• Today’s wrap up series
  • We've looked at compassion, joy, anger, anxiety, depression and trauma
  • I want to end by just talking about something often ignored by church
  • Mental health

November2020...Thanksgiving was approaching and I felt. Numb. If I wasn’tfeeling numb or I felt angry or overwhelmingly depressed. I could notfind joy or peace. Was still a Christian, still reading my bible,still praying, still preaching. Felt like a failure as a mom and wifeand pastor and friend. Even contemplated ending my life. Mentalhealth was broken and I was trying to ignore it...finally talked tomy husband and talked with my doctor and took steps to get help…

  • MH includes—Emotional—Psychological—Social well-being and Impacts most areas life

  • How we Think—Feel—Act.

  • How you...Handle stress, relate, make choices, bounce back from difficulties.
  • So many misunderstandings in church…
  • Today let's just take some time to talk about 2 myths of Mental Health

MayGod himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. Mayyour whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming ofour Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and hewill do it. 1 Thes 5:23-24

  • Myth 1. Christians should not have mental health problems
    • Through and Through
    • Spirit
    • Soul
    • Body
      • Body of course – God cares about us being healthy and safe and doing good things. Gather with the church in a building, tithe, serve God according to the talents they gifted to you...we know this (don’t always do it great but know it)
      • but also Souls - Your soul speaks of your inner-life in relation to your own experience: your mind, heart, will, and imagination. It also includes your thoughts, desires, passions, and dreams.
      • But also your spirit speaks of the same inner-life in relation to God: your faith, hope, love, character, and perseverance.
    • The myth that you Come to Jesus, get saved, and BOOM it Fixes everything.

Spiderman – bitten by the spider and BOOM no glasses, muscles,superpowers

    • Just because you are saved Doesn’t mean every area your life is perfect
    • We don’t expect our outward appearance and action to instantly resolve. Come to Jesus and suddenly we are our ideal weight, no blemishes, perfect hair days (or hair at all)
    • And yet we are tempted to believe the myth that those who are saved should never experience mental health issues ever...
    • If we are immune to mental health problems why would Paul write to the CHRISTIANS in Thessaloniki and being praying that they be sanctified and find wholeness BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT
  • Truths to tear down this myth
    • You can love Jesus & Still fight depression.
    • Faithfully read God’s Word & Battle anxiety.
    • Attend church: (sit in the front/tithe/serve) & Struggle overcome trauma.
    • Just a few Heroes Bible with mental health issues
      • Elijah so depress wanted die
      • David— fell into despair.
      • Jeremiah—weeping prophet...Cursed day he was born
    • Struggling mentally— Christians say, “Ya need more of God.”
    • Do need more God (yeah we all do…)
    • and also…
      • More sleep—Better friends—Healthier diet.
      • Doctor—Medication to treat an imbalance—Therapy.

Strugglingdoesn’t mean you’re not A good Christian...it Means your Human.

Move onto second myth...let me introduce you to Heman the Ezrahite
  • Heman was the grandson of Samuel, the final judge of Israel who anointed King Saul and King David.
  • In addition, Heman is listed as one of three main musicians appointed by King David “for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals” (1 Chronicles 2 5:1)
  • The musician and sage Heman served in Israel as a Levite, a seer, a songwriter, a godly father, and a man of influence during the time of David and Solomon
  • Known for - Great wisdom (1 Kings 4:31) Musical ability (1 Chron 6:33, 16:41-42) Committed parenting (1 Chron 25:5-6) and Service to king (1 Chron 25:6)

Thisguy...wrote this..

3I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. 4 Iam counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one withoutstrength. 5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie inthe grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from yourcare...(Get right, You) 13 But I cry to you for help, LORD; in themorning my prayer comes before you. 14 Why, LORD, do you reject meand hide your face from me? … 18You have taken from me friend andneighbor—darkness is my closest friend. Ps 88:3-5,13-14, 18

  • Myth 2. God doesn’t care about your mental health
    • God is not afraid of our honesty—Cares—If you hurt—He hurts.
    • Heman loved God and served God...and struggled with mental health
    • His Mental health was not all Heman was
    • And in his struggles he was seeking God
    • Getting help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of wisdom.

Aftertalking with Kyle and my doctor I was prescribed medication for mymental health which I still take now. I also continue to see atherapist ever other week.

    • While struggling with my mental health I was still Physically healthy and Spiritually healthy and Relationally healthy.
    • Maybe you have or are struggling with your mental health...remember this You just aren’t Mental Health…
  • How to get healthy mentally
    • Brains built over time—Starting at birth.
    • Brain makes simple connection called—Neural pathways.
    • First few years of your life 1 million neural connections—Every second
    • After brain starts to learn those Connections are simplified
    • Brain get more efficient—Starts to think in patterns.
    • Once think a thought—Easier to think again. and again. and again
    • Good news when your mentally healthy
    • VERY Bad news when you’re not.
    • Body isn’t healthy—Change diet/Exercise
    • Mentally unhealthy—Renew mind.
    • BREAK THE PATHWAYS...interrupt them
    • Scripture isn’t silent on mental health matters
      • Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Matt 22:37
      • 3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3
    • Not Occasional peace or Momentary Peace or Circumstantional Peace
    • Perfect Peace! (Shalom—Shalom!)
    • Who experiences shalom?—Those whose thoughts fixed on…
      • CNN or FOX NEW
      • State of our economy
      • Spend all day scrolling social media!
    • 3 You will keep in perfect peace … all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

      Mentally unhealthy, needed to step away from those things that were causing anxiety - every time a notification would go off I would find myself panicking that the worst had happened...so I turned of my phone notifications. Would check on my terms when ready.

      • FIXED - Samak (sawmak)—to prop, to rest your full weight on an object.

      • God ought to be where our thoughts lean!
  • You have strength to fix your mental health
  • 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him. 2 Pet 1:3

Afterbeginning to be open and honest in my therapy sessions, and startingmedication to correct the imbalances...I started to get better. Wasnot instant, took weeks, months, going on years...but today I AMBETTER

  • God is my source and my strength.
  • I have everything I need to do everything he called me to do…and guess what it wasn’t just “being a Christian”, it took support, medication, therapy...retraining my brain…for me to get into good mental health
  • You can get there too...

MayGod himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. Mayyour whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming ofour Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and hewill do it. 1 Thes 5:23-24