I Trust When Dark My Road, a Lutheran View of Depression is the name of a free book available now at the following link: https://resources.lcms.org/reading-study/lutheran-view-of-depression/.

In the forward to the book Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison makes an interesting observation about all the suffering that we go through. He points out that before the creation of the world God ordained for us the sufferings that we would endure that he would use to make us more life Jesus.

This observation reminds us that all our sufferings have a purpose. They do not happen randomly. Just as God chose us as his beloved children before we were even born, so he also chose the events that happen in our lives that would grow our faith in Jesus.

Second, it reminds us of the important role that sufferings have in making us more like Jesus. Yes, sermons and Bible studies and other Christian activities can help shape our Christian lives but the sufferings we endure for the sake of Christ, even struggles with mental illness, make us more like Christ.

It is important to note that this is not the kind of thing one points out to someone while they are going through a time of suffering. When we are called to help those who are going through difficult times the best thing we can do is be with them and support them as best we can, often with as few words as possible. Praying psalms with them is also beneficial.

Later, when the intense pain has eased and the Lord has helped a person through the difficult time, while we reflect back on his ever-present care, then we can talk with them about how the suffering was all part of God’s plan and how is helped form us to be more like Christ.