Depression

Then Job spoke again:

2 “My complaint today is still a bitter one,

and I try hard not to groan aloud.

3 If only I knew where to find God,

I would go to his court.

4 I would lay out my case

and present my arguments.

5 Then I would listen to his reply

and understand what he says to me.

6 Would he use his great power to argue with me?

No, he would give me a fair hearing.

7 Honest people can reason with him,

so I would be forever acquitted by my judge.

8 I go east, but he is not there.

I go west, but I cannot find him.

9 I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden.

I look to the south, but he is concealed.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

16 God has made me sick at heart;

the Almighty has terrified me.

17 Darkness is all around me;

thick, impenetrable darkness is everywhere.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

I have been acquainted with several people who struggle with mental health issues like depression and anxiety and several other issues. These people all struggle not only with the issue of mental illness itself but with the stigma that is associated with it especially as it relates to the church.

Unfortunately in the church there is an underlying idea that if you are a follower of Jesus you will never face mental challenges.

Job has gone through a ton of stuff and the result in this passage is that he is in fact in despair. Several passages highlight others who are have struggled with depression or anxiety…even Jesus in the Garden was struggling as He was facing death on a cross.

He did not lose his divinity He didn’t hide it…”Can’t you stay awake for an hour in prayer with me?!”

Yet we cover it up…we hide in shame and use platitudes when what we really need is the help of those we worship with.

When people ask about how we are doing we say ok…We put on a smile when what we really want to do is scream to the world we are in need.

We tell ourself we are just having a bad day…except we have been having a bad day for weeks, months and maybe even years.

We push through think happy thoughts and try to hope that things will get better…We hide it from the people that should be the ones we can count on…not wanting to be a burden and hoping on hope that things will get better on there own.

I have a friend that when ever I ask them how they are doing the answers. To blessed to be depressed or stressed…which implies that if someone is depressed or stressed they are not blessed….

I am all for positive thinking but there are times when we must be able to tell each other the truth.

I wonder how many people suffer in silence because they are afraid of how those they worship with will think about them?

I know that even in a crowd this size that people struggle in silence they have embraced a lie from the enemy that if you are truly a Christian then you should never deal with these types of problems…after all if you are blessed you can’t be depressed….

We need not be afraid of these issues because as tough as it is there is still hope for those that struggle with mental illness of some sort....

Which includes everyone of us at one time of our life or another…the degree may not be as much as some but we all struggle.

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Which includes everyone of us at one time of our life or another…the degree may not be as much as some but we all struggle.

Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

God made every single person in his image and for his purpose. Mental illness doesn’t change that truth one bit.

God cares for us from the moment we are conceived to the moment we stop breathing.

Isaiah 46:3 NLT

“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born.

That means we don’t have dignity because a government says we do. We don’t have dignity because of our economic status. Our dignity doesn’t come from our appearance or from psychology.

Our Creator gives us our dignity.

As we deal with people struggling with mental illness, we must remember that we live in a fallen world.

We all have our own weaknesses and wounds. We have our own fears, obsessive thoughts, and compulsions.

We don’t minister to those with mental illness by making them feel like second class citizens.

We’re not better than them. We are them!

That means we need each other.

God’s love isn’t fickle. He is consistent.

Our brokenness doesn’t make God love us any less. If anything it makes Him love us more. We are valuable no matter what we think of ourselves…and no matter what state we are in.

If I wadded up a $50 bill, would you still want it? If I rubbed it in dirt, would you take it?

Of course you would! No matter how much damage you do to a $50 bill, its value doesn’t change. It’s still worth $50.

The same is true for people who are struggling with mental illness. No matter how sick people are, God still loves them. God still values them. We should, too.

This could come across as a platitude or an “easy answer” … I am not saying it is and instant fix or its easy but it is important that a community of faith be a place where anyone can come with anything to get healing.

tells us to reach out to those who are oppressed and fulfill Christ’s law of love.

Galatians 6:2 ESV

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Mental illness tends to create isolation. It’s one of the most tragic ways mental illness impacts people’s lives. Nothing is worse for someone who is struggling with mental illness than to be isolated from others.

Our churches must become places where people can be honest about their mental illnesses. We need to become places of hope and refuge for broken people. Too often people with mental illnesses must wear masks everywhere they go. Let our churches become the places where people with mental illness can discover they will never be alone again.

Accept the fact the people are Broke

New Living Translation Chapter 4

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Jesus understands all of our issues…He is not afraid of them because even as I said earlier even Jesus dealt with depression, a sense of despair and isolation but in that dark time Jesus went to the Father who understood and to the disciples who quite frankly did not understand.

A friend does not need to have and answer for someone dealing with depression anxiety or other emotional issues…they must simply be willing to suffer with those dealing with such problems.

Cry with them, Allow them to vent, Assure them you love them…Resist the urge to marginalize difficulties by giving a simple answer to a difficult question...

Depresson or mental illness does not make us less of a Child of God however our

New Living Translation Chapter

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

As we come to the Table to Experience the presence of God in out lives together by remembering Jesus death and resurrection through communion together…maybe there are some dealing with issues that you have been hiding…you would like to drop the mask and ask for someone to come and pray with you this morning. The Altar on the Left is for you....

There may be some that need to simply take your emotions to the Lord…you are not ready to share with others but you are willing to let people know by your presence at the altar that you are struggling…if you kneel at the Altar on the right you can simply take your need to God alone…no one will bother you....

As you come to the table ask God if you need to stop at one of these two altars for help...

Communion and Altar Call.

Benediction

heal our lives, that we may acknowledge your wonderful deeds and offer you thanks from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God of mercy and healing, you who hear the cries of those in need, receive these petitions of your people that all who are troubled may know peace, comfort, and courage. heal our lives, that we may acknowledge your wonderful deeds and offer you thanks from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Life-giving God, heal our lives, that we may acknowledge your wonderful deeds and offer you thanks from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Depression

1. Every person has dignity.

2. All of us are broken.

3. Even though we’re broken, we’re deeply loved and valued.

4. We get well within relationships…with God and Each Other

In order for our Church to be that place we must become a safe space for broken people…Because Jesus is a safe place for broken people....