This past week Michelle Williams, a Gospel singer and one of the founding members of the pop/R&B group, Destiny’s Child was at Liberty University this past week for a round-table discussion and a time of worship.
Williams shared with the crowd about her faith journey and how she had navigated through the challenges of highs and lows, fame and depression. For Williams, success wasn’t an excuse to indulge in sin or walk away from the faith – though she did face challenges.
Williams became a Christian when she was still a teenager and devoted herself to service within the church. Before making it big with Destiny’s Child, she could normally be found serving in her local congregation by leading the choir or ushering.
But then, in the early 2000s, she formed Destiny’s Child with Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland. They quickly became one of the best-selling pop/R&B acts of all time, selling over 60 million records. It was during this season of life that Williams began struggling with depression. Unfortunately, when she shared her struggle with others, it was brushed off.
Through counseling and faith in an almighty God, it can be overcome
Do successful people really deal with things like anxiety and depression? They certainly do. And Michelle Williams is evidence of that. But she’s also evidence that depression doesn’t have to have the last say. Through counseling and faith in an almighty God, it can be overcome.
Ultimately, Williams realized that the only way any of us will get through this life with our faith intact is by rooting ourselves in God and his plan for us.
Williams pointed to Proverbs 3:5-6 when asked about her favorite Bible verse: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” She went on to say, “That’s what I live by. Every decision that I make, I go to God about it. You have to invite Him into everything that you do.”
That key is what has helped Williams make it. And honestly, it’s the key for all of us as we seek to live faithfully in a world that is opposed to God and his Gospel.
Related article: I am depressed. How can God help me?
