Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. I Peter 5:6-7
May is mental health awareness month. One in five people struggle with mental health issues. In a congregation of about 200 people, that’s 40 of us. Personally, I have a brother-in-law and two nephews who have struggled with depression, that I know of and maybe more.
The mental and physical health impacts of workplace burnout and stress are estimated to cost as much as $190 billion per year in healthcare spending in the US. Poor work-life balance increases your risk for health conditions like sleep problems, digestive disorders, and mental health problems.
In 2018, Cincinnati Children’s Emergency Department treated 8,500 people for mental health issues. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in ages 10-24.
It’s time to “Stop the Stigma and Start the conversation.” Lauri Taylor, author of “The Accidental Truth”, who spent years privately investigating her mother’s murder only to learn that she had died by suicide says “mental health is the killer. Stigma is the accomplice.”
If you struggle with any type of mental health issue:
First and foremost, get professional help. Talk to Neville. He is a trained counselor and an excellent resource. If he is unable to help you, he can probably refer you to someone who can help. Know that suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problem.
Know that God loves you. He wants a relationship with you. In Genesis 2, God walked through the garden in the cool of the day with Adam and Eve. God sent his son, Jesus, to reconcile us to Him in one body through the cross (Eph 2:16).
Know that God’s family loves you. Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house…or mother or father…for my sake…who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time…and in the age to come eternal life.” You have a family that loves you and cares for you right here, in the family of God.
