Why do we care about mental health?
- It is Biblical
- Jesus cared about the body, mind, and spirit.
Matthew 9:35 KJV // And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Matthew 22:37 // Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
- It is Historical
- It is Personal
- 1 in 5 adults are currently experiencing mental health challenges.
- 1 in 5 kids experience mental health issues in childhood.
- 11% of teenagers are currently battling depression.
- In June, 40% of US Adults reported struggling with Mental Health or Substance Abuse.
- It doesn’t mean that you are not deeply connected to God. It just means you’re human.
1 Kings 19 // Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life…
- A struggle doesn’t mean that you are not deeply connected to God. It just means you’re human.
- Worship creates a shift of responsibility.
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed… that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said…
“Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
- What replenishes you?
- If you can accomplish the dream of God for your life alone, it’s not the dream of God.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
- God whispers because He is near.
