Finding God in Times of Depression

 

Whether you suffer from depression year-round or it rears its ugly head in the colder months due to the lack of sunlight, Finding God in Times of Depression by Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP, offers some short, soothing prayers and reflections to aid you in turning to God for help and healing in your time of need.

Sr. Kathryn Hermes understands the feelings and challenges of depression as she has personally experienced them. She shares that “a stroke when [she] was twenty-one melted into years of emotional struggles with the darkness and doubt that depression brings.” She knows what it is like to feel that “the gentle breezes of spring will never again bless our life” and that in those difficult moments, “we most need to know we are not alone. We long for the warmth and assurance of Jesus’ tender care” (2-3).

The irony is that when we most need to turn to God, it can be a great struggle to find the motivation or the words to pray. We are often tired and barely holding on. Doing anything can feel like a monumental feat. While at those times, we can turn to the wonderful standard prayers of our faith, such as the Our Father or Hail Mary, or simply call on the name of Jesus, it can also be helpful to have reflections and prayers geared to the experience we are facing.

Sr. Kathryn provides thirty excerpts from Scripture, along with reflections and short prayers to help on the journey through depression. There is also a collection of prayers at the end of the book, including the beautiful “I Believe” by Maire nic Dhia, which expresses the desire to believe and trust in God.

As Sr. Kathryn reminds us, “God is not put off by a desolate heart’s cry . . . our heart’s pleading is itself a prayer” (23). The Scripture passages she has chosen to share in this work emphasize that we are not alone in our feelings of desolation and discouragement. Many of those who have walked before us have struggled in similar ways and turned to God in their distress. God hears our prayers and accompanies us in our personal darkness, even when we feel abandoned and on our own. We are encouraged to “remember that Jesus is walking with [us] through it all” (8).

Finding God in Times of Depression is a small purse-sized book, perfect for carrying with you to use when you have a free moment or for keeping on a prayer table or nightstand. It can provide hope in the midst of the trial of depression and remind you to turn to God for hope and comfort. 

 

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