In reviewing the Bible story of Jonah, I’ve wondered what it must have been like for him, having been swallowed by a great fish. There he was, trapped in darkness, isolated, struggling with fear and despair. With no one to rescue him, he may have felt he had no reason for hope.
To recite his words: “The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever” (Jonah 2:5, 6).
Jonah’s description of hopelessness offers a glimpse into what some among us may feel who struggle with depression. When someone we know seems isolated from love, trapped in a deep pit of dark thoughts and feelings, we may wonder if it’s possible to reach the sufferer and free him or her from mental darkness.
