You Must Be Willing to Take Yourself to Task

At the end of his helpful chapter, "Warfare," in Depression, Ed Welch poses two helpful questions for a depressed person to ask themselves in the context of spiritual warfare:

"…First, is your allegiance to Jesus Christ? If it isn’t, be open to knowing Jesus. How could you refuse an opportunity to consider a person who promises life and hope? If you are not sure of your allegiances, do the same thing. Be open to knowing him better. There are ways that you will know Jesus in your suffering that are unique and profound.

"If you have publicly voiced your faith in Jesus but not are filled with doubts, can you distinguish between depression and faith? ...

"The other question to consider is this: Do you want to change? As bizarre as it might seem, depression can come to feel like a friend. You wouldn’t choose this friend if you had a choice, but now that you have him, he is comfortable and predictable. You can even derive personal identity from him, which is especially tempting when you feel like you have no identity without him. If you are not engaging in the spiritual battle we have discussed so far, it is possible that you are deceiving yourself. Perhaps you are merely going through the motions. Then you can say that you have tried when you haven’t, and you can have a clear conscience when you remain entrenched in your hopelessness.

"This is a battle. If you want to change, you must be willing to take yourself to task."

~ Ed Welch, Depression:A Stubborn Darkness, 71-72.