Depression and Mother Teresa

I just finished reading an article in Time Magazine about the life long struggle with depression, emotional pain spiritual suffering of Mother Teresa. This was a woman who was celebrated internationally by governments and religious leaders. However, her own"dark night of the soul" began with her working with the poor and lasted for the entire time of her world famous ministry. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1655415,00.html

I will not try to assess Mother Teresa's situation too deeply but it seems that I have counseled hundreds if not thousands of Christians just like her. These hard working believers have labored intensely for the Lord while rarely experiencing the grace and presence of the Spirit. Her mental, emotional and spiritual condition is quite commons among Christians of all denominations.

In my experience the common denominator is a works righteous approach to God. The emphasis is always upon what I must do to bring salvation, healing and relief to others. The basis foundational assumption is that the work of Jesus is too little and it is up to us to finish His redemptive work.

Such a works-righteous approach demands that I live a sinless life and there is the rub. The more I do to make up for the "failures" of the work of Jesus the more perfect I am; the more perfect I am the more I know I am good. This leads me to conclude that I have much to offer. I of course recognize my abilities and is considered to be pride. All pride is wrong so I am in sin. The guilt of my sin demands punishment contrition, repentance and suffering.

This kind of theology can only lead to mental torture for I can only be satisfied when I am perfectly sinless. That means I am aware of my "sainthood" and the recognition means that I am not perfect after all. This is the classic "Double Bind" or "Catch 22" situation where to obey the law of God I must perfectly obey, have no pride and show 100% self denial.

If I can actually "die to self" it is I who has self control. But, if I am in control, Jesus is not in control. Thus, I am sinning. But, I must work hard to be sinless and that is what a works righteousness requires. So, I am damned if I do work hard to be perfect and damned if I do not work hard to be perfect. The only way I can obey God is to dis-obey Him.

I have posted several papers on my web called "Double Binds" that are helpful to enable folks to stop trying to be perfect. www.garysweeten.com

Mother Teresa and other pious Roman Catholics are no more likely to fall into this trap than we Protestants who claim to live by faith not works. Each of us can stop our "stinking thinking" and allow Jesus to be the perfect redeemer whose finished works were all that was needed to save the world from sin and guilt.