Depression and Grace

Depression is a funny little beast. I struggle with it. Issues of self worth or loneliness or inactivity creep up and strike me. Sometimes it is situational - my difficult candidacy process, a conversation with someone, the ups and downs of being in relationship with others, CPE last summer, illness...

There is a quote in the foreword of "The Shack" that I reference often: "I suppose that since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing, and I know that grace rarely makes sense for those looking in from the outside." (pg 11)

This might be a good opportunity for you to go read my post yesterday on Taste and See.

And since this is Reformation Sunday and we love to talk about the grace of God, I am wondering how it all ties together. How do both our hurts and healings happen through others and where is grace? Do we have to go through the waiting and wondering and wandering so that we are more joyful when whatever it is arrives?

It often seems to me that vacations happen RIGHT when you really need them. A reading week break in seminary or a visit with a friend. Is there some kind of "fulfilling the prophecy" thing going on here? You know a vacation is coming so you allow the stress to build and build? Or is God simply big enough to know when that tension has built high enough that you turn to your God and are rewarded with healing or an answer. "Your faith has made you well."

I don't know. I'm just setting a table full of food for thought. Chow down and let me know what you think.