WHAT DOES THE BIBLE EACH ABOUT EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL ILLNESS?
We discuss this and also touch on addiction and ways different people have gotten clean.
Comments (7)
As John Doerr often says, God chastises those he loves. We can expect to experience chastening.
Wow Reginald, what an experience. I've had experiences a little different but the feeling was similar. There was nowhere else to turn but to God and He was there to deliver and I responded receiving much out of those experiences.
I think (but may not be right) that some of these afflictions can be considered the same as physical afflictions in that they are simply just that – an affliction. We may have a physiological condition that affects us emotionally or psychologically. Just not getting enough sleep over a long period of time can have a damaging affect as an example. There are numerous others. If I think about Jeremiah and the other prophets and what they went through and it would be naïve to think they did not experience many of these as subsequent believers that were persecuted would have experienced. However, if we then read through the Psalms, I think we see this this many times as David expresses himself. The scripture in Romans 12 gives us some specific advice. Many of these things mentioned will directly cause mental afflictions if we do not follow this instruction. Proverbs also gives us plenty of help as does Ecclesiastes. These explain “the why” which can help settle our spirits and lead us to trusting in God Himself and not ourselves or our own wisdom. I also think some of these afflictions are sent upon us in order to bring correction to us especially in the area of pride as God resists the proud.
Hi Terence, From my personal experience, having in the past spent many months in constant pain, extreme itching and no sleep, I began to hallucinate and there's no doubt I was going mad. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. My ability to discern the difference between real and unreal was gone. I told the doctors that I could not and would not go on in my current state. I had reached the very end of my rope. It was at that point that things changed very quickly. Indeed, the LORD intervened. He had taken me to the very limits of my endurance. The doctors could find no logical medical reason for my sudden recovery. I know many people had been praying for me.
Finally, we are to bear each other's burdens as believers. (Galatians 6:1-6 "1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5For every man shall bear his own burden. 6Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things") You also touched on this when you discussed how you forget your own pain when you help others. This is a Holy Spirit working! Bear your own burdens, help others as you can . . this is fulfilling Christ's law.
You also touched on this but . . the believer is NOT to engage in self-pity because we are the elect and the body of Christ and inheritors of the kingdom of God. What worldly hardship do we have to lament? Eternal life isn't enough for us? His grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.") Certainly there are troubles in the world, but Jesus has over come the world so, in Jesus, we also overcome. (John 16:33). Rather, we need to concentrate on being steadfast in our belief . . . however we are able. I have seen deeply afflicted people with severe down syndrome who are in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit and anxious to do good! What is my excuse to wallow? In the parable of Lazarus, Christ spoke of a man who begged at the gate of a rich man COVERED WITH SORES . . but he believed. And gained eternal life.
ON ADDICTION AND OTHER SINFUL SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR . . . . . wallowing, obsessive behavior, etc. . . . .There is no salvation without Jesus Christ. It matters not what your affliction is, if you don't have Jesus Christ, you have no hope and are scattered abroad (Matthew 12:30 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.") Jesus Christ alone has the power to drive out evil spirits. Matthew 12:25-27 ("25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.") Any other spirit that purports to drive out evil spirits is simply making way for 7-fold more evil spirits to enter in. Jesus made clear in Matthew 12: 43-35 what happens to a man who attempts to rid himself of evil spirits without faith in Him ("43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.") What do these verses teach us about this topic? There is no such thing as "recovery" from addictive/obsessive behavior without Jesus Christ. A person who thinks he is "recovered" from his addiction without a relationship with Jesus Christ has simply "swept his house" of one addiction to allow in 7 more evil spirits. Prayer, humility, broken-ness, accepting your stripes from God (Romans 5:3-5), seeking God, loving Jesus Christ by keeping his commandments, allowing the Holy Spirit in to drive the evil out . . . THESE are the steps to recovery and salvation.