Vincent Van Gogh – the name evokes images of thickly applied paint on canvas. It brings to mind depictions of sunflowers. One thinks of poor farmworkers and miners, starry nights, and colorful boats pulled up on the beach. Most people know him as a tortured soul, a man with mental illness who was not understood by his peers, a man of despair who ended his life much too early.
In 1971 Don McClean released his hit song “Vincent” which quickly rose in the charts. His lyrics were haunting, describing one scene after another taken directly from Van Gogh’s paintings. The song’s bridge stated,
“For they could not love you, but still your love was true….and when no hope was left in sight, on that starry, starry night, you took your life as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent, This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.
Van Gogh’s Early Spiritual Journey
I have long had a soft spot for Vincent. I read his biography years ago and recognized a kinship with this artist…not a kindship of mental suffering but a kinship of Christian desire to give of oneself in service to the Lord. Vincent was the preacher/minister who failed and did not understand why. Nor did he know how to deal with it and overcome it.
Vincent grew up in a religious household in the Netherlands. His father served as a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. Young Vincent developed a deep spiritual conviction and was drawn to Christian service. His hopes of becoming a theologian were dashed when he failed to gain admission to seminary. However, he found another path to serve. He worked as a missionary among Belgian coal miners.
The Belgian Mining Ministry
In Belgium, Vincent demonstrated extraordinary devotion to those in need, choosing a life of extreme simplicity and dedicating himself to serving the mining community’s poorest members. He gave away his possessions to help others.
Understanding Vincent’s Struggles
Scholar William Havlicek, who wrote Van Gogh’s Untold Journey, emphasized Vincent’s exceptional generosity. He believed that God’s love must be expressed through concrete actions. According to Havlicek, Vincent saw genuine love as something that had to be demonstrated through deeds. However, his intense dedication ultimately led to his dismissal from the mission. His superiors took issue with his excessive zeal, unpolished speaking style, and unkempt appearance. The rejection triggered a mental health crisis upon his return home. This marked the beginning of his lifelong struggles with depression. He also faced ongoing psychological challenges.
Spiritual Warfare and Mental Health
I have thought at times, “Oh, if I could have been there, I could have helped Vincent understand some things that were lacking in his understanding of the Word and the power of the Spirit.”
I have ministered to tormented souls through the years. I am not making light of true mental illness or chemical imbalance or any other medical condition. Yet, the enemy of our soul is so deceptive. He knows our family history. He knows our sin and the open doors that we create in our mind through unrepentance. And he knows how to take a great disappointment, a wound in the heart, or an offense, and implant thoughts of failure and secret insecurities and more. These become strongholds in the mind.
Based on what I have read, Vincent was not equipped for the ministry he desired. He wanted to serve, but he knew nothing of spiritual battle and how to meet the enemy head on with the authority Christ has given us.
I wasn’t there, of course. In my foolish thinking I believe I could have helped him…at least I could have done more than his closest friend Paul Gauguin, who was himself looking for meaning and had no anchor for his life. His life, like Vincent’s ended in desperation and great loss.
Finding Victory Through Faith
But I am here now. And you are here now. And I can tell you that Christ in you is greater than any power of Hell that can come against you. Jesus said, “Greater is HE that is IN YOU, than HE that is IN THE WORLD.
If you are suffering torment, you need to find someone who understands how to walk with the Lord above all opposition, anxieties, fears, torments or any other thing from Satan’s realm. You need someone who can speak into your life, help you to see what is happening in the Spiritual realm, and pray for you for victory.
More than anything, you must never give up. You must fight for victory everyday and walk in total trust in God’s power. Healing takes time. Victory is a process. But as the old hymn says, “FAITH IS THE VICTORY!”
For “We are more than conquerors, through Him who loved us”. Rom.8:37
Blessings,
Mark