What
is mental illness? The Mayo Clinic says
it “Refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect
your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include
depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive
behaviors.” Even though it is normal to
experience difficult days or seasons of life a clinically diagnosed mental
illness is different. It is something
that is ongoing where people cannot cope with daily life and no amount of
self-discipline or will power can “fix it”.
Chatter
about mental illness rises every time there is a mass shooting like the recent
Navy Yard incident, the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre or the Aurora,
Colorado, theatre killings. But not everyone
who has a mental condition is going to be the next mass shooter. Most are responsible, hard-working people,
who are good neighbors, good employees and look perfectly fine on the
surface. However, on the inside are
conditions that nearly cripple their daily life. Most folks would be surprised to know who battles
with mental illness. Often people silently
cope with only their closest family or friends knowing. And the care-givers end up bearing a heavy
load while trying to understand and care for them.
It
can be a lonely and frustrating time while dealing with a disorder. You may feel as if you are alone and no one
understands. On this journey I believe God
wants to send a message, “You are not alone”.
God
understands and is waiting for you to turn to Him. Yes, we may need to pursue medication,
professional counseling or a treatment plan.
Yet, we must not forget the world’s great Liberator. God, through His Son, Jesus, came from heaven
to earth, died and rose again to set us free from the chains of sin and sorrows
of this world. He stands ready to grant you an eternal hope in the face of your
mental illness. The Scriptures say, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near”
(Isaiah 55:6). May Jesus be your hope for today.
