Today’s Daily Bread ~ Transparency

Hebrews 2:10 – And it was only right that God – who made everything and for whom everything was made – should bring His many children into glory.  Through the suffering of Jesus, God made Him a perfect leader, one fit to bring them into their salvation.

I recently received an e-mail from someone that nearly broke my heart.  Sally (names and small details changed for privacy) went through a horrible period of depression after her daughter left for college.  In her words:

“It’s been 2 years ago this past April that I tried to kill myself with pills.  I was so depressed and felt helpless, and all I could think about was leaving this earth as soon as possible. I am 56 years old. I am a Christian woman and prayed that God would know my heart, and not send me to hell for taking my own life.

My daughter’s graduation was the saddest day of my life.  My heart was breaking because she did not need me anymore and I could not handle it. She was going to college and that meant my time was over.

It got so bad that I ended up in the hospital for several weeks; one of them in ICU.  Rebecca, I am very lucky and very blessed that I am still here to talk about this. It’s so important for me to tell you that when I was in the hospital, I met so many women going through the same thing.  Why doesn’t anyone talk about this? Empty nest syndrome is not a joke, it’s real.  It can really devastate people -especially moms. 

I am so much better now and talk to people as much as I can.  I still feel a lot of shame for my family for what I did but thank God every day that He let me live through it.”

Sally makes such an important point.  Why doesn’t anyone talk about this?  Her e-mail to me is the very reason that I live a life of transparency.  What good can come of suffering if we don’t help others?  I lived for many, many years in the prison cell of an eating disorder.  You know how I feel about it today?  I’m grateful.  Grateful that God didn’t pull me out of that pit sooner than He did, because I know the depths of despair, and I can relate to people going through the same thing.  I can encourage them by claiming victory over it, and counsel them to do the same.   I’m grateful because God had faith that I would pull through it and not hide my experience in shame.  I’m not ashamed.  I lived through it, and I will not let anyone I love go through the same misery alone.  They can look at me and say to themselves, “THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO DEFEAT ME.  THIS WILL MOST CERTAINLY NOT DEFINE ME.”

Because Jesus suffered every injustice and indignation, He alone can lead us into salvation.  Dear friends, because we have also suffered, so too can we lead the lost into salvation.  By introducing them to Jesus, and telling them that they never, ever have to walk through the valley alone. 

Dear Heavenly Father, we love You so much.  We praise You and magnify Your Holy Name for the work on the cross, and because You are God, and worthy of our praise.  God, we thank You that You have faith in us.  We ask that you strengthen us to share our struggles.  There are so many lost and hurting, Lord.  Please lead us into opportunities to lead them to You.  You alone are our healer and redeemer.  Please continue to heal us, and bless us so that we can share the blessings with others.  God, we ask these things in the beautiful name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.