Depression is a sign of weak faith. I don't know that I was ever told those exact words, but growing up, it was certainly conveyed to me that a depressed Christian is a bad Christian. A depressed Christian obviously lacks a strong relationship with God. A depressed Christian just needs to pray more, speak words of faith, and spend more time in the Bible. A depressed Christian gives Jesus---and the Church---a bad name.
That kind of thinking kept me bound in a prison. Forced me to suffer quietly. Because... Well...
I'm depressed. And I have been for a while.
My life is rich in many, many ways. I love God; I've followed Him my whole life; I've served Him passionately on the mission field for over a decade. I have people in my life who love me deeply and whom I love deeply in return.
But I'm also facing the hardest thing I've ever had to endure. And it's left me struggling with depression for almost two years.
Do I have weak faith? Sometimes. (So thankfully all I need is a mustard seed sized dollop of it.) But I know now that my depression isn't a reflection of my faith.
And I'm so sorry for ever thinking anyone else's was a reflection of theirs.
