You Would Never Know

They are all around us. We may never know it though. The people who struggle tooth and claw against depression.
I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
It breaks me to think that there are hundreds of Christians, and even more unbelievers who struggle with depression. And yet, even though they are among us, when we go to the mall and even our church, we would never know.
Did you know that people who struggle the most with depression are the masters at lying? At putting on a face; being whoever they need to be for someone. Putting on a smile, even when they are breaking inside. They laugh even though they are crying inside. Did you know you walk past them every day?
You never would have guessed.
You might even think that the kids who dress goth are all cutters and struggle with depression. No, they just dress that way because they want attention. The ones who are depressed dress just like you and me.
You pass by them each day. And you would never know, unless you got to know them.
You don't know how you can brighten someone's day just by reaching out to them. God might have used you to save their life that night.
Sometimes even just a smile could do.
You don't know what a person has been through. You don't know their past. Their family. Their struggles.
And sometimes, I think that as Christians we think that people who struggle with cutting or taking pills aren't with us. Oh, we're so wrong with that.
There are hundreds of Christians who deal with addictions; though some seem more serious than others.
We might never know who those people are among us. But what we can we do to help? What I say is, take off the mask. Be entirely honest. Don't hold back on talking to people; even if they aren't the most attractive. If you will be honest; it encourages them to be honest too.
You don't know who they are. They look and talk just like us. And we keep passing them by; without a smile or even one word. Don't you know how many Christians feel like they are dying inside?


God Bless,
   A.W.