One of My Heroes Has Fallen — Despondency

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Yesterday my mentor, Dr. Horace Ward, former President of my alma mater, West Coast Bible College, passed away. There was a part of me that wanted to rejoice—he’s now in heaven, completely whole—and another part of me that was despondent. 

I'm thankful for the active presence of the Holy Spirit in times like this. Every Christ follower knows that life is not a party all the time. The wise Solomon reminded us that "to everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die...a time to weep, and a time to laugh..." [See Ecclesiastes 3:1-8]

I was reminded of John Bunyan’s classic allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress. The book is about a character named “Christian” and his journey from the “City of Destruction” to his heavenly destination, the “Celestial City.” 

At one point in his travels, Christian and a companion fell into the “Swamp of Despondency.” His traveling companion somehow managed to get out, but returned to the City of Destruction without the slightest effort to give aid to Christian. 

Left alone, Christian began to sink deeper into the mire. But someone came along just in time. His name was “Help,” an allegorical figure of the Holy Spirit. Help pulled Christian out of the Swamp of Despondency.

Christian inquired of Help how it was that the swamp hadn’t been cleaned up so that poor travelers might have safe passage to the Celestial City. Help responded, “This miry slough is such a place that cannot be mended."

How true. Swamps of despondency are a reality of life. No matter how hard we may try, we cannot avoid them. And it really doesn’t matter if you are a young or mature Christ follower...swamps of despondency are inevitable, and we all struggle through them!

Charles Spurgeon wrote in his book, Lectures to my Students: 

"Fits of depression come over most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy. There may be here and there men of iron…but surely the rust frets even these."

Life is a struggle sometimes. But praise be to our God - He has provided us a “Helper” for our time of need! We can trust the Holy Spirit to rescue us from the dreadful swamps of life, and set our feet back upon the Rock—Christ, the Rock of our salvation. 

Since we aren’t alone there, it is appropriate to look around for others who may be struggling in the Swamp of Despondency. And rather than abandoning them as Christian’s friend did, we can come along side of them and help them on their adventure to the Celestial City. 

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.  Psalms 107:2-6