Rise Above the Flood of Tears
End stigma and normalize conversation about Mental Health through Education, Empowerment, and Affirmation.
Rise Above the Flood of Tears
End stigma and normalize conversation about Mental Health through Education, Empowerment, and Affirmation.
Bible Verses on Mental Health: In Biblical Order
My prayer in sharing these verses with you is not that they would be a battering ram, beating you down, but that they would be a life RAFT to you. The Bible has much to say about depression, anxiety, burnout, and mental health. God’s Word is not meant to be a burden or to weigh us down with guilt. It is a well of hope, peace, and love. I am including thoughts and information from my own studies on each verse as it applies to depression, anxiety, and burnout. Verses are in the New King James Version unless otherwise stated.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
We are made in the image of God! What a beautiful realization. God created us with our emotions, so we do not need to fear them or try to hide them from Him. He is not surprised when we struggle with depression, anxiety, burnout, or any other mental health issue. Stop and reflect on what it means to be created in the image of God. Know that He loves you more than you can possibly imagine.
27 The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. 28 The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.
The Bible exhibits numerous examples where God uses broken people to advance His Kingdom, yet the Church of today often stands in judgment of those who do not fit a certain mold. “Mental illnesses are real disorders that have their origins in faulty biological processes. The Bible even supports this by listing madness along with physical problems like boils, tumors, scabs, and blindness (Deuteronomy 28:27-28).”[1][2]
This list is one of curses for disobedience to the Lord, but please hear me loved one. This is not to say that every mental illness is a curse for disobedience. Blindness, tumors, rashes, sickness, and disease are all results of a fallen world. We live in the wake of the Fall and therefore struggle with the resulting sickness and disease. Mental illness is one of the results of living in a broken world. Pray and ask the Lord if there is disobedience in your life causing depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness with which you struggle, but do not be condemned. If there is a place you God is calling you to repent, then repent. But know that disobedience is not the only reason for struggles. You may struggle simply because we live in a broken and fallen world. Know that God loves you and that He wants for you to be healed. Do not listen to the voices of those who would condemn you for a faulty biological process.
[1] Matthew S. Stanford, Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Health Issues (Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 2017), iBooks Chapter 4, Ultimate Healing.
[2] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald
And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.
God will never leave us. Not when we are angry or afraid, not when we are sad or discouraged, not when we are scared or anxious. In the midst of our struggles, He is always there with us. This verse comes in the middle of Moses’ commissioning of Joshua before the Israelites were to enter into the Promised Land. The Israelites had come to the end of forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses, the one who led them out of Egypt and brought them the Ten Commandments, would not be going with them. He reminds them that it is God who goes with them, who is by their side no matter what. Beloved, God is on your side and is right beside you. When you cannot feel Him, He is there. When you cannot see Him, He is there. When you feel lost in the darkness, He is in the darkness with you and He will not leave you.
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. and those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
The Lord will not abandon you. He is our stronghold, our refuge in times of trouble. This is a psalm of David, written in response to a time of oppression. It is a reminder of the ideal of being a people who know His name and trust in Him.[1] We may fall short of this ideal, but He will never abandon us. His love is not based on our capacity to reciprocate.
[1] “Notes on Psalm 9:9-10” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis and others (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
We will walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It is a certainty. That valley is different for each person. It may be depression, burnout, anxiety, the death of a loved one – it can come in many different forms. We will walk through the valley, but when we do, God is with us. He comforts us. He keeps us safe. He is the Shepherd that carries us out of that valley. If you are in that valley, know that He is with you. He is walking right beside you in that valley and He will bring you out of the valley.
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Be brave, dear ones. I know it is not easy. I am not a fan of waiting. In the words of Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, “I hate waiting!”[1] I do not know anyone who enjoys waiting, but waiting is sometimes necessary. “To wait for the LORD is to look to him with dependence and trust, not passivity; this is what enables one to be strong and courageous”[2] We do not always feel strong or courageous. We do not always feel God’s Presence. Take heart. No matter what your feelings tell you, He is there with you, in the midst of your struggle.
[1] The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner (1987, Act III Communications).
[2] “Notes on Psalm 27:14” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis and others (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. (NKJV)
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV)
Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath. (MSG)
I love how The Message translates this verse. Have you ever felt like you were kicked in the gut? Do you need to catch your breath? Is your heart broken? God is right there beside you. He is listening.If you read further, “The psalm is clear that both the righteous and the wicked will have afflictions (see the repetition in 34:19, 21); the difference is in the outcomes (none … condemned, v. 22; and condemned, v. 21).”[1] We will have afflictions. We will struggle. The Lord will be there to help us in our time of need.
[1] “Notes on Psalm 34:15-22” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis and others (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And, established my steps.
I am not sure my waiting is ever “patient,” but nonetheless, there are times I must wait. God listens, He hears my crying, my sobbing. When I was in that dark pit, He brought me out. I have experienced both supernatural healing from depression and I have done the hard work of working through my emotional trauma. Beloved, God hears your cry for help. He knows your burdens. He is right there with you in the pit.
There is a beautiful song based on this passage by U2 called 40. The chorus repeats, “How long to sing this song…” I can so relate to the repeated question of “How Long?”[1] In the midst of the darkness, I have asked that question over and over. We do not know how long, but we do know that He will bring us out of the pit.
[1] U2, “40,” music video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMVghDg-ePc.
Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
“The reason the faithful can cast their burden on the LORD is that he can be trusted to bring judgment upon the evildoers. The psalms do not say when God will cast them down; the faithful will wait for God’s own good timing.”[1]
This psalm speaks of an enemy against which the psalmist struggles. Sometimes that enemy is our own mind. We say things to ourselves that we would never say to someone else or allow someone else to say to us. I struggle with giving my burdens to the Lord and then picking them back up again. I struggle with allowing negative self-talk. I must consistently remind myself to cast my burdens on the Lord and trust in Him to carry me through the dark times.
[1] “Notes on Psalm 55:22” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis and others (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled I that I cannot speak.
7Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more 8Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failedfo revermore? 9Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?
Have you ever felt so tired, so exhausted that you cannot even speak, you cannot even rise out of bed? Burnout and depression can cause you to feel this way. We can trust in the Lord to sustain us when we are exhausted beyond measure.Does this cause you to question God’s love, to dispute His mercies, to wonder if He is with you? I love what the ESV Study Bible says about this passage:
“It does not offend God when his troubled people raise these questions with an interest in the explanation. Indeed, just putting the questions invites the answer, since they touch on the points of Ex. 34:6, which describes the enduring benevolence of God toward his people: if God abounds in steadfast love, then it cannot cease, nor can his promises be at an end; if God is gracious, he cannot forget to continue that grace, nor can he shut up his compassion.”[1]
God is not afraid of our questions. He invites them.
[1] “Notes on Psalm 77:7-9” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis and others (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
This passage makes me think of the image of the La Jument Lighthouse in the Brittany province of France.[1] We may be in the midst of a huge storm, but the Lord is our shelter, we can rest assured that He will protect us.
[1] Jean Guichard, La Jument, December 21, 1989, photograph of La Jument Lighthouse in Brittany, France, https://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/11/the-wave-swept-lighthouses-of-brittany.html
1Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You. 2Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer 4me speedily. 3For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth. 4My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread. 5Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin… 16For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. 17He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.”
Do you ever feel like God is far from you, like He has turned His face from you? Cry out to God and do not hold back. God is able to bear our burdens, to hear our cries for help. “The psalm leaves out the specifics of the external troubles in order to focus on the singer’s sense of discouragement: bones burn, heart is struck down, forget to eat my bread, loud groaning, my bones cling to my flesh—these all are vivid images of what it feels like to be consumed by sorrow and tempted to despair, which has such withering effects on one’s body.”[11] God understands. He can handle your pain. He will hear your prayer.
7Answer me speedily, O Lord! My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down to the pit. 8Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I life up my soul to You.
Are you crying out to God for an answer? You are not alone. In. this psalm, David cried out to God for an answer. This particular psalm is what is known as a “penitential psalm.” David is at the end of himself and is crying out to God for mercy. Whether you are in a season of repentance or you are crying out for answers in a season of struggle that is not of your own making, know that God is with you. David’s words here are a comfort that we can trust in God no matter the circumstances.
Answer Me Quickly! The situation is still dire, andthe person praying is still desperate; therefore he asks, answer me quickly. Hewants to hear in the morning of God’s steadfast love—whatever time of day he prays, he looks for reassurance soon! The specific relief may take longer, but the reminder of God’s steadfast love enables him to endure (cf. v. 12).[1]
[1] “Notes on Psalm 143:7-8” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis andothers (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
When you are feeling brokenhearted, you can trust inthe Lord. When you struggle, He remains faithful. “In this psalm, the‘brokenhearted’ and ‘humble’ are members of his own people who look to him in faith.”[1] We can look to the Lord in faith and trust Him. When I think of the image of the Lord binding up our wounds, I think of something deeper than a scrape, larger than what a Band-Aid might cover. I see something deep, gaping, painful, in need of special care. A scrape or a cut will generally heal on its own, but a deeper wound needs special care. Do your wounds need the special care of the Great Physician?
[1] “Notes on Psalm 147:1-6” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis andothers (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Our emotions do not always tell us the Truth. Our thoughts do not always speak the Truth. Listen to the Voice of God and let Him speak Truth to you when you cannot make sense of what is going on.
That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
Mental health challenges are not new. Unfortunately,“There is a false teaching that says an authentic Christian can never be depressed, can never have troubles.”[1] We do have times of trouble. We get depressed. We burn out. We can rest in the peace and knowledge that we are not alone and our struggle is not new.
[1]Jeremiah Johnston, “Lasting Truth for Unanswered Questions”. AACC Conference Lecture. (lecture presented at AACC Conference, Nashville, TN, September 29, 2017).
But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
When you are weary, the Lord will sustain you. Put your trust in Him. Lean on Him. allow Him to renew your strength. This does not happen by doing more. It does not happen by chance. It happens when we wait on the Lord, when we stop and allow Him to speak in the stillness.
Have you heard the song Worn by Tenth Avenue North? This song speaks to me when I am feeling weary. The song begins with the lyrics:
I'm tired
I'm worn
My heart is heavy
From the work it takes to keep on breathing[1]I know what it feels like to be tired and worn. I know the physical and mental when you are in the midst of depression or burnout. I love the chorus of this song:
Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That You can mend a heart that's frail and tornI want to know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
'Cause I'm worn[1]My struggle did come to an end and my work with RAFT is the redemption of that season. If you are weary, rest in the Lord. Wait on Him. Trust that He will bring you out of this season and that He will sustain you.
[1] TenthAvenue North, “Worn” on The Struggle, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulKcYItKIA
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous hand.
“Fear Not.” I know. Easier said than done. When we are in a state of trauma, everything can feel like a threat. I remember what it is like to feel so dysregulated that everything felt threatening. I could not discern the difference between a friend and an enemy. I did not know which way was up. Even when we fear, He is with us. Even when we struggle, He is our God. Even when we have no strength, He will uphold us. Remind yourself daily, hourly, as often as you need to, that God is with you, that He is helping you, that He is sustaining you.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
The Lord goes before us. His desire is to bring us peace, to give us a future and a hope. Our struggles are just a moment in time – a very long and difficult moment, but a moment that will pass.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
According to New Testament scholar Jeremiah Johnston, “There is a false teaching that says an authentic Christian can never be depressed, can never have troubles.”[1] Pastors amplify this stigma by not discussing neurodiversity or mental health issues. Johnston further argues, “In almost every single church, someone says, ‘You cannot be a strong Christian and struggle with mental health.’”[2] This stigma creates a barrier for those who struggle. They cannot get the support they need from Church pastors and leadership who deny that the problem exists or who make false claims about these struggles. These ministers have missed the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus denies the false claim that Christians cannot struggle with brain health. He starts this sermon with an acknowledgment of those who struggle and calls them blessed. Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3) He is speaking directly to those who struggle with mental and emotional well-being, acknowledging their pain and struggle. According to The New American Commentary, “’Poor in spirit,’ as a virtue, must refer not to a poor quality of faith but to the acknowledgment of one’s spiritual powerlessness and bankruptcy apart from Christ.”[3] Who feels this more deeply than those who suffer from mental health struggles?
It is significant that Jesus starts this sermon with the poor in spirit. According to the study notes on this verse, the Greek word μακάριος is, “More than a temporary or circumstantial feeling of happiness, this is a state of well-being in relationship to God that belongs to those who respond to Jesus’ ministry.”[4] Jesus calls the poor in spirit blessed because they are most in need of God’s comfort. They are desperate for His peace.[5]
[1] Jeremiah Johnston, “Lasting Truth for Unanswered Questions”. AACC Conference Lecture. (lecture presented at AACC Conference, Nashville, TN, September 29, 2017).[2]Jeremiah Johnston, “The Invisible Challenge: Church of the Invisbile Disease.” AACC Conference Lecture. (lecture presented at AACC Conference, Nashville, TN, September 30, 2017).
[3] Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary(Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 98.
[4] “Notes on Matthew 5:3” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis andothers (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
[5] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus calls us to come to Him when we are weary, to come to Him when we are heavy laden. He will give us rest that we cannot find elsewhere. “Come to me is an invitation to trust Jesus personally, not merely to believe historical facts about him."[1]
The word for rest in the Greek is ἀναπαύσω (anapauo) and it means “to cause someone to gain relief from toil.” This reminds me of what God said to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” (Gen. 3:17) To be clear, I am simply making my own observation here. We labor and toil in the wake of the Fall. We become weary. But He promises rest, relief from the struggles of this world. How do we get this rest? We come to Him.
[1] “Notes on Matthew 11:28” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis andothers (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
We will all face challenges and struggles. The enemy wants to bring us down, he wants to steal our joy, he wants to keep us from the abundant life available in Christ. We must be alert and aware of his attempts to derail us. Jesus has abundant life available to us, He desires us to live in the fullness of His joy, but it is not easy. We are in a constant battle and the only way to fight the enemy is to remain wholly dependent upon Jesus.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
You will have trouble. There will be times of strife, of despair, of depression, of anxiety. Jesus did not promise a life free from these things. instead, He promised to be in them with us. He promised that He has overcome all that we will go through and we can have peace in Him, knowing that He is with us.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
I think this may be one of the most abused passages when it comes to our struggles, when we are hurting. Someone will quote Paul and remind you that God works all things for good. But that reminder is not helpful when you are in the midst of a struggle. When you are in the darkness, it is not a light, it feels more like someone trying to push you further into the pit. So please allow me to give you something more to think about with this verse. Yes, God does work things for good. However, “The ‘good’ in this context does not refer to earthly comfort but conformity to Christ (v. 29).”[1]
[1] “Notes on Romans 8:28” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis andothers (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008) iBooks.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Oh beloved, nothing can separate you from God’s love. Rest in this promise. No matter what you do, no matter how you struggle, no matter what you say, God loves you. If you remember nothing else, remember that God loves you.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The Apostle Paul writes about the mind in his letter to the Romans. He indicates that the body is a living sacrifice, a form of worship. Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2) Study of the brain over the past few decades show the veracity of this Biblical understanding of the mind as renewable, changeable. According to author and researcher Dr. Caroline Leaf, “Scientists are finally beginning to see the brain as having renewable characteristics (as in Rom. 12:2); it is no longer viewed as a machine that is hardwired early in life, unable to adapt, and wearing out with age.”[1] This neuroplasticity of the brain enables the renewal of the mind which Paul describes.
The renewal of the mind is a lifelong process, a continual daily practice. The Greek word μεταμορφόομαι means “to change the essential form of nature of something… become completely different.”[2] God created the brain to change, grow, mature. By conforming to the mind of Christ, the believer actually changes the neural pathways. Dr. Leaf writes, “research shows that DNA actually changes shape according to our thoughts.”[3] Depression, anxiety, and other mental struggles are not inevitable. God created a way for people to heal, to grow, to change.[4]
[1] Caroline Leaf, Switch On your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013), iBooks, Introduction.
[2] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds. Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, Second Edition: Volume 1 Introduction & Domains. (New York, NY: United Bible Societies, 1989), Logos Edition.
[3] Leaf, iBooks, Chapter 1.
[4] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope is a gift from God. He will fill you with hope, with joy, with peace. Yet it can often be overshadowed by the despair we feel, by the weight of our struggles. Know that it is there, no matter how tiny, no matter how far away it may seem, there is always hope.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May you experience the grace and peace that can only come from the Lord.
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
The great failing of the Church in addressing issues of neurodiversity and mental health is denying the suffering of others. This denial is like ignoring a broken foot and continuing to walk on it. Instead of the foot getting the care that it needs and the space to heal, it becomes further damaged by the weight of expectation from the rest of the body. The rest of the body continues as usual, pretending the foot does not even exist, but “Any living organism functions properly only when its parts are in intimate and harmonious relationship with each other and with the total organism.”[1] The avoidance and denial of the pain of others will only lead to further problems.
Paul reminds Christians in 1 Corinthians 12:25-26, “That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” The Church has denied the intense suffering of others in a detrimental way that must be remedied. The Church cannot be one unified body if it continues to deny this suffering. Instead, the Church must give special attention to this pain.[2]
[1] Lawrence O. Richards and Clyde Hoeldtke ChurchLeadership: Following the Example of Jesus Christ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980), page 93.
[2] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
God does not desire for us to live in suffering, it is the result of living in a fallen world. In the midst of our suffering, God comforts us. He is right beside us; He never leaves us alone. He carries us through the darkness and He will use our pain and our struggles in ways we cannot imagine.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
When you are in the midst of the struggle, it can feel like it will never go away, like it will last forever. Do not lose heart. Though it feels interminable, our pain is temporary.
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Do you take pleasure in your pain? I used to say that I would not wish my struggles on anyone, but now I am grateful for the pain. I know that it is in every struggle that I find my Rock. I cannot do anything apart from God. He is my strength. When I struggle, when I am in pain, I know that He will carry me through. I embrace the pain, knowing that it keeps me grounded.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
As Paul states in here, Christians are called to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Here, Paul is speaking of bearing a burden to great for the bearer to carry alone. It is the “experience of someth. [sic] that is particularly oppressive, burden.”[1] Paul writes this as a command, not a suggestion. Further, “To bear one another’s burdens is the supreme imitation of Jesus, the ultimate burden-bearer”[2] Jesus came to bear the burden of mankind, the burden of sin. Without Jesus man cannot be reconciled to God. He bears a burden that no one can carry alone. That is the example for the Church that Christians must follow. “As the body of Christ we are called to share the good news, to make disciples, to love one another, to bear one another’s burdens, and to pray for one another.”[3] The Church must stop denying the burden which many carry and care for those who suffer so deeply.[4]
[1] William Arndtet al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other EarlyChristian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000),167.
[2] “Notes on Galatians 6:2” In The ESV Study Bible, ed. by Lane T. Dennis and others (Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008), iBooks.
[3] Matthew S. Stanford, Grace for the Afflicted: AClinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Health Issues (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2017), iBooks, Chapter 16.
[4] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald.
12Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This is my favorite passage of Scripture. I am not where I want to be, but I am also not where I was. Each day is a new chance to press on, to move forward. Sometimes I am barely able to move at all and moving forward has more to do with remaining or barely moving by millimeters. Sometimes, I am able to move forward in leaps and bounds. With however much I have to give, I press on, I seek the Lord, I reach towards what is ahead of me.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
This is not meant to condemn us if we feel anxious. Rather, Paul reminds us where to take our anxiety. Peace comes from taking our requests to God, but it is a continual practice of bringing them before Him. Current science of the brain shows that what we think on can create pathways in our brains. So, if we focus on anxious thoughts, we create pathways of anxious thoughts and that becomes our default. If, instead, we train our brain to think of what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, then these thoughts become our default.
In his book, Keep Sharp, Sanjay Gupta argues the importance of brain health. He writes, “In order to best take care of your body, you have to first take care of your mind. It is true, and the best part is that it is not that hard to do.”[2] He further describes what this looks like.
Your brain can be strengthened by what you experience, like a good workout, or it can be battered and defeated. What separates those two camps of people? The answer is resilience. A resilient brain can withstand ongoing trauma, think differently, stave off brain-related illnesses including depression, and retain cognitive memory for peak performance.
According to Gupta, resilience is the key to preventing depression and burnout.[3]
[1] SanjayGupta, Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age, (New York, NY: Simon& Shuester Paperbacks, 2021), 7.
[2] Ibid.,11-12.
[3] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
This is not a statement that we can do anything as long as we have enough faith. It is a reminder that it is Christ who strengthens us. It is not easy, but you can make it through depression and burnout. Lean into Christ and let Him carry you when you cannot do it on your own. Remember that no matter your circumstances, He is there, right beside you.
Here is a little bit of a Greek lesson for you. In this verse, “strengthen” is the word ἐνδυναμοῦντί. It is a Present Active Participle. What does that mean? Well, in Greek, the tense of the participle (Present) refers to the kind of action, not the time of action. According to A Primer of Biblical Greek, a “present participle usually denotes action simultaneous with that of the main verb.”[1] Okay, so what does this mean? Well, the main verb of this passage is ἰσχύω, which means, “To have requisite personal resources to accomplish something, have power, be competent, be able.”[2] We are able to do all things because while we are accomplishing these things, Christ is strengthening us. We are able to endure depression and burnout because Christ strengthens us as we endure.
[1] N. ClaytonCroy, A Primer of Biblical Greek, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wiliam B. EerdmansPublishing Company, 1999), 105.
[2] Frederick William Danker, ed., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testamentand Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., (Chicago, IL: TheUniversity of Chicago Press, 2000), ἰσχύω definition.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT)
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (ESV)
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (NIV)
Various commentaries suggest that spirit in this verse refers to the Holy Spirit. Further, “Power here is not physical but refers to the spiritual strength that enables Christians to be victorious over adverse circumstances and to remain faithful to their Lord. Another way of saying this is “strength in our hearts (or, minds).”[1] The Lord sends us His Spirit to strengthen us, to help us when we are struggling.
[1] Daniel C. Arichea and Howard Hatton, A Handbook onPaul’s Letters to Timothy and to Titus, UBS Handbook Series (NewYork: United Bible Societies, 1995), 174.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If this is the case, then it stands to reason that the Bible speaks to issues of mental health, that there are God-breathed examples and lessons from which to learn.[1]
[1] Quoted from original work by Dr. Hald
casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
God cares for you. He knows that we will be anxious, that we will struggle. He is strong enough to hold our anxiety, our fear, our doubt.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Oh, how I long for this day! Dear one, there will come a day when we will never weep again, when we will never feel pain again, when we will never struggle again. What a glorious day that will be. Until then, loved one, trust in the Lord and rest in Him.
© 2019