Escaping the Giant Despair
If you had been living in the American colonies in the late 17th century, and if you had two books in your home, one would have been the Bible, and the other would most likely have been John Bunyan’s (now classic) allegory: “The Pilgrim’s Progress” (TPP).
If you’ve never read TPP, here’s a lighting-fast summary: a visitor to the City of Destruction name Evangelist warns one of its citizens, Christian, to leave the doomed city and to follow the King’s Highway to the Celestial City. On his journey Christian faces obstacles and dangers that come between him and his destination.
At one point in his travels, Christian and his companion, Hopeful, stray from the King’s Highway and fall asleep in a meadowed owned by the cruel Giant Despair. Imprisoning them in the putrid, pitch black dungeon of Doubting Castle, Despair and his wife Mistrust devise a series of torments.
First, Giant Despair hurls vicious insults and abuse at the two prisoners, then he beats them so badly that they are unable to even move.
The next day, Despair suggests to the prisoners that they should just end their miserable lives since they are never likely to get out of his power. He would have made an end of them himself, but it happened to be a beautiful day outside, and Despair predictably was weakened at those times when the sun shone brightly.
The two friends hold a conference with Christian seriously considering ending his own life rather than be ruled by Giant Despair. But Hopeful contrasts the appearance of the bad circumstances with some things he knows to be true, including:
The King of the Celestial city had forbidden murder - and wouldn’t that include self murder?
Giant Despair is not all powerful: he knows of many others who have escaped his dungeon
Also, having seen the Despair is weakened by sunshine, it could be possible to get around him
Patiently enduring, they resist Despair’s goal to kill them, and don’t become his accomplices
Christian is calmed by Hopeful’s observations, but when the Giant returns and is enraged that they are still alive, threatens them with even worse torture, Christian once again considers if it would be better to give up his life.
Hopeful reminds Christian of his past bravery in the face of terrible trouble and hardship, even imprisonment and death, and urges him to continue on with patience.
Since the two had not yet despaired of life, the Giant and his wife discuss what to do next. Mistrust advises they be shown the bones and skulls of those Despair had already killed and to threaten them with a similar gruesome fate.
But that night, the two friends begin to pray. As the day is nearly about to dawn, Christian suddenly remembers that he could have walked out of the prison at any time because he has a key called Promise tucked away that should be able to open any lock in Doubting Castle. All doors open and they escape back to the safety of the King’s Highway, where Despair has no power.
THE EMOTION OF LOST HOPE
This story gives a very accurate representation of how despair works and how can be overcome in the life of the Christian. Despair is the far end of depression. It is the “Emotion of Lost Hope”. Despair results when negative external circumstances find no positive internal resistance. You can image the difference between standing on top of an unopened soda can and an empty can. Without the positive pressure inside, the can turns into a metal pancake.
Since despair is an internal problem, merely changing our external circumstances doesn’t give lasting relief. As the saying goes, “No matter where you go, there you are”. Just like in Bunyan’s allegory, despair isolates us in a dungeon of doubt. We mistrust that any light can come, only darkness. Yet, since despair is a lack of inner strength, although it beats us up emotionally it has no actual power to physically harm us… unless we cooperate!
As God’s children, united with Jesus, despair is not intended to be part of our lives. Like Bunyan’s hero, we Christians have to leave the King’s Highway, the life of trust God, his Word & his plan in order to fall into dark times of despair. But even in that self-inflicted dungeon, those gloomy circumstances can serve to point us to God’s faithfulness. Charles Spurgeon, himself a sufferer from severe depression, once wrote, “I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages”.
THE DEFEAT OF DESPAIR
Despair can be decreased, and ultimately defeated. As Bunyan’s story indicates, getting out into nature and experiencing the goodness of God’s creation is a practical defense against despair. Beauty and goodness found in nature reflect the good and beautiful Creator.
Loving community is also an effective bulwark against spiraling, dark thoughts. That “it is not good for the human to be alone” (Genesis 2:18) is a deeply true statement, regardless of discussions of who’s an introvert or extrovert. Loving Christian community comes alongside us in our dark moments and extends relationship and connection as a lifeline.
Ultimately Despair is defeated by actively trusting the Promise of God and talking to Him about them as they confront the thoughts of solitude and hopelessness. The psalms are classic examples of actively putting the key of God’s promise to powerful use:
Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.... Know that Yahweh has set apart his faithful servant for himself; Yahweh hears when I call to him.... Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Yahweh, make me dwell in safety. - Psalm 3
Just exactly how does actively trusting God’s promise in Christ defeat the “Emotion of Hopelessness”? God’s promise…
…reminds us we are never alone (another Person has seen us and given us assurance)
…reminds us that we are loved (this loving Father, Faithful Son, and Comforting Spirit has our best interests at heart)
…reminds us that God is powerful (The promises transcend our particular situation)
…reminds us we have a certain amazing future (The promise includes an eternal joy)
…reminds us that our circumstances will be used for our good (Even darkness can’t separate God’s love; his Son endured death and darkness on purpose on our behalf.)
…reminds us that death has been defeated (Death is not a release from despair; it is a conquered enemy.)
To endure through despair, we need something inside that can’t be crushed. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 Paul writes:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
There is nothing stronger than having the God who defeated death as your loving Father, faithful Brother, and constant Companion. In Psalm 56 King David wrote: “in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” But Paul goes one better! In his letter to the Christians in Roman:
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?.. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God [the Father] that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We can trust a God who has scars on his hands. He knows what suffering is, and he went through it on purpose in order to rescue us from despair and death and to bring us into his beautiful Kingdom as a deeply loved child of God. Just like Christian in “Pilgrim’s Progress”, all we need do is trust what God has said and done in the person of Jesus is true and our perspective of our circumstances will dramatically change.
ACTION STEPS:
1) Reflect: What are you filling your “can” with? The promises of God? Tik tok videos? Peter said that only Jesus had the words of eternal life. Read the Psalms 3, 4, & 5 for the pattern of promise- God’s love and faithful care
2) Are you surrounding yourself with people who will encourage you with God’s promises? Are you that kind of friend?
3) Get out into nature. Examine the goodness of God in a Sycamore or Redwood tree, in a Sunset, in clouds, in the graceful flight of a bird.
4) Practice make permanent: Think about a time when you faced anxiety or challenging circumstances. Talk to God about the experience and ask him to remind you of his promises that address your particular issue.
5) Read Paul’s own bout with despair in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10. How was he able to look back on that time in light of the Gospel Hope? What specific truth in God’s promise in Jesus did Paul place at the core of his life?
Gospel: To endure through despair, you need something inside that can’t be crushed. Later in the same letter, Paul writes:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
There is nothing stronger than having the God who defeated death as your loving Father.
In Psalm 56 King David wrote:
“in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?”
But Paul goes one better! In his letter to the Christians in Roman he proclaims:
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?.. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God [the Father] that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God was“All in” with Jesus - The Full expression of his benevolent and compassionate care
Blunt: If you haven’t put your trust in God’s gift of his beloved Son, you are an empty can. What promises can you use to escape from despair. When deep, pressure comes, what will keep you from being crushed?
You can trust the God who has scars on his hands. He knows what suffering is, and he went through it on purpose in order to rescue you from despair and death and to bring you into his beautiful Kingdom as a deeply loved child of God. Just like Christian in “Pilgrim’s Progress”, all you need to do is trust that what God has said and done in the person of Jesus is true and your perspective of your circumstances will dramatically change.
Pray! Thankful for promises - For current and future battles with despair