Introduction
My recent trip to Southeast Asia, which included Singapore and six cities in the Philippines, has been both a time of validation and an eye-opener.
It was a validation for the topics I explored resonated with varied audiences; an eye opener, for I did not realize how hungry the people were for a talk such as what I had offered.
Aside from giving inspirational messages to various congregations, I was also given an opportunity to facilitate seminars on Mental Health with a focus on Depression and Suicidality.
During the eight-week travel, I had a wonderful time visiting seven churches and facilitating seven seminars. Needless to say, it was quite physically tiring but inwardly fulfilling. When done frequently, connecting with friends for noonday and evening meals was difficult.
During one of the talks I gave, when I asked for comments and questions from the audience, a young man came forward to avail of the microphone on the center aisle.
He was trembling, and with a shaking utterance, he declared he was actively suicidal! I could see the surprise on the faces of the audience. One could almost hear a pin drop! Most of the reactions could be read as, “Oh no! Now what do we do?”
In my mind, I could not help but think of how the Lord has a sense of humor. In His divine wisdom, He placed the host congregation into an actual laboratory of care for the truly needy in their midst!
Yes, this is the reality of the church: people come with raw needs but often are set aside for other superficial things!
How often are church congregants concerned with what people wear, what food to eat after worship, and where to spend time with friends when all the religious duties are done?
Amid these superficial concerns, those with real profound needs unto whom the church is called to minister are sadly taken for granted.
At another venue, where I facilitated a seminar on a similar topic that was requested at short notice, I experienced something else. A day after the seminar, I received a text from a young minister I recently met.
He shared that instead of going to their respective homes after attending my talk, his group of about a dozen young adults decided to process what happened and went to their church venue.
During their unscheduled session, several in the group wept as they opened up and shared that they had had suicide attempts recently. And the young pastor exclaimed, “It’s real and here in our midst!” referring to the struggle of mental illness.
The final seminar occurred on the last Saturday night of my eight-week journey. The sky was heavily down-pouring. The earlier advertisement provided by the host informed that the youth group of the sponsoring church would attend this meeting.
However, two days before the event, the organizers decided to accept adults who wished to participate in the experience. And the result: the meeting was so well attended that many had to stand up for lack of room! There was literally a crowd of attendees! I was humbled that the Lord is actively working by touching the hearts of many.
Four Realities of Mental Illness
Let me briefly share the four realities affirmed during this travel.
1. Common Mental Illnesses across Cultures.
Two common mental illnesses seem to cross cultural barriers. They are Major Depression and its cousin, Anxiety Disorder.
Both of these affect the mood. They also impair one’s normal functioning and relationships.
An observable feature of Major Depression is low mood and loss of interest in things one used to enjoy. Added features include impaired sleep and appetite; difficulty focusing; fatigue; lethargy or restlessness; a sense of worthlessness or excessive guilt; and suicidality. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition – American Psychiatric Association).
Anxiety Disorder shares some of the symptoms of Major Depression, such as easy irritability, restlessness, problems sleeping, and difficulties with concentrating. These are accompanied by excessive worry that is difficult to control and increased muscle aches.
Furthermore, both illnesses could be accompanied by severe loneliness, which stems from the absence or lack of meaningful relationships.
Almost all studies across societies and cultures point to these two as common. Unfortunately, living in a developed country does not provide immunity from these illnesses.
2. The Church does not have immunity from mental illness.
While the church offers many benefits for the individual, it does not provide immunity from the malaise of mental illness. If the church is not wise, it can even convey an inaccurate message that everything will be rosy and dandy when one loves God.
I have been in a local church for a long time to witness that some of the often-sung choruses are theologically unsound.
For instance, early in my Christian life, I was exposed to messages through songs like, “I’m inward, outward, downward, upward happy all the time,” or “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”
After having heard these musical messages for some time, one might be surprised to experience that life, for real, has its share of pain and suffering. This is true even among those who define themselves as believers in God!
It is time for the church to wake up to the reality of pain and suffering within their midst. And this includes the presence of depression and anxiety as well as other forms of illnesses that could impact those who sincerely seek God in their lives.
After having said all these, let me declare once and for all: It is not true that life will constantly be well when one becomes a part of the church.
We still struggle with human brokenness that sometimes intrudes on our physical and mental health!
The good news is not that we will have no share of trials and tribulations!
The good news is this: In our trials and tribulations, the Lord, through His wisdom and grace, will grant us victory!
3. Unresolved mental illness impedes growth in spirituality.
When someone struggles with mental illness, any desire to be closer to God will be powerfully impacted. Until the illness is resolved, any journey toward more profound spirituality will be adversely affected.
The resolution of mental illness does not necessarily mean that the individual will be freed from the illness. It could mean that in the presence of the illness, one has learned to cope and become functional again.
This is sometimes called recovery. Like someone who has become impaired in his walking due to the amputation of one leg, the person can become functional again by learning to walk with the assistance of some form.
Symptoms of mental illness can be managed with medication and professional counseling to the end that the symptoms will no longer control the individual. The recovering individual now learns how to regulate and respond to the symptoms.
The truth is this: some of these symptoms can be transformed into wisdom through divine guidance.
4. Recovery from mental illness is part of wholeness.
The Hebrew Shalom, directly translated as wholeness, is where the term salvation is derived.
It means fullness, peace coming from wholeness, and prosperity. The last word – prosperity – should not be understood in terms of material abundance but in the presence of more than enough resources to cope with life’s challenges.
Wholeness is a comprehensive term that covers all areas of life, namely:
- body (physical well-being),
- soul (includes the inner life in relation to thought,
- heart, mind), and
- spirit (the inner life that relates to God and one’s hopes and aspirations).
Wholeness suggests that we are not fragmented human beings. It reminds us that when one segment of our existence suffers, the whole person suffers.
To grow in wholeness, one must address all illnesses in body, soul, or spirit. Failure to address any illness of any form will affect the whole person.
This means the church must no longer just talk of the spiritual. The church, the community of faith in Christ, must address all human needs, including the needs of the body and the mind.
Failure to do so will contribute to the development of fragmented disciples who speak eloquently of biblical doctrine but lack social and emotional skills even as they relate with family members and others.
Conclusion
The time for religious groups to talk about mental illness has never been more urgent than now!
My recent trip to Southeast Asia has firmly pushed me to advocate for this theme in my casual conversations whenever speaking opportunities arise.
The good news is this: People are ready to listen! The topic of mental illness as it relates to spirituality resonates with their experiences and the life stories of their families and friends.
Let me recall an obscure passage in the book of James, 4:17. The NASB (New American Standard Bible) writes it quite clearly. “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
I will be consciously sinning before God if I know that the right thing to do is to advocate for the lesser of these my brothers and sisters, the ones who are in silent pain due to mental illness, and yet I don’t do it!
Far it is that I will be quick to invoke my limitations as an excuse for not responding to the call.
Some of these excuses could be, “I don’t have the needed resources!” “I don’t have the skill!”; “I don’t have the experience!”; “I don’t have the time!”
At the end of the day, this is not about us, but about the call of the divine God to make a difference in the lives of others!
The same God who calls has promised to provide all needed resources to further His message!
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