THE VICTORIOUS MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH BATTLE
Have you ever felt alone in the emotional or mental health battle that you face where you question if this will last for the rest of your life? Or maybe you have even been diagnosed with a disorder that has left you hopeless with a statement from a doctor that leaves you in the throes of distress.
The Church has not always been well-versed in mental or emotional health practices; often unintentionally reinforcing the enemy's evil tactic to isolate and segregate anyone struggling. I know this feeling well, after having two nervous breaks myself. What began as a couple of months of sleepless nights soon became a full-on emotional breakdown. I laid on my couch in a deep depression for six months; every day was a living hell.
The truth is that I ignored all the warning signs leading up to my crash and soon I was exhausted on all fronts; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I had known stress, anxiety, and warfare before, but this was so intense that I could not will myself off the couch no matter how hard I tried! I know it can feel scary, shameful, or even taboo to speak openly about an experience like this, especially in the Church. Yet, the truth is that we hold keys to healing that the world lacks. Yet, so often Believers are tormented by the internal battle they face without acknowledgment, proper tools, or beneficial resources.
TRI-DIMENSIONAL HEALTH, HEALING, AND WHOLENESS
I recently sat down for a conversation with a good friend and clinical psychologist,
Dr. Margaret Nagib
to discuss the interconnection between spiritual and emotional health. Margaret has worked to integrate professional counseling, inner healing, and pastoral ministries to promote wholeness through the power of God.
I want to encourage you today if you or a loved one is in the midst of an emotional, mental, or spiritual health crisis that this too shall pass. Hold on to this promise from Luke 6:21 which says, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
My prayer as you watch this conversation is that you are filled with hope for the emotional or mental health situations you face. I pray that the Wise Counselor meets you where you are at today and that peace touches your body, soul, and spirit.
