Elahe Hessamfar

  • Home
  • Bio
  • Book
  • Reflections
  • Contact

These are my reflections on those Scriptures that God has used to comfort me as I have travelled through the "valleys of Shadow of death." I am hoping that they will comfort those fellow-travelers who are going through the wilderness of life. At times, I will also write blogs relevant to mental illness, particularly as it relates to issues of faith, theology and community. All Scriptures used here will be from New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise specified.

Despairing Even of Life

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Elahe Hessamfar

depression-desktop-wallpaper-background-1024x576

For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead … He on whom we have set our hope. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

This text is for those who believe that Christians should never feel depressed. This is for those who think despair and thoughts of death are signs of faithlessness. This is for those who believe in triumphalism. This is for those who think that you should pull yourself up by your bootstraps of faith and act happy! Paul gives us a quite different picture.

He is sharing his agony, helplessness, and despair. “We despaired even of life,” says Paul. The suffering he endured in Asia was so intense he wanted to die. He could not take it any longer; it was “beyond” his “strength” to handle it anymore. He was ready to give up. There was nothing left in him to save himself.

Does that sound familiar? O Christian, you who have experienced the depths of darkness when you thought the sun would never rise again; you who gasp for air because the pain has sucked all the oxygen out of you; you who are so overwhelmed by your unpaid bills, an incurable disease, addiction, loneliness, abandonment, depression, psychosis, betrayal, and all the evils of life: Paul is sharing his experience with you! He also has experienced agony, despair, rejection, hunger, homelessness, and more (1 Cor.4:11-14)!

You wondered how God could forsake you in the midst of this storm. Paul is explaining that there is a good reason for God’s hiddenness.

God has not forgotten you.

He has not lost His capacity to save. He is sitting on His throne, in charge as always. But He longs for you to know Him in a deeper way. He has to bring you to the end of your capacities so that you recognize the impotence of all your idols. You have to see that neither your strength, nor your intellect, nor your physical beauty, nor your charm, nor your money, nor your friends can save you. You have to come to the end of yourself so that you will cry out to God from the depths of despair and stretch out your hands toward Him. He wants you to know that He is the only source of help in the midst of darkness, because He is the only true Light that no darkness can overtake. My friend, hope in Him, surrender to Him, and know that He cares for you. Know that He is the ruler over the realm of humankind, and that He will providentially work toward one goal: to conform you to the image of His Son (Rom.8:29).

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Print

Category: Devotional Tagged: 2 Corinthians, Depression, Despair, Foresakeness, Helplessness, Sovereignty of God, Suffering, Suicide

BOOK AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

Order Book

In the Fellowship of His Suffering: A Theological Interpretation of Mental Illness – A Focus on “Schizophrenia”

About Elahe Hessamfar

ELAHE HESSAMFAR is a former business executive and has a PhD in Divinity from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. She has an MA in biblical studies from the Reformed Theological Seminary, an MS in computer science from the George Washington University, and a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas.

Comments

  1. Susan says

    January 22, 2015 at 7:02 am

    Thank you for these words! I needed to be reminded of this this morning. I came across this today after hearing your story while I was watching a sermon series by Andy Stanley. God Bless you and your family!

    Reply
    • Elahe Hessamfar says

      January 22, 2015 at 9:33 am

      Thank you! Be Blessed!

      Reply
  2. Michael Murray says

    May 16, 2015 at 11:31 pm

    Amen sister. Well said. He calls us closer through suffering. Sadly we so often look everywhere else.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

Follow Me on Twitter

My Tweets

Order Book

In the fellowship of His suffering: A Theological Interpretation of Mental Illness.

Order In the fellowship of His suffering: A Theological Interpretation of Mental Illness via Amazon.

Social Links

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • What if Some of Our Psychiatric Symptoms are Iatrogenic?
  • Gaining Freedom in the Midst of Darkness: A Theological Perspective
  • A Theological Interpretation of the Language of Madness
  • What Should We Make of Hearing Voices?
  • Do Not Trust in Riches and Worldly Goods

In the fellowship of his suffering.

A Theological Interpretation of Mental Illness. - A Focus on "Schizophrenia"

Order Book

Copyright © 2023 · Elahe Hessamfar

Copyright © 2023 · Minimum Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in