Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, September 11, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder when I was 25 years old. I had struggled with it since I was eleven, but at 25, it became impossible for me to function with it anymore. Against my misgivings, I went on medication and started therapy. My life was transformed—I didn’t just feel “better”, I felt like myself in a way I hadn’t experienced in a decade.
Once the initial shame wore off, I was extremely open about what I had experienced. I talked to anyone and everyone about my mental illness, my frustration with the medical establishment, my former prejudices against psychiatric medications and therapy, and the journey back to health and full functioning.
Several years later, my brother called me. He was experiencing serious depression and wanted my input. I could tell immediately he needed medical help and told him so. We had a wonderful conversation in which I reassured him that what his mind was telling him wasn’t rational, and that there was help available. A short time after, he sought help, went on meds, and was similarly able to resume his life. A couple years after that, a similar thing happened with my other brother. Both expressed gratitude that I had been so open about my struggles so that they knew exactly where to go when things got rough.
This is what we do for one another in Christ. We bear witness to the life-transforming love of Jesus, to the help and healing we receive in our own struggles, so that we, having been consoled, can console others, offering them hope and help.
How can sharing my personal struggles help another person?