If we glorify God by enjoying him, how do we think about seasons of darkness in the Christian life, when joy seems far away? Can a good Christian Hedonist struggle with seasons of depression? A listener to the podcast, Hannah, writes us from her home in Los Angeles with that question. “Hello, Pastor John. I read your book ‘Desiring God’ years ago, and it completely wrecked me in a great way. I couldn’t believe that God wanted me to enjoy him! It has been such a blessing to learn from you how to experience the love and pleasure of God. But my question comes from a place of fear. I have a tendency to be depressed, and have spent at times months (and once years) in darkness. I learned how to move through it, forsaking lies and seeking the promises and truth of God, in order to be free of them. However, there’s a very real place of deep darkness that I have experienced. When I hear you speak of Christian Hedonism and joy and pleasure in God, I feel a tinge of fear because I have often lived in valleys where I feel little joy. Can flourishing Christian Hedonism coexist with seasons of dark depression, or is that a stark contradiction of terms?” Read or listen to this interview at our website: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/can-a-christian-hedonist-get-depressed Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes: https://www.desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john