Article November 7, 1983 Issue

Erase depression

RICHARD E. STOCKHAM

Christian Science teaches that God's man expresses eternal joy. It seems, though, that humans do not always express this God-given quality. A growing number suffer from various stages of depression. But the fact is that we can destroy depression and find real joy by applying, with diligence and understanding, the truths stated in the Bible, and Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy.

Science and Health tells us: "Material sense expresses the belief that mind is in matter. This human belief, alternating between a sense of pleasure and pain, hope and fear, life and death, never reaches beyond the boundary of the mortal or the unreal." Then it goes on to give us this wonderful hope: "When the real is attained, which is announced by Science, joy is no longer a trembler, nor is hope a cheat." ^{ Science and Health, p. 298.}

The essence of depression is the misconception that life and substance are inherent in matter, that joy can become sorrow and hope despair. If this misconception were true, there would indeed be something to cause depression. But as the Bible assures us, "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." ^{ Gen. 1:31.} Who can reasonably assume that a benevolent God, who created everything and knew that it was very good, could bring sorrow and despair to man, His image and likeness? God's benevolence is all-encompassing. God's man stands in the full light of His benevolence, and in turn reflects it fully.