Tough Questions Series: The Dark Night of the Soul vs. Clinical Depression
A few weeks ago, our church had the honor of having a guest panel answer some questions that were submitted by members of our congregation. You can watch that service here. Most of these questions focused on the challenges that followers of Jesus face as they strive to live in and to engage a culture that is so different from God’s design. We had so many great questions submitted yet could not get to all of them during the service time so we hope to tackle more of those questions here on the blog.
This week, we are going to examine the difference between the dark night of the soul verses clinical depression and how to identify which one a person might be experiencing. Most of all, we want to encourage your heart in the truth of God’s redeeming power to work in both of these situations. Because of Jesus, not only do we have someone who truly knows and understands every thought, feeling, and emotion that we can experience, but we have His true hope—a guaranteed hope, that has not just saved us but can truly sustain us through every trial and obstacle that we could ever face in this world.
As a short answer to this question, I love how counselor, coach, and member of our church, Nate Hamlin explains it: “When we are in a dark night of the soul or in an experience of spiritual desolation, we do not have a felt sense of the presence of God and God’s involvement in our lives. It is dark spiritually. However, we are able to be functional in other areas of our lives. In contrast, when a person is in a state of psychological depression, they are significantly impaired in social, occupational, academic, or other important areas of functioning. Their energy for the spiritual life may also be impacted, but they do not necessarily have the felt experience of darkness and absence of a felt connection with God.”
What is the dark night of the soul?
The term dark night of the soul comes from an 8-stanza poem written by Spanish Carmelite, St. John of the Cross (1542-1591). The poem outlines the soul’s journey from the distractions and pain of this world into the perfect peace and harmony that is found in living in union with God. Today, you might come across this term in certain Christian books or podcasts, as it has become a way of identifying certain points along a believer’s sanctification journey. For those of you who may have read the book “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” by Peter Scazzero, the dark night of the soul can be thought of as the same thing as going through the wall. Life events such as losing a loved one, getting a divorce, receiving a serious health diagnosis, or experiencing abuse or pain in a trusted relationship can all lead a person to experience a dark night of the soul. The actual life event is not considered to be the dark night of the soul but rather, the deep level of processing that a believer intentionally enters into following the life event. One of the main distinct features of the dark night of the soul is a feeling of abandonment by God or the loss of His presence. A person may feel like all of the ways that they used to connect with God such as going to church, reading their Bible, and praying, no longer bring them the same sense of God’s nearness. They may then start to doubt and question their beliefs or even doubt and question God Himself. It can feel very dark, lonely, and hopeless, leaving a person wondering where God is in the midst of it all. A spiritual depression, spiritual crisis, or even a depression of faith, are all terms that could be used to accurately describe the dark night of the soul.
While a person may truly feel like God is absent during a dark night of the soul, it is important to remember that God is still very much there. While our feelings absolutely matter to God and are vital indicators of what we might believe to be true about ourselves and about our lives, ultimately our feelings do not determine what is true. God’s Word determines what is true and we see throughout the Bible God promising to never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5, Psalm 94:14). In fact, the dark night of the soul is thought to be a way that God actually brings us into closer relationship with Him. Peter Scazzero describes it as God’s way of “rewiring and purging our affections and passions so that we might delight in His love and enter into a richer, fuller communion with Him”. He also describes it as not simply being a one-time event that we pass through and get beyond, but rather, something that Christians continue to experience as part of their ongoing relationship with God. Therefore, while experiencing a dark night of the soul is unpleasant to go though, the point of it is not to harm us but rather, if we allow it—to transform us more into the likeness of Jesus and to experience a deeper relationship with Him.
It is also important to note that the dark night of the soul is not taught in the Bible as an actual term and that neither Jesus or His disciples spoke of such a thing, however, when we read the stories of the accounts of Moses, Abraham, Job, Jeremiah, David and Paul for example (along with many others), we can imagine that they too experienced going through their own dark night of the soul as they wondered, questioned, and doubted God’s active power and goodness during certain times in their lives. Even Jesus was able to relate to this experience when He was on the cross and cried out: “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). In that moment, Jesus felt complete abandonment by the Father as the sins of the world were placed upon Him.
What is clinical depression?
Clinical depression and the dark night of the soul have many similarities, and it is also very possible for a person to experience both at the same time. Clinical depression and the dark night of the soul can be triggered by the same life events such as loss of a loved one, loss of a job, and divorce, etc. They both can also bring about feelings of pain, discouragement, and disengagement. Where clinical depression is markedly different however, is that when a person is clinically depressed they not only feel extremely down but also have a loss of interest in the things that they once enjoyed, and are usually also struggling with insomnia, a change in eating habits, weight fluctuations, concentrating, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts. The illness oftentimes consumes much of who they feel they are as a person, causing them to shut down and to not reach out to others for help, along with losing the ability to show compassion and empathy towards other people.
Clinical depression is a mental condition that, just like any serious physical condition, needs to be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional. It is so important to know that it is absolutely okay for a person to have Jesus and have a therapist as well. In fact, the Bible is full of scripture on the importance of receiving counsel (Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 19:20-21, Proverbs 15:22). Seeing a therapist does not mean that Jesus is not enough to overcome depression. If anything, seeking help requires trusting God to provide the courage to do so. It also is a way of glorifying Him with the body He has asked us to care for and love (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). It is essential, however, to make sure that a person finds a therapist who shares the same love for God and His Word, as many psychologists and counselors operate under different belief systems that are outside of Biblical teaching.
Our Thoughts, Feelings, and Life Circumstances are all Redeemable
Whether a person is going through the dark night of the soul or experiencing clinical depression, know that God has the power to redeem all things. His plan for redemption didn’t end at the cross and He is still at work to redeem situations in our lives that feel lost or broken today. It may not happen right away or in the way that we were expecting, but as long as we continue to turn to Him and trust Him, we can be confident in His perfect plan and love for us to work for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28, Romans 11:36).
Below are some ways that we can experience God’s redeeming power no matter what we are facing in our lives:
We can experience God’s redeeming power through reading the Bible: God uses His Word to speak directly to our heart, mind, and soul. It is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), provides wisdom and understanding (Psalm 119:130), and gives us the truth to sanctify us and set us free (John 17:17, John 8:31-32). It is a bright light that we can open up and read while navigating dark times, helping us to be reminded of His goodness and faithfulness.
We can experience God’s redeeming power in community: Part of God’s plan for community is to have one another in order to help carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). In community, we see people being the hands and feet of Jesus as His Spirit dwells inside each person, offering encouragement and lifting us up (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). In community, we can have a safe place to share our stories and discover others who share similar experiences, which God can use to bring us comfort and healing.
We can experience God’s redeeming power in the person of Jesus: Hebrews 12:2-3 says: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Every believer has received redemption through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). By this blood, our sins have graciously been covered, and just like Jesus, one day our spirit will rise out from the grave in order to be united with him face-to-face in heaven. Every tear will be wiped away, every struggle will no longer exist, and every kind of illness— both physical and mental, will be gone. Until that day comes however, we will face many trials and hardships—just as Jesus did, and just as He predicted (John 16:33). Thankfully, through Jesus we have the light of life (John 8:12) and when we choose to fix our eyes on Him and speak to Him in prayer, we can trust that He is actively working on our behalf to redeem any darkness that we are experiencing in life. He deeply knows what we are going through and He can open our eyes and our hearts to a renewed hope, peace, and joy that has the power to sustain us until the day that we are made perfectly complete with Him (Philippians 1:6).
