"Being a Christian doesn't make you exempt from developing depression, bipolar disorder, or any other serious mental health condition�just as it doesn't protect you from physical illness such as cancer or heart disease." So says www.christiandrugrehab.com in encouraging mentally-ill believers to seek psychiatric care, while reminding us that, "Your pastor is certainly there for you to offer support and spiritual guidance."But what if your pastor doesn't know how to be "there for you"? What if all he acknowledges are the scriptures' expectation of us being joyful at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:16) and uses that to discount all other human feelings or conditions?
What if, finding it easier to do so, he carelessly ignores your need rather than embrace you with Christ's commanded love and compassion? What if his best effort at addressing the issue comes from an uneducated platform?And finally, what if the sum total of his spiritual guidance is to present (or misrepresent) the scriptures to encourage (or humiliate) the mentally ill into a "better attitude" or a "more spiritual" mindset?If you are diagnosed with mental illness, and you don't subscribe to the practice of pretending all is well, you may well discover that a church bent on ignoring mental illness or shaming mentally-ill believers isn't the place for you.
You may face your deepest injustice here, where unawareness prevails and leaders are more comfortable knocking what they do not understand. Here, instead of the church demonstrating empathy, it may expect that you'd snap out of whatever portends using scripture promises and prayer.I've seen the church wrongly ascribe misleading principles such as "weak faith," to people troubled by recurring mental illness. Since, after all "God is a miracle-working God" (never mind they haven't recorded one miraculous event to their name). That attitude rooted in unqualified ignorance, diminishes the plight of the mentally-ill believer.There is sufficient evidence that biological, environmental, and psychological factors are among the valid causes of mental illnesses. So, pastors who ascribe sin, spiritual weakness, and a lack of faith rather than accessing accurate information to help already distressed believers, prove themselves incompetent.
The church that the Bible describes is ideal. It caters to the broken, sad, and hopeless of this world.The one that teaches/preaches that all believers are expected to always show up "blessed," "healed," and "highly favoured" is idealistic and ill-equipped to treat with legitimate diseases, as depression. And, in his intolerance of a depressed believer, I think he'd be more comfortable if you remained silent about your mental illness�perpetuating the "shame" existing throughout humanity.The most daunting consequence of some churches' unsuitable response to mental illnesses is pastoral prejudice, which the congregation then accepts as "gospel."
But no amount of pulpit ignorance or bigotry would ever cause me shame; no condemnatory messages would ever silence me; skewed perceptions and narrow-mindedness would not cow me. In fact, it raises my consternation and increases my will to see those in charge of "saving" people become knowledgeable, adopt a Christ-like attitude, and teach appropriate principles on the issue of mental illnesses among believers.Believing resolutely that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16), I encourage the church to use the Bible wholesomely to participate in holistic care of people's body, mind, and soul. Mental illnesses should not be stigmatised.To believers with mental illnesses, here are my top pointers, which I employ in the face of prejudice, when others mistakenly or heartlessly regard me as "negative," "weak," or "lacking faith."
Accept treatment from professionals. As the pastor is to your spirit/soul, and the cardiologist is to your heart, so the mental health professionals are God's way of supporting you with specialist care of the mind. Prayer, fasting, medication, therapy are all recommended aspects of your treatment/counselling all towards living a more normal life.Know and declare the teachings on joy. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). God intends us to experience joy, but depression and other health conditions limits our expressions. Do not feel guilty/defeated when you are unable to rejoice. But, when you can, "make a joyful noise" (Psalm 100:1).Persevere. Remember, "As an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:10-11). Adhere steadfastly to your Christian beliefs and to professional advice.Don't ignore your spiritual service. Dedicate more time to prayer and Bible study. Give community service or join a support network to help meet the needs of others.To be continued.