As I conveyed in my last article, desolation is the first sign of a spiritual attack, and naturally leads to a kind of sadness or melancholy, which is normal. It is like when you can’t be with the one you love. You miss them, and you get sad. The next sign of a spiritual attack is depression. With spiritual depression, sadness escalates to a point that is uncharacteristic of any the person has ever experienced before. It comes on suddenly, without warning, and cannot be alleviated. Clinical depression requires medication to control the symptoms. I have great empathy for these people because I understand now how difficult life is for them. A lot of people have bouts of depression in life due to some event or situation, which for most passes. This is just a part of the human condition.
But depression from a spiritual attack is a constant state of sorrow. A kind of mist that clouds the soul and takes control of your life. There is no joy, and nothing is good or satisfying. You walk around in a haze, unaware of the world around you, your senses deadened. As the days go by, you slip deeper and deeper into darkness until you no longer recognize yourself. This kind of depression is a spiritual sickness that inhibits your ability to feel anything other than despair. This is what happened to me. And I can honestly say that I was just trying to survive. One day I was fine and the next I was not. I had no idea what was wrong with me, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t make it stop. All I wanted to do was go back to my old self. To the person, I used to be.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; in all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. “
Proverbs 3:5-6
One thing that may encourage people enduring this kind of suffering is to know that God is allowing it for a reason. I know that is hard to understand and difficult to accept. But God knows what the outcome of this type of suffering will be for each soul who goes through it. Jesus knows how valuable it is and that it will bring them closer to Him in multiple ways. Prayer is difficult for people in this state. But that doesn’t mean you don’t pray. The name of Jesus is a prayer. So if a rosary is too hard, call out the name of Jesus or repeat His name, knowing with confidence that He hears you and is with you whether you can feel Him or not.
Because this kind of depression renders a person essentially inactive, it is difficult for them to go to Mass and confession. But the sacraments are the cure for their suffering. The Mass gives them Jesus in the Eucharist. And the Eucharist gives strength and grace, which in turn, helps them through their terrible pain. They should attend Mass as frequently as possible, which will help them endure their suffering and give them hope. Confession removes sin and defeats the devil. It is Christ’s mercy in action, and it is a vital step in freeing a person from the grip of the enemy. Anyone who suspects they are under an active spiritual attack should go to confession weekly and remain in a state of grace. They must overcome the hold the evil one has on them, or they participate in the devil’s plan to destroy them. But if they frequent the sacraments, they participate in their healing.
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