There is a very healthy trend now where people are not hiding behind shame when it comes to their mental health but, instead, talking about it. Personally, hearing that someone else is struggling in a similar way that I am, reassures me that what I’m going through is not just specific to me. Oftentimes, those who are sharing their struggles are also talking about what has helped them.
“He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4
When it comes to mental health, it’s important to seek medical help when struggles such as depression, anxiety, and emotional disabilities are hindering your day to day activities.
On the flip side, many of us have events in our lives that trigger stress, anxiety, or depression where it’s not a chronic state, but we may be prone to “go there” when things get tough.
The life and ministry of Jesus, the gospel story, can help reduce those tendencies when we remember what God has done in the past and what He can still very much do today.
There are several accounts where Jesus cast out demons. Just to be abundantly clear, I am not in any way implying that those who struggle with mental illness have demons, but more how tormented we can feel when we are suffering from anxiety or depression or intrusive thoughts, in the same way, that those who suffered with demons in biblical times were tormented.
“And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles to pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you, by God do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”… And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind…” Mark 5:1-8,15
In this account, we see that Jesus had authority over the unclean spirit so much so that it acknowledged Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.
What if when we are struggling with anxious thoughts or depressive thoughts or intrusive thoughts, we remember that Jesus has authority over those thoughts and that we are (able to destroy) speculations and every lofty thing raised against the knowledge of God (when we) take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)?
Satan is the father of lies and he wants to have a stronghold over our minds so that when tough situations arise, we default to anxious and depressive thoughts. But we have the gospel that tells us the Truth—Jesus has authority over those things that torment us. He will quiet us with His love.
The next time a difficult situation arises, call on the authority of Jesus to remove the lies from your mind and replace them with the Truth of the gospel.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/fizkes
