways. God is his own interpreter and eventually He will make it plain. But there is no sure promise that he will “make it plain” this side of redemption. For some, like Cowper, the “sweetness of the flower” is never enjoyed in this life. For him life under the sun was marked by the “bitterness of the bud”.

We don’t like this story. We don’t like that heavens response to this poem was five years (and later more) madness. We want a story where God watched out for Cowper, kept him from suicide by using fog, and then rescued him from the darkness of despair. Though Cowper never committed suicide he did live a majority of his life in darkness and deep anguish. He seldom saw the smile of God.

239 years later Cowper’s life and the poem attached to it begs us to look to a different land for the “blessings to break upon our head”. Cowper dreaded the clouds that were looming on the horizon. Yet, at the beginning of his madness he held hope that someday they would break. They rarely did. Cowper died a miserable man…BUT a miserable man that was welcomed into the arms of Jesus. Though convinced by his madness that he had been disqualified to receive the blessings of Christ, nonetheless they were still his lot. He received his “golden harp” of which he had written in his other famous hymn There is a Fountain Filled With Blood

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.

Resources for Mental Health Issues

A good friend emailed me over the weekend asking for resources on a Christian response to mental health issues. I figured that more people than just this one are asking this question. Therefore, I thought it might be wise to compile a list of resources for mental health issues.

There are many different views of Christian counseling and mental health issues. Dr. Eric Johnson has edited a very helpful book called Five Views of Psychology and Christianity. It can be a little technical at times but it might be a helpful place to start. My particular view will be reflected in the books that I have suggested. My theology and philosophy of counseling/mental health issues is very similar to that proposed by CCEF.

A resource list like this could be vast. (For a really short list skip to the bottom). I decided to organize it by asking one central question: How deep do you want to go?  (Click on the links to buy the book)

Introductory: I’m just curious or I need quick help

The best introductory book on depression is David Murray’s Christians Get Depressed Too. My review is here.

Another book that might fit in the next section as well is Redemption by Mike Wilkerson. This deals with a vast amount of issues related to mental health (including things like abuse and addiction). My review is here.

If you want an introductory book on various mental health issues that gives an answer to whether it’s a biological condition or something else there are none better than Ed Welch’s book Blame it On the Brain.

For those dealing with sexual abuse a good resource is Dan Allender’s Wounded Heart (though I wouldn’t agree with quite everything in there). Another solid resource is Rid of My Disgrace.

Often mental health issues are the result of not dealing with the past. Steve Viars has a great book for this: Putting Your Past in It’s Place. I have also found great help from Kerry Skinner’s book The Joy of Repentance (he has a couple other books too that might be of help after you read his book on repentance).

What if you can only get one book? If you are depressed and need help get Murray’s. For anything else either Wilkerson’s Redemption or Welch’s book on the brain.

Practice: I want to help

It’s a lengthy book but one of the best books for thinking through day to day counseling (that ought to happen with every member ministry) is Paul Tripp’s book Instruments in the Redeemers Hands. I hand this to everyone that says, “I want to help people”.

Another very helpful little book is the one written by William Cutrer: The Church Leader’s Handbook. This will book has a little bit of everything.

If you want to help people with mental health issues you need to consider the works of David Powlison as well. Seeing with New Eyes and Speaking Truth in Love.

Though I believe he at times overstates his case you can find great help from the work of Jay Adams.

Ed Welch has also written a decent amount of books that will help with specific issues. He has dealt with depression, addictions, fear (my review here), codependency, and shame (my review here).

If you can only get one: get Instruments in the Redeemers Hands.

Theology: I want to go deep in thinking through mental health issues

If you really want to study counseling and mental health Eric Johnson has written a massive book on the Foundations of Soul Care.

Again, I think he overstates his case at times but Jay Adams’ book Competent to Counsel is one that you have to read through if you are going to consider Christian counseling and understanding mental health issues.

I haven’t read this one yet but I think Heath Lambert’s book The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams is one that needs to be considered as well.

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These are only a few of the resources available. Honestly, it seems that at present we are doing decent with having books at a macro level of mental health issues. What we are not yet thriving in is having micro level books on specific issues like Asperger’s Syndrome. Right now secular counseling seems to be leading the way on some of these issues and that scares me. So, I would say if you really want to understand mental health issues and biblical counseling pick up a few of these resources and get a healthy big picture theology of Christian counseling. Then pick up books on the specifics once it becomes necessary or they become available.

This list is overwhelming. So read this article:

Counseling and the Authority of Christ by Russell Moore

Then buy these three books that will give you a start:

1. Paul Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemers Hands

2. Ed Welch, Blame it on the Brain

3. Mike Wilkerson, Redemption

Where Instability Comes From

Have you ever been around someone that has a tendency to go from A to Z faster than a bobcat on an energy drink? You know what I mean. Said person gets stuck in traffic. They then play out the entire litany of consequences that will come from their impending tardiness. In their mind they are about to get fired. Then they will not be able to pay their bills so they will lose their house. The next thing you know the guy is talking about how he will be homeless and eating raw onions out of someone’s garbage can.

A similar thing happened to Ahaz in Isaiah 7. He was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim” and so his heart and the heart of the people “shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind”. He panicked. He went from A to Z at this news. In his mind the kingdom was undone. In his mind the nation was only moments from being destroyed. Never mind the promises that God has made. “You don’t understand, man, Syria plus Ephraim equals absolute disaster”.

This is why the Lord said to him, “be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint…” I also like how the HCSB phrases it, “Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly”. Ahaz was being called to faith in God instead of fear. God gave him a promise that their plans are not going to succeed. He then calls him to trust saying, “If you are not firm in faith you will not be firm at all”.

Balm for Noisy Hearts

When our hearts are noisy, fearful, and depressed like Ahaz it is a sign that we are not trusting in the Lord. A to Z thinking comes from a faulty foundation and a lack of trust. When we fail to trust the Lord everything becomes unstable. We lose our anchor.

In the midst of his fear the Lord graciously gave Ahaz a sign: “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Immanuel means “God is with us”. Though fulfilled in Ahaz’s day this promise pointed to an even greater Immanuel. God would literally take upon flesh and be with us. It is to this Immanuel that we place our trust. We rest in this Immanuel as God’s provision and presence.

Are you fearful and depressed? Is your heart noisy? That is a warning sign that your heart has lost its focus on Immanuel. Your instability is evidence that your faith has lost its firmness. You’re believing a different story than the one told by Yahweh.

Yes, Ephraim and Syria are scary. Yes, it seems as if everything is about to go down the tubes and you’re only one bad decision away from eating raw onions out of a garbage can. But in the midst of this we are being called to believe in the God that raises the dead and turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. He is powerful and can even use our onion-eating moments into joy.

Only in His promise do we find stability.

When Depression Is Your Calling

Very challenging words here from John Lockley:

If [God] had said, “Go out and preach…”, you’d have gone. If He’d said, “I want you to be a missionary,” you’d have gone…But because he has said, “Sit there and be depressed for a bit, it will teach you some important lessons,” you don’t feel that it is God calling you at all…do you?

Do you remember Naaman, who wanted to be cured of his leprosy? (See 2 Kings 5). If he had been asked to do something glorious he would have been happy. Because he was asked to bathe in the murky old Jordan he wasn’t so keen—yet this was God’s plan for him, and it cured him. God ahs better plans for us than we have for ourselves—unfortunately, as we can’t see into the future, we don’t always appreciate just why God’s plans are better. With hindsight it’s somewhat easier.

However strange it may seem to you, God wants you to go through this depression---so look at it positively, not negatively. What does he want you to learn from it? What can you gain through it?

When you begin to think in this fashion your guilt feelings start to drop away. You can begin to understand that what is happening is part of God’s plan for you—and so your depression is not a punishment from God. You are actually where God wants you to be, even if it is emotionally painful. To put it another way, if God wants you to go through this it would be wrong for you to avoid it, wouldn’t it?

This will go against every fiber of belief of some people.  Yet, I ask that you humble consider it and let it rattle around in your heart and mind for awhile.  Just as martyrdom is the calling of some I have to wonder if enduring various illnesses to the glory of God might also be a type of calling. 

I grabbed that quote from David Murray’s excellent book Christians Get Depressed Too.  That is perhaps the most helpful book on depression that I have read.  

Monday’s Ministry Musing: Turning “Helps” Into Idolatry

Does God wound thy spirit, does he make it sick, and dost thou seek to unlawful means for help?  Dost thou go to thy company, to music, to good cheer, to relieve thee?  Oh this provokes God against thee!…those that in trouble of conscience seek for carnal helps, by their vain tampering only render their condition worse.  (Jeremiah Burroughs commenting on Hosea 5:14)

There is an assumption that Burroughs is making here that some of our readers may not be willing to agree with.  Namely, Burroughs assumes (as I do) that God is sovereign and everything that happens comes from His hand—whether it is directly or indirectly.  This would include “wounds to our spirit” and “trouble of conscience”. 

I have mentioned previously that I battle depression or perhaps the better term would be “fits of melancholy”.  In fact our nation seems to be very much plagued by this malady.  One particular study notes that, "An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year."   That means that when you go to the grocery store 1 of every 4 people that you see suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder.  That is huge.

I understand that any mental disorder is complex and there are usually not simple answers.  But is it possible that part of our restlessness (our depression, our mental anxieties) may stem from the effects of running to lesser gods?  Is it possible that when we have restlessness and anxiety we first seek unlawful means for help instead of going to the Lord?  Is it possible that this brokenness is meant to cause us “in our affliction to not fly from, but humble ourselves before him”? 

I do believe that the Lord by His grace has provided helps to our brokenness.  I believe that there are ripple effects to the accomplishment of Christ on the Cross.  I believe that there is common grace—such as antidepressants—that the Lord may use as a means to calm the effects of our brokenness and provide substantial healing.  But I also believe that these “helps” can subtly become functional saviors and when we principally turn to them not only does our condition worsen but the Lord’s displeasure is aroused. 

God may not fully heal the pain that I feel or the darkness that sometimes seems to overcome me; at least not this side of a Eden Restored.  Am I willing to have shards of brokenness in my life if it means that His glory shines brighter in my weakness?  Is it possible that I am muting God’s glory or defaming His name by going to “other helps” that may work for a season but won’t give ultimate rest? 

The Case in Hosea

Just so you know that all of this is coming from somewhere consider what took place in Hosea’s day.  The Israelite’s were stuck between two super powers: Assyria and Egypt.  They decided that they could go to both of these super powers for “help” and to gain wealth and security from these “lovers”.  They called it wisdom but God called it “playing the whore”. 

God had given Egypt wealth.  God had given Assyria power.  And it is quite possible (though we have no idea of knowing) that had Israel remained faithful to the Lord he would have employed either Egypt or Assyria as helpers—though not likely.  But when “Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king.  But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.” 

Here is the kicker, the “sickness of Ephraim” and the “wound of Judah” is one that is given by the Lord.  And while the Lord is administering discipline to his children they run to Assyria (and later Egypt) for protection from the Lord.  But he cannot cure them.  He cannot heal their wound.  Only God can.  That is why Hosea entreats them to “return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.  After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” 

The Flaw

Blanket statements are dangerous.  Do not apply this as a “when ___ happens then it means that God is ______”.  There is an assumption that is being made in connecting a “wounded spirit” to the days of Hosea.  They were being wounded because of their sin and their idolatry.  The Lord was ripping out of their hearts idolatry and residue from the fall.  This is what He lovingly does with His covenant children. 

This is true in those cases. Yet, we would be in great error to look out on the brokenness and depression of every person and say, “don’t try to find help” just endure the Lord’s discipline and stop bowing to idols.  That was the foolish council of Job’s friends.  Job wasn’t enduring his suffering because of his sin.  He was enduring suffering because he was going through suffering.  But what Job got right was that his only source of ultimate refuge and rescue was in the LORD. 

It takes wisdom to know whether I am turning “helps” into idolatry or if I’m legitimately using “helps” for the glory of God.  It takes even more wisdom and grace to sit in ashes and cling to the Lord of glory and say as Hosea did, “He has torn us, that he may heal us…let us press on to know the LORD…he will come to us as showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 

It takes grace to trust a lion when Assyria and Egypt look so splendid…

7 Questions with Author Kent Dunnington

Yesterday I reviewed Kent Dunnington’s book Addiction and Virtue: Beyond the Models of Disease and Choice.  Today he was kind enough to answer 7 questions about his book and his soul. 

1. What motivated you to write this book?

Three things motivated me to write the book. First, like most people, I have struggled with addictions. When I recommitted my life to God in graduate school, I was a smoker. I was amazed by how resilient and resistant my addictive desires were. I wanted to understand better what was going on there. Second, I did some work in really impoverished inner-city areas where addictions were just destroying people, families, whole communities. As a Christian I had this profound feeling of powerlessness, and I wanted to better understand and articulate the power of the gospel over against the power of addiction. Finally, I had a dear friend and adviser in graduate school who was a recovering alcoholic (the book is dedicated to him). I often attended AA meetings with him. Although he and many of those who attended were not Christian, I was overwhelmed by the kind of vulnerability and love on display in that fellowship. It is not a new thought, but I realized there how much the church had to learn from groups like that.

2. What is unique about this book, as compared to other books on addiction? And who did you write this book for?

The book is unique in trying to provide a philosophy of action that can ground claims about addiction. There has been a great deal written on the biology, psychology, and sociology of addiction, but many of these treatments lack an adequate philosophy of human action and therefore they end up making seemingly contradictory claims. For instance, the claim that addiction is a disease does not sit easily with the acknowledgment (which is as widespread as the disease concept) that addiction is best treated in nonmedicalized treatment settings like AA. There's something askew here, and I wanted to try to clarify and see if the phenomenon of addiction could be articulated in a noncontradictory way. So the philosophical grounding is what is most unique. And this leads, I think, to a unique theological take. Basically, I argue that addiction is the most powerful and successful alternative to worship available to human persons.

3. In the most basic terms you can offer for my readers how would you define addiction?

In the most basic terms, I'd argue that addiction is any obsessive and all-consuming orientation that leads a person into self-deception. Self-deception is crucial here since Christians aren't by definition opposed to being consumed by some object. Worship is an all-consuming orientation, and the mystics often speak of it in these ways. But because the goods of worship live up to their promises, right worship leads us into truth. Self-deception is what you get when addictive objects lead us away from what we know to be true goods. We must then disavow the addiction as truly part of us. This is denial, and it's why many addicted persons will say that denial is the essence of addiction.

4. There is an idea that I have been working with for a little while now concerning addiction and depression. Given your understanding of addiction do you think it is possible that a person can actually become addicted to depression?

That's an interesting question. It raises a nest of thorny questions about the neurological bases of depression. No doubt, persons can become attached to their depressive tendencies. The Romantics, for instance, thought you weren't a very interesting person unless you were deeply depressed. And I do think that there can be something tempting about depression (or, I might prefer to say, about melancholy) and that, moreover, melancholy can become part of an identity that we are wary of relinquishing. I don't know how helpful it would be to speak of persons becoming addicted to depression, though. Some persons may have dispositions to melancholy, but a disposition is quite different than an addiction.

5. You do not offer many practical suggestions for dealing with addiction; neither for the church to consider or for an addicted person. This does not appear to be your focus, why did you choose to do this? Will there be any sort of follow-up offering advice on ministering to those with addiction?

I just didn't feel all that qualified to make such suggestions. I think good practices flow out of good theology, and I was interested in trying to say something theologically substantive and suggestive about addiction. I don't foresee a follow-up. I suppose if there are a lot of requests for it, I could try. But honestly, I think other people who are more familiar with the current programming available to the church would be better placed to make such suggestions.

6. The chapter that I found most intriguing, and probably most helpful, was your chapter on Addiction and Modernity. Here you note that addicts are “unwitting modern prophets”. I am curious about any research you may have done on third-world countries and addiction. How would you explain addiction in third-world countries where their time is given to survival?

That's a terrific question. Although I did research on minority populations in "developed" countries (such as Native Americans here) I didn't do any work on addiction in the "developing" world. But now that you ask that question, I think I should have!

7. I noticed that you got your M.T.S. from Duke. As a fan of college basketball and one that has a perennial distaste in my mouth of all things Duke, I’ve always been curious about this one…How does it feel to not have a soul?

Oh, that's cold. You know, one of my professors at Duke used to say, if you want to see what worship looks like just go to Cameron Indoor for a Duke game. I'd just rephrase that and say that's what addiction looks like. Now that I'm back in the Midwest, I'm in recovery. But I still have to get my fix from time to time.

Much thanks to Kent for taking the time to answer these questions.  I’m glad to hear that he’s recovering from his days at Duke.  If you want to purchase Kent’s book, which I’d suggest, you can do so here: Addiction and Virtue: Beyond the Models of Disease and Choice

Review of Addiction and Virtue: Beyond the Models of Disease and Choice by Kent Dunnington

“I can’t stop”

The young man in my office was broken by his continuing lapses into the darkness of pornography.  He truly wanted to stop, at least it seemed.  He hated pornography.  But he kept going through seasons of “feast” and famine.  Sometimes he could quit for months at a time.  At other points he was engaging in sexual deviance multiple times per day. 

Did he have a disease?  Yes, it is quite true that pornography probably had changed his brain structure.  So there really is legitimacy to his saying, “I can’t stop”.  But isn’t the gospel more powerful than brain structure?  And isn’t it a little simplistic to say that just because his brain structure has changed that he now can’t stop?  If his brain structure was able to change in a deviant form isn’t it possible to “rewire” it again? 

Disease is too simplistic of an explanation. 

So it’s all his choice then, right?  This young man must really not want to change or else he would just make the choice to stop.  If that is the case then why is he in my office?  He obviously wants to stop but he doesn’t know how.  As he talks to me (and this is the case with a myriad of “addicts”) he feels utterly helpless to this problem.  Furthermore, “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” doesn’t seem to be the Bible’s method of Christian growth.  (But then again, neither does a helpless “let go and let God”.) 

Choice is too simplistic of an explanation. 

Then what is it?  If disease is too simplistic and choice is too simplistic, how do we come to understand the nature and experience of addiction?  This is the question that Kent Dunnington sets out to answer in his work Addiction and Virtue: Beyond the Models of Disease and Choice. 

Dunnington’s Position:

Through mining the thought of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, Dunnington believes that these two giants of thought provide a solution. He believes that addictive action is fundamentally the result of habit. Habit, says Dunnington, is “a relatively permanent acquired modification of a person that enables the person, when provoked by a stimulus, to act consistently, successfully and with ease with respect to some objective”. (62)

This helps us to see that what is taking place in addictive action is something that resides deeply within the person. “Rather than being things that we have (as diseases are), addictions are more like things that we become.” (72) But it also explains why addiction is often incontinent action (approving the good, desiring the bad, and driven by this habit ends up doing the bad).

Addiction is not simply an inordinate desire for sensory goods. It is not mere intemperance, but according to Dunnington it actually is a pursuit of moral and intellectual goods. The addictive habit is an attempt to provide a “unifying rationale” (a meta-narrative) to life and thus give the addicted person at least something of necessity. This is why, perhaps, addiction is so prevalent in our contemporary society, because:

“Addiction provides a response to the underwhelming life of boredom that plagues the bourgeois in its leisure time by making one thing matter. And addiction provides a response to the overwhelming life of boredom that plagues the working class with fragmented and compartmentalized striving by making one thing matter. For those who are bored with nothing to do, addiction stimulates by entangling and consuming; for those who are bored with too much to do, addiction disburdens by simplifying and clarifying.”  (118)

Addiction, then, is an “embodied cultural critique of modernity”. And if I am reading Dunnington correctly he believes that addiction is fundamentally a worship problem. The reason we are so “addicted” in our culture is that we have rejected true worship and engaged in counterfeit worship. In fact addiction, it is argued, is counterfeit worship. And this worship problem will be fixed through the gospel coming to bear on a person through gospel-saturated communities.

My Take

I absolutely love Dunnington’s thesis and I tend to agree with him.  Addiction is something more profound than simple models of disease and choice.  These addictive patterns become such a part of us; that is why I like his model of habit.  It explains why it feels uncontrollable, like disease, gives hope that it can be overcome, while at the same time not undercutting that hope by relegating to the deterministic “disease” paradigm. 

I believe that Dunnington’s work here is very foundational and could help move the discussion in addiction and mental health issues forward.  No longer do we need to spend our time fighting about whether addiction is disease or choice, instead we can rest in a helpful third position (habit), that says at the same time it is “both/and” but also “neither/or” disease and choice. 

Personally, I believe that this work could even be used to garner some understanding in what happens with depression.  In the world of biblical counseling we spend a good amount of time arguing about whether depression is caused by biological problems that need to be fixed by medicine or whether it is a sin problem that needs to be fixed by the gospel.  Dunnington’s model would provide helpful navigation. 

This book will hopefully start a conversation.  It probably will not end it, but I believe it will further our discussions on the issue of addiction.  All those that decide to write about addiction must now consider Dunnington’s work and interact with his hypothesis. 

Something to Build On

I find this book to be very helpful in shaping a theology of addiction.  The problem is I am not sure how to apply it.  Nor do I think the technical writing lends itself to most pastors laboring through and then thinking through its implications.  Because of this I am praying that someone far wiser than myself picks up Dunnington’s work and begins to tease out its implications.  I think Dunnington wants us to read his work and flesh out our own applications.  Fair enough, but I feel he has such a good grasp on this I would have liked to have seen a chapter fleshing out the implications of his work in a church setting.

Nonetheless, I find this book very helpful.  It will not be for everyone, as some of the language is technical and the concepts at times are a little difficult to follow.  For the typical addicted person that picks this up I’m not certain that he/she will find much help.  But for those that are discussing the nature of addiction—and those that hope to help those battling various addictions this book is a very helpful addition to your library. 

I thought this book was releasing in September but it looks like Amazon may be shipping it out now.  I got a free pre-release copy from IVP in exchange for a review.  You’ll have to buy it in paperback or on your Kindle.

Tomorrow I will be posting a recent interview I did with author Kent Dunnington…

Just Stop IT!

There are actually some times when this may be good counseling.  Of course it would need to be firmly supported by a decent season of gospel teaching.  So that the encouragement to STOP IT! is something that stems from the gospel.  In other words Jesus redeemed you from sin now stop living in it! 

But there are also other times when this is horrible counseling.  And it has left a good number of people hurt in its wake.  I think especially of two hot button issues within the church today; homosexuality and depression.  Consider depression.  How do you tell someone whose mind is broken to “STOP IT”?  In order to have the power to STOP IT I need my brain to function normally.  That takes time and a ton of gospel work.  The same thing goes with homosexual desires.  (Consider Wesley Hill’s book as a resource for this). 

Lord, give me the grace to trust in the power of the gospel.  Without Your grace my sense of urgency (helping people, helping myself) will quickly turn into impatience.  Help me to see that often gospel work takes time to root out idols and replace them with Christ.  Forgive me for times when I have counseled people to STOP IT when all they really needed was a partner.  Forgive me also for times when I’ve been cowardly and refused to believe in the power of the gospel.  Forgive me for times when I should have said STOP IT, but instead I cowered.  Thank you that people’s health and the furtherance of your kingdom does not depend on me “getting it” and ministering perfectly.  Thanks for your grace.

Ed Welch on Depression’s Odd Filter

I really appreciate Ed Welch and his ministry.  One book that has shaped me profoundly is his book called Running Scared.  He has another book on depression that I really want to read sometime soon.  Recently Welch shared a little of his wisdom on depression and it’s odd filter:

God says, “I love you.”

You hear, “God loves some people but he could never love me.”

Notice that you didn’t hear, “I don’t love you.” That would be your inner filter doing its usual electronic voodoo and reversing any blessing. With this one, you don’t even feel worthy to hear anything personal from the Lord. So what came out the other side was your own voice, not God’s!

Do you think that, maybe, your wiring is completely messed up and you aren’t hearing God accurately?

“I love you,” becomes “God could never love me.” If someone else did that you would tell her she was crazy. But, somehow, for you, it makes perfect sense.

Is it possible that you are mis-hearing?

How convenient it would be if you could simply say, “Oh, now I get it. It was just a little misunderstanding. God, thank you for clearing that one up. I feel much better now. Now I know that you love me.” But life doesn’t work that way. Instead, against all the evidence, such as the sacrificial death of Jesus on your behalf, and his willingness to tell you, over and over, that he loves you, you stick with what you think you heard, as if the problem was hard-wired.

But we are people who believe that the Spirit has been given and he is much more powerful than we think. He can even open our ears so we can hear, even ears that are mis-wired.

The Spirit does his work, in part, by giving you less confidence in the distortions you believe.

The entire article is well worth reading.

Review of Christians Get Depressed Too by David Murray

I have a confession to make. I’m a pastor and I battle depression. And not simply transient feelings of being down either; I battle deep-seated feelings of worthlessness. I can even be prone to anxiety attacks. A couple of days ago I posted, from this book, ten types of false thinking. I struggle with around 70% of them. I’m a Christian, I’m a pastor, and I get depressed.

But it is not only my own bouts of depression that makes this book by David Murray a welcome addition to my library. As a pastor I also rub shoulders with quite a few people that are battling depression (in some shape or form). I have very close family members that struggle with depression. So, I am very interested in books on depression. And I don’t read them as a distant observer.

When given the opportunity to begin reviewing books for Reformation Heritage this was one that really caught my eye, so I jumped at the chance to review it. And I am glad that I did. In fact I actually read this little booklet (only 112 pages) in one night. David Murray is extremely wise in making this book so practical and short in length; because, as he stated, “Depressed people cannot read hundreds of pages” (xi).

One of the debates raging within Christian circles is the role of medicine and psychology in Christian counseling. There are strongly held opinions on each side (or better stated sides) of the argument. So it is surprising that in such a small book Murray successfully takes on some of these divergent opinions. He aptly summarizes the majority positions and argues for a balanced approach that pursues humility and rejects dogmatism.  I tend to agree.

Hopefully this will not cause him to be dismissed by either the “all physical” crowd or the “all spiritual” crowd. Regardless of what position you hold I think we should all agree with Murray’s call for humility, and with it being such a complex issue we should approach surety with trepidation.

After pleading for humility in the midst of complexity Murray begins to address the condition of depression.  He offers a very helpful ten points of false thinking:

• False extremes
• False generalization
• False filter
• False transformation
• False mind reading
• False fortune telling
• False lenses
• False feelings-based reasoning
• False “shoulds”
• False responsibility

These are extremely helpful to identify. I have found that one of the most helpful things in combating my own bouts of depression is for my false thinking to be exposed and then the balm of truth and grace is then able to be applied to my soul. But usually until grace breaks through, via someone exposing my false thinking, I will stubbornly grasp onto my ignorance as if it is saving my life. This section of Murray’s book will be a constant companion for me.

Murray, also interacts with other symptoms of depression, but the vast majority of his treatment concerns false thinking. After exploring the symptoms Murray then charts out potential causes and finally attempts to offer some help in exploring a cure.  And really that is where the rubber meets the road. Unless this book has something helpful to offer by way of “cure” its really not much good.

So, what is Murray’s suggestion for a cure?

As with most everything else in this book Murray is short and to the point. He encourages the reader to correct lifestyle, false thoughts, brain chemistry, and spiritual life; depending on where the problem lies.
You will have to read the entire book to fully explore his answers. But I will say that they are very simple and helpful. I appreciate that Murray does not go into lengthy discussions and give a depressed person a million different strategies to apply. He is simplistic without being given to simplism.

One of the things I appreciate most about Murray’s treatment of depression is this statement:

“One final cause of depression in the Christian is the sovereignty of God. Hard though it may be to accept, the ultimate cause may be, ‘It pleased God’. This, however, is not some sheer arbitrary, sadistic, and pointless infliction of suffering. Not at all. God has wise and loving motives and purposes in all His dealings with His children.”

I love Murray’s honesty, balance, and modeled humility in this book.  It will certainly prove to be a faithful guide to anyone struggling with depression.  I’m not 100% sure that I would go quite as far as Joel Beeke yet.  Who says, “If I had a family or church member fighting depression, it is the first book I would hand out.”  But I have to say that it would certainly be in my top 3. 

This book is not meant to be a stand alone or a cure all for someone struggling with depression. At the end of the day the only hope that a depressed (or non-depressed) person has is Jesus Christ. In as much as this book points people to Christ to heal every wound it will be eternally helpful.   With that in mind, I firmly believe that if a depressed person read this book he/she would be put on the right track at least. 

I would heartily recommend this book.  And it’s only 5.00 on Ebook or you can get the hardcopy from Amazon for only $7.50.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Stinkin’ Thinkin’

I received a really neat little book in the mail yesterday:  Christians Get Depressed Too.  It’s short so I’ll probably have it read and reviewed by the end of this week.  However, I found this little section so beneficial I wanted to share. 

In his section on unhelpful thought patterns (p36-44) Murray outlines 10 false thought patterns:

1. False extremes—“the tendency to evaluate personal qualities in extreme, black and white categories”
2. False generalization—“after experiencing one unpleasant event, we conclude that the same thing will happen to us again and again.
3. False filter—“filtering out anything positive and decide everything is negative”
4. False transformation—“ignoring positives, disqualifying them and turning them into their opposite”
5. False mind reading—assuming you know what another person is thinking about you
6. False fortune telling—expecting catastrophe
7. False lens—“viewing our fears, errors, or mistakes through a magnifying glass and deduce catastrophic consequences.”
8. False feelings-based reasoning—taking your emotions as truth
9. False “shoulds”—pressuring yourself or feeling guilty when you do not “reach certain unattainable standards”.
10. False responsibility—”assuming responsibility and blame for a negative outcome, even when there is no basis for this”

This book is a good, easy, and helpful read.  I highly recommend either buying the e-book for 5 bucks or getting the hardcopy from Amazon for only $7.50.

Inside the Mind of Despair

So, how would you preach the gospel to the person that wrote this?

(From here).

Gavin DeGraw On Medicine

Okay I don’t think he would take the same stance as me, but as I was writing this series on depression I found it weird that this song came on.  Thought I’d post it for your viewing pleasure:

Depression, Christians, and Medicine Part 5

We have been discussing whether or not a depressed Christian should take medicine.  We have looked at my presuppositions as well as outlined two simplistic (in my opinion) views.  Today I just want to briefly point out what is at stake. 

It is important to understand that most everyone in this particular debate has the same goal.  If we are talking about Christians discussing this issue; I am assuming that they all love Jesus, they all want to see God glorified, and they all want to see God significantly heal people through the gospel.  Nobody wants to detract from God’s glory and nobody wants to harm another person.  But what unifies us is also the core of what is at stake. 

Each side runs the risk of harming another person.  If someone NEEDS medicine and for theological reasons they refuse it—they will be harmed.  If it is true that taking medicine merely masks the deeper problem then they will not be significantly healed.  So this is not something that we can casually approach.

Both sides also can detract from God’s glory and neuter the gospel.  It is possible that medicine could fill an idolatrous role that only God intends to fill.  If someone is distracted from the much greater reality of spiritual battle and this becomes a biological issue, it is possible that “science” can get glory that should belong to the Lord.  And it is also possible that God has redeemed science and medicine and that part of the ripple effects of the Cross is the use of medicine to provide significant healing.  To refuse to use something that Christ purchased is a numbing of the benefits of His redemption.  So in one sense the glory of God is also at stake in this discussion. 

This is the bottom line—helping people for the glory of God.  How best does God say that we do that?  That is THE question in this entire discussion. 

Depression, Christians, and Medicine Part 4

Yesterday we discussed the simplistic diabetes/depression argument.  Today we will look at the no psychotropic’s argument.  In other words—Christians shouldn’t take medicine. 

Two Types

This particular approach has two variants.  The first type of “no psychotropic's” rejects not only psychotropic’s but any form of medicine.  Their view is much more involved than I will present it, but for shortness sake, allow me to summarize.  Essentially the belief here is that taking medicine is distrusting God.  Rather than trusting in man (medicine) we should pray and believe that God will heal us.  If he chooses not to heal us then that is His will.  More extreme varieties of this belief will refuse all forms of medicine even to the point of death.  (You’ve maybe seen cases of this in the news).

The second type is really the one that I am concerned with.  This view denies that biology can be the cause of psychological stress.  According to one proponent of this view, “the mentally ill are really people with unsolved personal problems”.  Even things like Schizophrenia are really just camouflage for the underlying issues.  Typically it is unresolved sin. 

Most of my readers probably have ruffled feathers by now.  How can you possibly say that depression, anxiety, schizophrenia is MY fault?  Why would I WANT to be depressed?  Why would somebody WANT to have anxiety or schizophrenia? 

Listen, the guys that hold these views are not stupid.  They are also not mean people that want to destroy people.  They love the Lord, they love the Scriptures, they love people.  And they truly want to see these people healed and experience God’s awesomeness.  So why do they say such things? 

Their Argument

I will try to sum up the view as best as I can but if this really peaks your interest I would suggest reading material by Jay Adams and those influenced by him.  The driving force behind this belief is that God is central and the Bible is sufficient.  It is largely reactionary against the excesses of naturalistic psychology and Christian integrationist. 

Eric Johnson in his book on Soul-Care sums up their passion nicely when he states:

Because modern psychotherapy and counseling discourse make no substantial reference to God and sin, counseling by Christians largely based on that work will not rely on God and the power of Christ’s salvation in its soul-healing, and will unwittingly contribute to the substitution of the Christian religion with another, secular religion.  The very glory of God is at stake here, and the BCM [Biblical Counseling Movement] has seen itself as on a prophetic mission, challenging God’s people to choose God and his salvation for the cure of the soul rather than rely on secular (that is, merely human) counseling strategies.  (Johnson, Foundations of Soul-Care, p.107

If you want to understand this view then you must understand their passion for seeing sin as real and the significant problem with humanity.  You also need to know that they believe Christ and the Scriptures are the singularly sufficient for dealing with this fundamental problem. 

So how would someone from this school of thought answer our question?  Should a depressed Christian take medicine?  First of all they would say that your identity is in Christ not in depression.  You are a Christian that is experiencing symptoms of depression—but your fundamental identity is in Christ.  What will fix your depression is not medicine.  That will only mask the great issues that are going on.  What you need is biblical truth and perhaps repentance.  That is of course putting it coldly—such a thing would be done more warmly and lovingly in a counseling setting.  But at the end of the day this is the position. 

The Problem

William Cowper. 

Not just William Cowper but scores of people like him.  John Newton, who loved Christ and treasured the Scriptures, did not take a rebuke and repent type of method.  He understood that Cowper’s problem was not necessarily unconfessed sin or anything like that. 

Now I know that any strong proponent of this view would argue that the only for sure thing that we have to go by are the Scriptures, not John Newton.  Maybe Newton was wrong and Cowper was not counseled correctly.  Maybe.  But is there a difference between believing in the sufficiency of Scripture and believing that it is Scripture is sufficient in all areas? 

That question just opened an entire debate.  One that would take far too long to discuss here.  So, I’ll take you back to my presuppositions and you can do the research yourself.  I believe that Scripture is totally sufficient and adequate for that which it sets out to do.  But it’s not a sufficient guide for giving us the history of early American colonialism.  Nor is it necessarily a sufficient guide for fully understanding anatomy and physiology. 

You could have given Cowper a million bible verses.  He knew them all.  He understood grace.  He understood justification by faith alone.  He knew Jesus.  But occasionally something would snap in his mind and there would be a radical disconnect between worldview and his personal theology.  He believe the gospel was true for everyone in creation but himself.  Did he need more teaching?  Maybe you could argue that.  But is it possible that Cowper was experiencing something biological? 

At the end of the day I just find this view overly simplistic.  It sounds really good and convincing when it comes to exalting the Scriptures.  But it runs the risk of making the Bible fulfill promises that it never makes.  There are decent arguments from godly people that believe medicine is sometimes necessary. 

So what’s at stake in this discussion?  I’ll try to answer that tomorrow…

Depression, Christians, and Medicine Part 3

Yesterday, I outlined my presuppositions in discussing Depression, Christians, and Medicine.  My presupposition can be explained in this compact sentence: We are whole people, that have been wholly effected by the Fall, but will be totally redeemed, through the gospel (with it’s ripple effects)—which is absolutely sufficient, though God still uses means to make the gospel shine.  If you are new to this discussion and that is confusing perhaps you should read the entire post. 

Today, I promised to explain why the Diabetes/Depression argument is unsatisfactory and overly simplistic.  The argument goes something like this.  We treat diabetes by giving insulin.  We treat an infection with penicillin.  We treat heart problems with beta blockers.  Physical problems are treated with medicine.  So why is a problem with the central nervous system (the brain) any different?  You don’t rebuke someone with Alzheimer’s and pump them full of Scripture so why should you do that with someone that is plagued with depression? 

That is a great point. I’ll show my cards and say that in some particular instances with the right counseling accompanying it, I totally agree.  But is it really that simple?  There are a few things that complicate the issue. 

The Vagueness of Depression

First, depression is such a vague term.  When somebody says, “I feel depressed” it does not necessarily mean they have depression.  It is possible that they are experiencing guilt from sin.  It is even possible that this guilt could be creating biological effects.  It is also possible that this depression has a situational or societal factor.  Of course even these things could have an impact on biology.  Remember, we are whole people. 

Depression can (though not always) be our bodies warning system that something is out of balance.  In this regard it is different than Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.  Certainly, depression can be an indicator light that something is wrong biologically.  It is possible that it could mean—you need to get some more serotonin dude.  Or it could mean that you need to repent.  Or it may even be a natural response to a societal wound. 

Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your…

Paul does not tell us to be transformed by the renewing of your pancreas.  God tells us in His Word that part of His work of redemption is to transform our minds.  Yes, God will also redeem your pancreas.  But in the here and now there is a special place and function of the mind.  This, at least for me, means that we should pause before accepting the diabetes/depression argument. 

Cautioning a Purely Naturalistic View

As believers we need to be cautious in embracing wholly naturalistic world view.  This does not mean that we cannot learn from the unregenerate, or that we should discard everything “secular”.  But this does mean that we should approach everything with caution that disregards God from the onset. 

A purely naturalistic view gives nothing but bio-psycho-social solutions.  Without acknowledging the sovereign action of God and the spiritual nature of our beings a significant (the most significant) part of our humanity is being neglected.  Therefore, any answer is going to be more simplistic than reality.  But so is any view that neglects any aspect of our humanity.

These views alone should cause us to pause and consider whether it is possible that the answer to this question is more complex than a simple God gave us medicine, depression is biological, use the medicine type of approach. 

Tomorrow we will look at the other overly simplistic view…

Depression, Christians, and Medicine Part 2

Yesterday, I introduced this series on depression, Christians, and medicine.  Today I promised to discuss my presuppositions.  Obviously this discussion will not be exhaustive—especially because there are probably presuppositions that I am not even aware of.  But here is what I do know…

We are whole people, that have been wholly effected by the Fall, but will be totally redeemed, through the gospel (with it’s ripple effects)—which is absolutely sufficient, though God still uses means to make the gospel shine. 

Now let’s unpack that.

We are whole people

We are bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings.  That means we are physical beings—and our physical bodies has an impact on our pscyho-social-spiritual selves.  We are also complex rational beings made in the image of God.  Our minds (cognition) impact our bio-social-spiritual selves.  But we are also people in a community and this also impacts the whole of our person.  And perhaps more important or what unites all of these is that we are spiritual beings. 

Whenever something is out of whack it usually does not touch only one particular area.  Even something like cancer does not ravage only the biological aspect of a person.  It also has an impact on attitude, societal relations, and relationship with God to name a few. 

That have been wholly effected by the Fall

There is not one part of our being that has not been touched by the Fall.  It has impacted our minds, our hearts, our relationships, our bodies, our societies.  Everything.  Of course nothing is as bad as it possible could be.  God’s common grace keeps the world from being as wicked, broken, and destructed as it could be.  Nevertheless, every person has been wholly touched by the Fall.

But will be totally redeemed

Of course Christ has already begun the process of redeeming.  And people can live in redemption in a significant way.  Nor is this pleading for universalism.  Not every person impacted by the Fall will be redeemed.  But those whom God is redeeming will ultimately be redeemed—their whole persons wholly redeemed.  Not only will people be redeemed but society will be redeemed.  This means that regardless of where we stand on this issue of depression and medicine we should unite in hope that someday Christ will obliterate this brokenness. 

Through the gospel (with its ripple effects)

I say “with its ripple effects” for a reason.  Redemptive medicine is a ripple effect.  So is gospel community.  So is biblical counsel.  The gospel transforms everything.  The gospel is what enables us to live in redemption in a significant way in the here and now.  At the end of the day the gospel and all of its ripple effects is the cure for depression.  Whether that cure comes through medicine, counseling, or final healing in the New Jerusalem.  Christ purchased all of it.

Which is absolutely sufficient

Jesus does not need the help of science to redeem people.  Jesus does not need help from the regenerate or the unregenerate world to accomplish his purposes.  He can work through them.  He can use them to accomplish His purpose.  If the sufficiency of Christ ever is called into question, that is the moment when we need to pause and rethink our conclusions.  Acts 17 is still true—God does not NEED us to accomplish His purpose.

But God still uses means to make the gospel shine

Passive theology which refuses to accept means is more akin to Stoicism or Hyper-Calvinism than biblical theology.  God does not NEED us to accomplish His purpose but quite often we are the means that He chooses to use to accomplish what He is doing. 

He used a small group of followers to change the world.  There is no getting around the biblical fact that a fisherman named Peter, a former murderer named Paul, and a couple of loud-mouths named James and John were used by God to transform the world.  God uses means to make the gospel shine.  And he can use whatever means he wants to. 

This is my presupposition:  We are whole people, that have been wholly effected by the Fall, but will be totally redeemed, through the gospel (with it’s ripple effects)—which is absolutely sufficient, though God still uses means to make the gospel shine.  Question it if you must.  But know this is where I am coming from as we take our next steps…

Insane Love

Jesus loved loves William Cowper.  That thought brought me great encouragement this morning because Cowper wrote things like this:

Hatred and vengence -my eternal portion
Scarce can endure delay of execution -
Wait with impatient readiness to seize my
Soul in a moment.

Damned below Judas; more abhorred than he was,
Who for a few pence sold his holy Master!
Twice betrayed, Jesus me, the last delinquent,
Deems the profanest.

Man disavows, and Deity disowns me:
Hell might afford my miseries a shelter;
Therefore Hell keeps her ever-hungry mouths all
Bolted against me.

Hard lot! encompassed with a thousand dangers;
Weary, faint, trembling with a thousand terrors,
I'm called, if vanquished, to receive a sentence
Worse than Abiram's.

Him the vindictive rod of angry Justice
Sent quick and howling to the centre headlong;
I, fed with judgment, in a fleshy tomb am
Buried above ground.

Those words were written by Cowper during one of his many bouts with insanity.  You can read some of his story here.  During these periods of insanity Cowper was absolutely convinced that he was of the damned.  My fight against discouragement or feelings of worthlessness pale in comparison to the battle that warred within Cowper’s soul.  That is why contemplating the truth that Jesus loves William Cowper was so freeing to me this morning. 

Of course it is possible that Cowper was right and that he was damned.  But he certainly showed numerous evidences of grace.  John Newton, who proved himself perceptive in caring for souls, was convinced of Cowper’s regenerate state.  More than likely William Cowper is now dancing with Jesus—though he died in a fit of insanity that convinced him that he would soon be tormented along with other damned souls. 

Why is that encouraging?  It is encouraging because my feelings of discouragement do not have the power to damn me.  Neither does my battle with bitterness or cynicism.  Nor does it even matter if I fall into Cowper-like insanity, that drives me to the conclusion that I am damned.  As John Bunyan once said, “I saw that it is not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness IS Christ.”   

What held Cowper, what held Bunyan, and what continues to hold me is the surety of the work of Jesus Christ on my behalf.  In other words, Romans 8:31-39 is true in the life of the believer whether we grasp it or not:

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Even insanity which falsely damns you cannot separate you from the truth of complete redemption that is found in Jesus Christ. 

Sources:

Cowper poem

Bunyan quote

Cowper photo