Book Review: “Jesus Wept; Where Faith and Depression Meet” authored by Barbara C. Crafton

As shown on Amazon.ca: Like all human experience, no two courses of depression and healing are the same. Religious belief can make depression easier, but it can also make it harder. It calls our beliefs about ourselves and about God’s presence in our lives into painful question. Barbara Crafton’s beautiful and candid book addresses these questions head on, reminding her readers that God does not ordain our suffering but instead meets us in our darkest days to compassionately call us toward the light.

To begin to reach an understanding of depression, choose a book like “Jesus Wept; When Faith and Depression Meet” by Barbara Cawthorne Crafton. Crafton is herself a survivor of depression and as such speaks with intimate knowledge of the insights associated with depression. The title drew me to this book; one of my favourite bible verses, found in John 11:35. As a sufferer of depression, and a person with a strong faith, I was curious how Crafton reconciled the two. Rather than dwell on the differences between faith and depression, Crafton reaches for where the two cross over.

For example: what is normal faith, what is normal depression? There are no lists answering either of these questions, but within this book Crafton highlights both situations. An aspect of depression that Crafton speaks of is that it is a mistrust of self. If one does not have faith, there exists a mistrust of God.

Depression is a dark time. Feeling one is searching for God has been identified as a spiritual darkness. I believe that Crafton’s book will help you sort through both of these difficult conditions. Weaving through faith and depression, Crafton assists us, the reader, in choosing where with both we are situated and how we can help ourselves move forward.

My blog is titled: “The Joy of the Written Word”. Where is the Joy in Barbara Crafton’s book “Jesus Wept”? The Joy is found in our hearts and minds when we reach through a faith struggle, and climb out of depression, to see Joy on the other side. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton will assist us in doing just that.

Choose Joy!