Post in a Christian Group:
"Hi I'm struggling with anxiety and PTSD and depression. I haven't been to therapy and I'm not taking meds, but I really am so down and can't work and don't know what to do."
Comments:
"Prayers."
"I'm so sorry to hear that. Praying for you."
"Oh I'm so sorry."
"In Jesus' name you are healed."
...wait. What?
Yes, this is a typical response from a lot of Evangelical types, in my expirience. I heard this all the time, growing up. It went somewhere between the "psychology is the work of Satan" discussion and the "Too blessed to be depressed!" sign.
Mental health and suffering are controversial and suspicious topics in the modern church world. Some people fear what might be lurking below a murky surface of depression and gloom. Could it be demons? Could it be a lack of trust in God? Whatever the cause, the response inevitably comes to this -
"By His stripes you are healed!"
I realize that I had a weird mix of Southern Baptist down-home religion, Calvinist catechism, and charismatic teenage schooling. These give me a very unique perspective and outlook, much of with is actually healthy nowadays. I also would like to comment that I know many, many Evangelicals who address mental health in a realistic way and promote the dignity and worth of each person suffering. But on the other hand, I knew many and have read many rants and "warnings" from people who don't know the difference between depression and demonic possession. In their eagerness to help people be free, they treat real illness as a state of mind at best, and a surrender to the works of the devil at worst. They say a lot of unhealthy things.
"In Jesus name, you are healed".
YES. We are healed in Jesus' name. But until recently, I thought that pronouncement was the end of it. "Healing" was a vague and daunting term. It was a term of shame for what I couldn't have. It was a term that meant I needed to find something, some esoteric spiritual thing that I had no clue about. I shoved me deeper into depression when I felt that Jesus was out of reach because I couldn't feel Him, and that I somehow didn't do whatever hidden thing I needed to do to get His healing.
What is real healing?
Real healing is a restoration of what we are truly meant to be.
When a bone breaks, it is set into the shape of a non-broken bone to be healed.
When a person has the flu, healing is being rid of the disease and restoration to a non-influenza state.
When our minds are depressed, healing looks like correction of the mental and physical things which make us depressed. We cannot approach a disease which is both mental and physical and say that we only can approach it spiritually. To do so is a disservice to Jesus. Especially we use His name as some sort of magic word to heal the person.
Healing comes from many different sources, people, and methods. We can be healed by correcting our unhealthy thinking. Or by getting out of a bad and unhealthy situation. When I recently experienced an emotional trauma, my anxiety got so bad that it was hard for me to sleep, eat, or go to work. I found healing by getting away from the unhealthy person. I went to church often. I journaled, prayed, and read the Bible. I met with good, healthy people, including my priest and a therapist. I also went to the doctor and got some medicine for the physical side of my anxiety. All of these were healing. And all of these good things were from Jesus. We ARE healed in His name. But it isn't a magic phrase that makes it happen...it's faith, action, and a desire for health.
Don't be tricked by the enemy into further despair because a phrase or mere belief doesn't heal you. Go find your healing using that beautiful mind and heart and body that God gave you. He gave you friends, a Church, books, doctors, and medicine to help you. There IS help available. Don't' give up.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please be kind, as you'd like others to be to you :)