When God's Direction brings Depression

1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal.

2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”

6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

Introduction: Statistics behind depression. Statistics behind those in ministry and depression.

Depression: Let’s talk. 1-year on

10 October 2017 -- Today, on World Mental Health Day, our Depression: let’s talk campaign comes to an end. The interest has been phenomenal, with close to 2 million visits to this website and more than 300 activities in 76 countries registered on our campaign app. We hope that you have found the materials published on this site during the last 12 months useful and that you will continue to use them as a resource. Beyond the campaign, our work continues at WHO, in collaboration with governments and partners, to make mental health care a reality for people in all countries of the world.

Watch our campaign videoFor more information on mental healthhttp://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/malative-clinic-630.png

The study (by Journal of Primary Prevention), conducted in 2008, found the depression rate among clergy to be 8.7 percent when responses were limited to telephone interviews that closely approximated the conditions of a national survey (the 2005-06 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey study).  However, among clergy taking the survey via Web or paper, the rate of depression was even higher: 11.1 percent -- double the then national rate of 5.5 percent.  

6 September 2017 -- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-19 year-old girls. However, suicides are preventable. In this video, a mother from Switzerland explains how she coped when her teenage daughter told her that she was thinking about suicide. During the testimony, we hear how the family sought help and about the support that helped them get through this difficult time.

Watch the videohttp://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/sankari-630.jpg

When sadness doesn’t stop: helping Syrians with depression

Anxiety rates among clergy were 13.5 percent (no comparable U.S. rate was available). More than 7 percent of clergy simultaneously experienced depression and anxiety.  

27 June 2017 - In a city in southeastern Turkey, a Syrian woman who has fled her country stands up during a question and answer session with a psychologist. "One of my relatives suffers from severe sadness …. He doesn’t sleep well. He doesn’t want to talk to others," she says. The session at which the woman is speaking is 1 of more than 20 organized for Syrians as part of the World Health Day 2017 campaign on depression.

Read the storyMental health in emergenciesWHOhttp://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/angelo-story-630.png

Overcoming depression: Angelo’s story

A number of factors were found to be powerful predictors of depression and anxiety, most notably job stress. Clergy engage in many stressful activities, including grief counseling, navigating the competing demands of congregants, and delivering a weekly sermon that opens them up to criticism. The strain of these roles is further amplified by having to switch rapidly between them, which other studies have shown to exacerbate stressful experiences.  

13 June 2017 - In a very honest account, Angelo, from the Philippines, explains his personal experience of depression and how he was able to recover. He describes the essential role of his family, in particular his mother, in supporting him towards recovery.

Watch the videohttp://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/malative-630.png

Prevention of suicide among adolescents

10 May 2017 -- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds. This short documentary describes how Malatavie, a health service in Geneva, supports young people in severe psychological distress, working together with their families and social and educational services.

Furthermore, the study found that pastors' sense of guilt about not doing enough at work was a top predictor of depression, and that doubt of their call to ministry was a top predictor of anxiety.  Pastors with less social support -- those who reported feeling socially isolated -- were at higher risk for depression.  

Feeling down: let’s talkLe mal de vivre, parlons-en!http://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/whd-video-630.png

Depression: let’s talk

7 April 2017 – WHO is leading a one-year global campaign on depression. The highlight is World Health Day 2017, celebrated today. The goal of the campaign is that more people with depression, everywhere in the world, both seek and get help. Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. More than 300 million people are now living with depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015.

By contrast, pastors reporting greater satisfaction with their ministry were half as likely to qualify for depression or anxiety.  

Video: Let’s talk about depression – focus on older peoplehttp://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/pacific-islanders-630.jpg

Depression tops list of causes of ill health

4 April 2017 – Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest estimates from WHO, more than 300 million people are now living with depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. Lack of support for people with mental disorders, coupled with a fear of stigma, prevent many from accessing the treatment they need to live healthy, productive lives.

"Pastors may have created a life for themselves that is so strongly intertwined with their ministry, that their emotional health is dependent on the state of their ministry," said Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, the Clergy Health Initiative's research director, and assistant research professor at the Duke Global Health Institute. "So it's possible that when pastors feel their ministry is going well, they experience positive emotions potent enough to buffer them from mental distress. Of course, the converse is also true."

Press releasehttp://www.who.int/entity/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/posters-depression/amro-women-outdoors-630.jpg

Number of people with depression increases

23 February 2017 -- According to new estimates of depression, released by the World Health Organization today, the number of people living with depression increased by over 18% between 2005 and 2015. Depression is also the largest cause of disability worldwide. More than 80% of this disease burden is among people living in low- and middle-income countries.

So why do ministry?

Our Purpose is Hazardous

Our Purpose as a Church is to Build Disciples, Grow in Faith, and Serve in Jesus’ name. - Our World wants to Build Consumers, who grow in reason, in service of self our our name.

We can expect resistance, because these two purposes can be at great odds with them selves.

Ministry is hard....

Consistory Illustration - Leadershift conversation on service heresies.

Heresy #1 - God Needs us

Heresy #2 - God wants payback

Truth #1 - Our participation in the work of His Kingdom brings His blessings to and through our lives.

Truth #2: God displays Himself through His blessings to us, thereby bringing glory to His name.

Jezebel - Wearing the Pants threatens Elijah’s life, does not take it why?

Austin Powers Scene

Perhaps Political suicide on her part, Perhaps she is actually afraid of Elijah.

Her Threat works - Gets Elijah out of Israel.

Hazards in Ministry today.

Conflict with other church members

Elijah seems to be experiencing Depression - Signs of Depression

Feeling alone, that no one else is serving in the church.

Outright Spiritual Attack

Un-met expectations

Guilt Trips

As a direct result of serving the Lord - How do we reconcile that when...

We May Get Hurt from the Hazards

When Expectations aren’t met we can get hurt.

Elijah was expecting Israel to turn, and in return, he was on the run for his life. - They just don’t get it.

It was exhausting - Have you ever worked yourself into a frenzy? Have you ever worked so hard that you stop thinking straight?

Remember what Elijah did - The exertion, Hiking up Carmel, butchering his own cow, hiking down Carmel, killing the 850 prophets, hiking back up Carmel to wait for Rain, Then running past Ahab’s Chariot (who already had a head start) for 17 miles to Jezreel (Like Running from Here to Lake MI. (Jezreel to Beersheba is 100 miles, that is from here to Shipshawana).

Commercials for Snickers commercials - “You’re Not You When You are Hungry.” - We often “You Are Not You When You are Exhausted.”

Elijah was not thinking right. He was not himself, because he was exhausted.

Signs of Depression.

Mood: anxiety, apathy, general discontent, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, or sadness

Sleep: early awakening, excess sleepiness, insomnia, or restless sleep

Whole body: excessive hunger, fatigue, loss of appetite, or restlessness

Behavioral: agitation, excessive crying, irritability, or social isolation

Cognitive: lack of concentration, slowness in activity, or thoughts of suicide

Weight: weight gain or weight loss

Also common: poor appetite or repeatedly going over thoughts

How many here have wanted the ministry to look like this, or look like that and were met with talking to the hand?

Leader that I encouraged to do Commissioned Pastor - would need to stop his current role. He was offended.

Sometimes, we work our tail off to accomplish something, and no one, or very few people show up. - That is dissapointing when others do not have the same passion as we do.

Dissapointment to full on depression can set in. And this is all of us. no matter our call as a parent “Our Kids don’t get it,” as a kid, “Our Parents or teachers don’t get it,” as a spouse, as a single person “Married people don’t get it.” On your job, “No body gets it.” At the Church… Nobody gets what I go through. Military - PTSD.

Remember though this is God’s story, so How does God handle Elijah’s Depression, how does he handle ours as well?

The Lord Heals the Hurt from the Hazards of our Purpose.

The Lord Heals the Hurt from the Hazards of our Purpose.

The Lord Heals the Hurt from the Hazards of our Purpose.

Elijah rests - Crashing and burning vs. Sabbath

The Benefits of Sleep -

Too little sleep may cause anxiety symptoms, moodiness, depression, overuse of alcohol, says a 2006 Institute of Medicine report - Habits of Health.

President’s Playing Golf - Doing things that are life-giving. Taking a break from work is a part of God’s design so that we can handle life’s challenges.

However, there are extreme times like Elijah’s - and we are so exhausted and burned out that either we are wise enough to rest, or I suspect like Elijah our bodies give us no other choice, and they knock us down.

See God’s Grace in this passage - He sends a messenger to restore Elijah’s strength.

My question is who is this messenger? - Angel and Messenger is the same word in Hebrew - Could be supra-natural being or a human messenger that God sends.

God sends messengers in our life to heal the hurt or to restore our strength

Counselors - Yes medicine to help restore us - Next passage Elijah walks 40 days and 40 nights to meet with God where full healing comes.

Our Life Group - People in the Church, Friends.

Notice how this messenger comes to simply help restore strength. Does not need to speak, does not give advice, but simply serves.

What Elijah was to the Zarephath Women, this messenger is to Elijah.

Next Week we will see how Elijah’s perspective was off a bit, and why he was not “say” feeling the blessing of serving God, and How God re-orients his thinking back to the blessing of participating in His mission.

Conclusion:

This week, I want us to see that, Even though there are hazards, and we may be hurt from them, and even depressed. 1) It is important to know that frustration, depression is more common than you think, to not stigmatize those who do struggle with it. And 2) God is still with us, God brings his blessing and care even in the midst of the hurt. While we will see in the story that it was not God who drove Elijah to depression, and he does not either, God also understands what we need and Graciously restores us.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 1, 46-54, 127 Belgic Confession: Articles 29 Canons of Dort: Head II, Articles 9; Head V, Articles 1-15

Illustrations:

Signs of Depression -

Map of Elijah’s Travels