When sin is involved

I've been thinking a bit about sin, and how that affects depression. Most of my posts are catered to those who deal with depression even though they haven't committed any big transgressions or anything. However, I want to talk just a tad about how repentance is a HUGE key in overcoming depression when sin is in the picture.

I'm reading a book called Hard Questions, Prophetic Answers by Daniel Judd, a former member of the General Sunday School presidency, and who also taught one of my Book of Mormon classes at BYU. Among topics such as divorce, homosexuality, and abuse, there is a section on depression. I 100% believe this book to be inspired. He discusses how there are some plagued by depression because they have committed some serious sins, and although they try therapy and medication, their depression doesn't go away until they have repented.

Now, repentance doesn't just mean feeling bad for a little and apologizing. What it really means is to change. It's a change of heart. It's matching our will with God's. Repentance isn't some uncomfortable word that should be painful to hear. It simply means to change, by accessing the Atonement. Ofttimes change requires swallowing our stubborn pride and admitting that we're wrong. Sometimes it means a terrifying but needed trip to the Bishop, who is called by God to help you. It always means getting on our knees and pleading for God's help to change our imperfect selves. And it also requires patience.

I love the story in the Book of Helaman when the Lamanites and the "inactive member" Nephite are in the prison where Lehi and Nephi are kept, and this huge shadow overcomes them. The quiet yet penetrating voice of the Lord commands them to them to repent. The Lamanites panic and ask what they should do to remove the darkness, and the Nephite, in an inspired recollection of his former testimony cries, "Ye must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you...and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you."

And then something incredible happens. They all began to plead to the voice that they had heard until, and the cloud dissipated, and they looked around and "they saw that they were encircled about, yea, every soul, by a pillar of fire...yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory....and it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying: Peace, peace be until you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world." (Helaman 5, The Book of Mormon).

Holy smokes. I remember reading that and thinking--wow, that can TOTALLY be applied to depression! This dark, terrible cloud that is is replaced with glorious joy when we repent and have faith on the Savior. And I'm NOT talking about the times that we unnecessarily guilt ourselves out over miniscule things (see my earlier post "sins vs. mistakes"). I mean the times when we know we have sinned against God and we need to repent.

I promise that it works! We don't need to suffer, because Christ already did that for us. He suffered out of complete, pure love for each of us, so that we don't have to suffer the consequences of sin if we repent. His plan, God's plan, is so beautiful.

If we don't repent, it's like staying trapped in a deep, dark hole, and refusing to grab the rope that the Savior has let down for us to take hold of...It's the only way out.