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    Doubts, fear and depression are secrets tucked away in the hearts of many Christians today. Jan Dravecky knows them well. Yet she’s now helping silent sufferers find joy through admitting their pain. For years Jan tried to stay in control and be strong. She did all the ministering—and wouldn’t be ministered to. Then God took her through the valley of suffering. Her husband’s baseball career collapsed. He eventually lost his arm to cancer. Then she went through a grueling time of clinical depression.

It’s not a weakness of faith to admit pain.

    As God slowly dug her out of the pit, He re-shaped her life and approach to ministry. In her book, A Joy I’d Never Known, Jan tells of the dramatic shift she’s experienced. Now she understands it’s not a weakness of faith to admit pain. And that it’s vital for believers to resist putting up a false front. When she candidly tells her story at retreats, many women rush to her admitting their private heartaches. They’re relieved to hear her tell the truth about life. And they’re discovering a fresh new relationship with Jesus Christ.

    Are you hiding your pain because you think it’s the “Christian” thing to do? If so, you’re setting yourself up for major disappointments and possible depression. As Jan reminds us, “If you have pain in your heart over some loss, don’t stuff it and avoid it. Experience it. Find a close friend who will help you grieve the loss.” As you humble yourself before others, you’ll humble yourself before God. And you just might find a joy you’d never known.