Mental Health

If we or someone else we know is experiencing depression, anxiety, low self-esteem or other mental health challenges the church is here for you.  We’re not experts but we do want to be a place that is open and supportive.  This blog is here to help us consider these things from a Christian perspective. 
  
You’ll find it helpful to read the story of Elijah from 1 Kings 19.1-9. Notice the following:

Real faithful Christians suffer these things
Elijah the great prophet talks of being very down and a great failure (v4).  Many church leaders like Charles Spurgeon and John Bunyan had depression.  It isn’t because God doesn’t love you, or you haven’t got enough faith.  It’s the result of living in a fallen world where everything: our emotions, minds, upbringings, chemical levels, bodies, and souls are fallen and broken.  We shouldn't add to our pain by condemning ourselves because God doesn’t (Romans 8.1).  We need to be understanding and patient with each other (Ephesians 4.2).  

It's good if treatment can be be “holistic” (that is, considering the whole of a person).

The angel of the Lord responds to Elijah with:

• Company and care (v5) - putting a hand on his shoulder and watching over him.  Part of Elijah’s issues are that he’s in the desert, he’s lonely, and he thinks he’s the only one left.  He needs company.  We need to keep getting out to see people even if we feel we don’t want to and even if we think we might perhaps drag them down.  “It is not good for man to be alone” for we get eaten up by our own thoughts and sadness.  So if at all possible it's good to try to keep up our usual rhythms of church meetings, and even come more.  Early Christians met daily and surely that helped them. 
• Food and sleep (v6-7).  The angel cooks up a meal and then allows Elijah to sleep.  Elijah is in modern terms “not looking after himself” and is “emotionally worn out.”  If you are not eating and sleeping well, not exercising, or getting any fresh air – this affects your mental state.  
• God’s word (v9b).  After all this practical care the angel sees to Elijah’s spiritual issues.  We’re right to seek prayer and support from Christians.  We hope our small groups are places we can talk about these things.  We need prayer.  And we need is to listen less to our feelings and let God tell us what is true (Jeremiah 17.9, Psalm 43.5, Philippians 4.8, 1 John 3.20, 1 John 3.1-2).  
• Command.  Finally the angel says get up and get on with what God has told Elijah to do (v15).  Though we need sympathy and care and patience it can be easy to curl up in a ball and turn in on ourselves.  Sometime we need to allow someone to tell to push through and to focus on others.    

Years before we had medical terms like depression God knew how to treat us as the whole people (Psalm 103.14, John 10.14).  Could you work through the above with a good friend and consider whether have any particular relevance to you? 

We also need to be open to seeking help from a qualified medical practitioner if our symptoms are clinical and need this level of help. Under God's hand, and through his common grace, this help is available to us, and it does not represent a failure of our faith to seek it.  But only the gospel can finally and fully heal our hearts. 

Some Christians may suffer with mental health all their lives.  For some it will only be in the new creation that our darkness lifts fully.  But here are ways in which the news of Jesus speaks to us - 

• Jesus is with us (Matt 28.20) That’s his promise and he does not lie.   
• God loves us to the skies (Psalm 36.5)
• God justifies us (Romans 8.33), so don’t ever have to prove ourselves to him.  In our darkest valley we’re just as loved as when we were on the mountain tops
• God has given you every spiritual blessing.  Read Ephesians 1 and list them. Try to thank God out loud for these. 
• God values us greatly (1 Peter 1.18).  And since he’s God he get’s to decide what is valuable and precious.  
• Jesus defines our life and future, not our state of mind (1 John 3.1-3)
• God has good things for you to do each day planned by him (Ephesians 2.10)
• You are indispensable to the body of the church even when you feel weak (1 Corinthians 12.22)
• God is bigger than all that assails you and will one day bring peace

If you would value talking about these things please get in touch.  For a book on depression I recommend
Depression: Looking up from the stubborn darkness by Edward T Welch. (amazon.co.uk) which I am happy to lend you.