When you’ve been in the business of counseling or pastoring for a while, you begin to notice how life’s difficulties become almost seasonal: anxiety and stress in the Fall as school starts, loneliness and family disruption around the holidays, and sadness in the “bleak midwinter.” One thing that I see persist perennially is a feeling of being downcast. Being downcast can often be a symptom of a clinical depression, but it can also be a sign of other problems in living (burnout, relational loss or distress, grief, shame, or even a spiritual malady). Sometimes you might find yourself downcast for no good reason at all.
In my experience, there are a lot of good ways to go about ministering to the downcast (including, where appropriate, good Christian counseling). One method I’ve seen bear fruit is not immediately obvious. It is to turn and fix our eyes on Christ’s heavenly session. What do I mean by this? This question we can answer with a second, which is: “what is Jesus doing right now?” The answer, of course, is that
“Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers; answering all accusations against them, and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services” (WLC Q# 55).
We see then that the Lord Jesus is quite busy still after His earthly ministry! And how might this help the downcast? Besides the reality that meditating on the benefits of Christ should lift the heart of any Christian, the author of Hebrews adds one more benefit involving His heavenly session to consider:
For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.[b] That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,[c] 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Heb. 2.11-12 ESV)
The author of Hebrews here is quoting Psalm 22, which in context this feels appropriate. After all, this is the psalm that the Lord Jesus recalled on the cross, when He himself was the most downcast. Given that, we can identify at least three ways in which we can minister to the downcast from this passage.
First, remember our union with Christ and adoption into God’s family. Interestingly, the NIV translates the Greek word for “one” here as family, which makes sense given the following verses. No matter how we translate it, the wondrous truth is the same: we are numbered among God’s family because we have the same source as Christ. So much ink has been spilled on the reality of our adoption that I won’t elaborate further here, but it is a wonderful cosmic reality that can lift the heart of the downcast.
Second, Jesus is not ashamed of you. In my counseling work, I’ve found this point very difficult for many people to apprehend. Part of this is because we all carry shame and have done shameful things, and part of it is because it seems too good to be true. A look from the risen Lord carries many things, but his gaze does not carry shame. And how could it, if truly we and He come from the same Source? Both the reality of God’s character and the finished work of Christ mean that Christ is not ashamed to own us as us. What a glorious truth!
Third, Jesus sings with us. This is really an elaboration of the last point, but it is a vital picture for those of us who may not grasp it. Consider this: whom do you sing around? Perhaps while in in the car or at home? Usually, one sings around only those who one feels comfortable with, or at home with. Or not ashamed of. It’s the same with Christ in His heavenly session. Because we are His brothers and sisters, He freely moves among us, singing praises to our God.
Of course, all this occurs in Christ’s heavenly session, even now. Which is why the downcast Christian might receive great benefit from “turning their eyes upon Jesus” in His mercy, His love, and His grace as He continues His ministry. For in heaven, Jesus sings a song of praise with His brothers and sisters to God the Father. And you, if you are in Christ, are one of whom Christ is not ashamed.
This article first appeared in the March/April 2025 edition of ARP Magazine.