One of my duties as an anaesthetist was to give anaesthetics to patients undergoing shock therapy (electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT). In this treatment for severe depression, electrodes are placed on both temples and an electric current is passed between them. This causes the patient to have an epileptic fit. I know it sounds barbaric, but it is effective for intractable depression. It was my job to modify the physical manifestations of the fit by temporarily paralysing the patient so that he/she did not suffer the severe muscular contractions. I gave a short acting anaesthetic and then an equally short acting paralysing drug. I then breathed for the patient, forcing oxygen into the lungs until the ECT was over and the paralysing drug had worn off.

While we were waiting for this to happen, I chatted to the psychiatrist.

“What is the most common cause of depression in your opinion? I asked one day.

His response was prompt. “Without a doubt, it’s to do with forgiveness. Either the person cannot forgive someone else, or a person will not forgive them, or they cannot forgive themselves.”

“And how do you treat that?”

The psychiatrist was vague. “We give them affirming exercises to do. They look in the mirror and tell themselves how valuable they are; we tell them their true worth. That sort of thing.”

“But what if they truly have done something despicable, or have had something horrific done against them? What’s the basis for their experiencing or extending forgiveness?”

He shrugged his shoulders as I continued. “There has to be more than merely looking in the mirror and saying, “I’m okay” when you know deep down that you’re not. Surely Jesus is the only answer. They’re okay because Jesus showed their worth by the price He paid, and they can forgive because they have been forgiven.”

He could only answer lamely, “Well, what we do does help.” But the line of patients waiting for their ECT showed its ineffectiveness to many.

At this point the paralysing drug had worn off, the patient started breathing on her own and the conversation was over.

How valuable it would be to tell these people about Jesus and to offer to pray with them. We all have done things we are ashamed of, and been hurt by others. We all need a relationship with Jesus, and an appreciation of the wonder of Calvary, but when unforgiveness cripples your life, there is an urgency to know the God of Grace and Love. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.