Member-only story
5 Beautiful Psalms that Comfort Me When I’m Depressed
From a Progressive Christian Who’s Here to Encourage You, Not Evangelize You
Look, the Bible might be a contentious topic to write about. I get that.
This is not a story about why you should read the Bible. It’s a story about why I read the Bible when I’m in need of comfort and encouragement.
I have a seminary degree. But I’m not a minister. I’m what the church calls a “layperson” (to use gender-inclusive language). I’m one of the laity; I’m not ordained into the priesthood.
And sometimes, because of my mental illnesses (Bipolar Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder), I feel really down. That’s an understatement.
Sometimes, I feel like I don’t have the energy or ability to get through the day. I don’t mean that I struggle with suicidal ideation. (Thankfully, I don’t.) I mean that I literally don’t have the physical or mental energy to do things like wash my hair or even get out of bed.
On “depression days”, I often sleep in. Or, if I do get up early, I take a long nap in the afternoons. It’s not that I want to sleep so much. It’s that I feel physically incapable of doing anything else. Even simple things like washing a load of laundry or making a phone call can be…
