Encouragement for the Depressed
Written by
Charles Spurgeon
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This brief book comes from a sermon Spurgeon preached, in which he encouraged his listeners to not despise the day of small things (Zechariah 4:10). In other words, for those hovering on the edges of a deep discouragement or depression, there was hope that God had something for them to do - some way of being fruitful for Him and doing something for His glory.
Charles Spurgeon’s voice was never recorded, but on the pages of this book you can almost hear it. He urges, he appeals. Probably the high point is when he begins to list the things that you can do for the Lord: give a penny if it’s all you have, hand a gospel tract to a stranger, write a letter about Christ to an old friend, teach your children about Jesus, proclaim the gospel on the train, in your workshop, in your factory. He’s not presuming to solve clinical depression, but he’s urging Christians to pull themselves out of ruts of discouragement by taking action.
It could have been longer! But it’s almost perfect as it is. Short and sharp.
Obviously, anyone who is discouraged about being useful for God’s purposes. But I think anyone would benefit from understanding Spurgeon’s mind and heart.
It’s not a book of counselling, or a spiritual guide on how to overcome depression. It’s a jolt for the soul, a wake-up for the heart. And sometimes things actually are that simple.
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