love and depression

Love adorns our spiritual armamentarium of medicines. Love in God's way, however, is not similar to worldly love. The man or woman who loves in God's way does not run the risk of suffering from depression. However, those who always wish to experience worldly love are always in danger of being disappointed and afflicted, which may progress to depression. This is so because the person loving in God's way looks to loving others and to offering him or herself to them, believing that the best and most holy act is offering and being offered rather than trying to receive love. Such persons remember the Holy Bible, where it is stated that, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." When a person loves and offers himself, he seldom encounters obstacles and difficulties from others. He is therefore always joyful because he achieves what he desires, loving people.

But to always want to receive love without giving it creates an extremely difficult, if not impossible, situation. Such persons are very self-centered and selfish, and are often afflicted, gloomy and depressed because they say that others do not love them, do not understand them, nor stand by them offering their help.

A great many young people today have received a lot of attention, excessive coddling and care, an easy life, and are the center of attention of parents, relatives, and friends. They think that love means being loved as expressed by gifts and attention. Thus, when once someone does not indulge their whims and desires, they become grieved, depressed and ill.

Love means offering, from me and from you to others. Love means sacrifice, from me and from you to others. The Lord, Who sacrificed Himself for us, had love. God has so much love that the whole of him is love. "God is love" says the Holy Scriptures.

Let us hear Saint John Climacus once again: "As regards its quality, love is God's likeness, of course to the extent that this is possible for men. He who loves the Lord has previously loved his brother." In conclusion we can say that, "the man who loves his brother, loves God too and achieves God's likeness. And the man who has achieved God's likeness is not attacked by depression. Because God never suffered, nor will He ever suffer from depression