Christian blog posts

Yitzhak Rabin, the commander of Israel’s military in 1967 never knew going to seek advice from someone he trusted, would sink him into deep depression. As Israel’s founding father, many in Israel loved Ben Gurion, and treated him as an elder statesman, including Mr Yitzhak Rabin.

By that time, Egypt was drumming war songs, and there was all possibilities of an imminent attack, from both Syria and Egypt, yet Israel was UN-prepared for war. In this moment of crisis, all eyes turned to the founding father of Israel David Ben-Gurion, the man who led Israel from the dark days of the war of independence in 1948.

By the time Mr Rabin was coming for advice, Ben Gurion thought it was a mistake to go to war. Instead of lifting Rabin’s spirits, he re-primanded him and triggered a major crisis. He fell into depression and had to be hospitalized. Yitzhak Rabin later says in his letters, “The old man received me warmly, but instead of fortifying my spirits, he gave me a dressing down. He said to him,” You’ve led the state of Israel into a grave situation, and you’ve to bear the responsibility for it! When i left him, Yitzhak continues, i was despondent and it would be days before his words stopped ringing in my ears! Immediately, after hearing this words from the man he trusted the most, Mr Rabin sunk into depression.

Yitzhak as head of the army, was a man under intense physical and emotional pressure. His mental anguish, as days went by, had becomes obvious. Deputy military commander Zvi Dinstein noticed his boss’s lack of sense in his talks, as he claimed to hear noises of bombardments from other sources.. As far as they were concerned, as Zvi says, “there was no noise, yet their General was panicking on a broad daylight. In this moment of mental anguish, Yitzhak collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital. The general public was unaware of this twist of things in the army, and were anxiously waiting to get news from the head of the army on the way forward, yet little did they know, “he was depressed and hospitalized.

Prime Minister Levi Eshkol even remarked, “Can you imagine at this moment, if the general public heard that the chief of staff has collapsed, what kind of depression it would cause to our nation? All this was hid under wraps, and no citizen, plus the enemies of Israel knew of Rabin’s depressed state, until later when he wrote it in his book.

Ben Gurion in his moment of need, planted doubts in his heart, about his ability as commander of Israel’s Army.

Rabin later told his wife, “Maybe i was wrong, or maybe i took too much responsibility in my hands that i could not handle!

During his moment with depression, and due to public Demand, Moshe Dayan was chosen to lead the force. Israel later won the war, but the good news is, Mr Rabin recovered from depression before the war begun. He even participated in the war, though under Moshe’s guidance. Yrs later, Yitzhak Rabin joined politics and became the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995.

It’s so sad to note many people dying of depression, are victims of the way they were treated by the people they trusted the most! Imagine going to your husband or wife, only to hear from their mouth, words that turns your world upside down. Maybe it’s words that are lorded with fireworks, and in the presence of his or your relatives, while showing everyone how unworthy you’re.

In another instance, a certain man was hospitalized because his urine was non-stop. This man was depressed because the woman he loved the most, and was ready to marry, had suddenly changed her mind, on the 11th hr. The wedding was set in 2 days and he had paid the dowry, and done everything as it should be, only to hear of other news that turned him down. As Yizhak Rabin, he could not handle it.

This is not to men alone but women have been affected the more. I wonder how it feels, to realize someone has been raising another family that you’re not aware of, only to hear it in the funeral of a relative on his side. When the relative is going down the grave, you realize for 15 yrs, you’ve been a 1st wife, and someone else is a recognized a second wife. To add insult to an injury, everyone at home knows her except you! She even has more than 3 kids with him, yet you knew nothing about this, over the yrs.

To others, bosses have been a thorn in their flesh, when the word depression comes to their mind! Sometimes the most careless people, who’re given to bad language, are the bosses in our many offices. Since he pays you, he feels he can say anything any time, and without any remorse.

We thank God for those who care of what they say to their staff, but as some brother told me, he was so depressed in the office when the boss was so much in him, until he just walked out.

He says it was the grace of God that prevented him from being knocked by a car, as he walked aimlessly towards Uhuru Park in Nairobi Kenya.

The bible says,”A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. [Proverbs 25:11-13] . How we talk to each other matters to God and us more than anything. Another verse in the bible says, “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. The apostle James, in his writings says, “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Can you imagine, how energetic Yitzhak would be, if Ben Gurion told him, ,”Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of “EGYPT AND SYRIA”?. When God spoke those words to Gideon in Judges 6:14, he was trembling and unsure of himself, just as Yitzah Rabin was. Gideon went ahead to win the war with God’s help, but Yitzhak was in hospital nursing depression, after Ben Gurion’s untimely words.

Personally, it’s my belief that depression can significantly reduce by up-to 60%, if we cared to talk right words and weighed what we said to one another, both in our homes, offices and street corners.

Again, this is the time to take inventory of what you said to people that hurt them the most and ask God to forgive you! Most of us are not in jail and yet in heaven, records have many people who died because of depression, just because of our careless words thrown to them aimlessly, by our untamed tongue! You will not be right most of the time, but it’s prudent to care what we say, before we say it to other people. Don’t be a Ben Gurion to anyone in your life. Be like God to Gideon all the time, even when you can’t understand how he\s will be able to handle the situation at hand.

Most of the problem we face in this life only needs an encouragement from someone who cares about us. When people run to you with an issue, it’s because they know you have what it takes to help them. In such moments, never allow the devil to use your mouth to discourage others from their God given assignment. Even if you don’t know what to say, just commit them to the God who knows all, and assure them you will be praying for them. May God help us all. Be blessed in Jesus name