Mental illness can affect anyone. Many Christians have wondered about their faith and where they stand with God after being diagnosed with a mental illness. Amy Simpson, tackles the subject as she answers questions about mental illness and Christianity in her post, ‘Does Mental Illness Mean I’m Not a Christian?’
I receive a lot of inquiries from people asking for advice about living with mental illness, loving someone with a mental disorder, and doing ministry among people with mental illness and their families. I can’t offer the kind of advice and help a mental health professional can give, but I can point people in the direction of resources that might help them. Sometimes it’s a matter of just introducing people to resources that are available. Sometimes it’s a matter of sharing my own personal experience and my own perspective.
Occasionally I share some of these interactions* here, for the benefit of others who may have similar questions.
Here’s one:
Question: I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. It’s awful. I can hardly get up and dress myself some days, it’s so hard. I am a Christian. Can you tell me if you lose your salvation for having this illness? And is schizophrenia caused by not serving God correctly or by believing lies?
Answer: I can hear the tremendous pain behind your words. I’m so sorry for what you are going through. My mum has schizophrenia, and from loving her, I know it’s an illness that can be extremely difficult to live with.
Let me just start by saying no–you can’t lose your salvation because you have schizophrenia or any other form of mental illness. If you are a child of God, through faith in Jesus Christ and his work on your behalf, and you have accepted him as your only hope for eternal life, you have salvation and you can rest secure in that. I believe the only thing that can cause you to “lose” your salvation is your rejection of that salvation–your lucid choice to walk away and choose eternity without God.
If a person follows Christ in this life, I believe that person will be with Christ in eternity.
When it comes to my mum’s illness, I try to live in a place of dual hope: hope for now and hope for the future. I have hope that mum can continue to live a stable life (as she does now), although I know she may not. I also have hope that God can heal her completely in this life, although I know he has never promised to do so and doesn’t owe that kind of healing to anyone. And ultimately my greatest hope is in the future, when Christ will redeem us completely, giving us new bodies (including new brains) that don’t decay, don’t die, don’t get sick or cause pain. I know I will see my mum healed completely and free to worship God without the confusion and torture of mental illness. If you are a follower of Christ, I know I will see you there too. It will be a beautiful sight and a great reason to worship God for doing what only he could do to fix what we humans cannot fix for ourselves.
The pain you experience does not mean God has abandoned you (Romans 8:35-38). It means you’re human and you’re suffering in a way that most people don’t have to endure. And the good news is, he has a remedy for that someday (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).
Please keep holding on to faith and hope in prayer and Christ. I know that is not always easy, especially when you’re struggling with those very dark days. I hope you have someone to talk to, who knows what you’re going through and doesn’t judge you for it. Do you see a counsellor? If not, I hope you’ll consider doing so.
“Another idea is to find a support group. If you don’t already attend one, you may be able to find a group of people in your area who are also living with mental illness and who will listen to you and share their stories and suggestions with you. “
FRESH HOPE
If you have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, you need to take medication too. I hope you are taking it. I know it can cause bad side effects, and I know it can feel like something you don’t need when you’re doing well, but there is no other way to live well with schizophrenia. It’s just like diabetes: the only way to live with it is to take insulin. The pancreas doesn’t function properly and needs that help. With schizophrenia, it’s the brain that is misfiring and needs that medication to help it work as it should.
No, schizophrenia is not caused by a problem with your faith or things you believe. It’s a brain disorder, a physical problem with the brain. It’s one of the most severe forms of mental illness, but in some ways it’s one of the simplest to treat because it’s so biologically based. It has a genetic component, so in many cases it is inherited. But some people who carry the gene for schizophrenia don’t develop the illness. Sometimes it develops because of a person’s environmental conditions (for example, exposure to trauma or severe stress). And even if a close family member has the disorder, it won’t necessarily be passed on. For example, even though my mom has schizophrenia, none of her children (there are four of us) do. You probably have read about the disorder before, but here’s a link to a good description of it: Schizophrenia.
Remember, your brain is a physical organ in your body. It can malfunction, can be injured, and can be abnormal. This is no different from what happens to other organs in our bodies: heart, liver, lungs, kidneys. Developing heart disease or kidney failure doesn’t mean you haven’t followed God or you aren’t a Christian. Having a problem with your brain doesn’t mean that either. God loves you and still has a purpose for you. The best thing you can do is receive treatment, take your medication faithfully, and attend a counsellor or support group or something else that will help you live well with your illness. You can become an example how God’s strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). If we could handle all this on our own, we wouldn’t need Jesus. You and I both need Jesus, and he will be faithful.
Please know that God has not abandoned you and will not ever walk away from you. You have not let him down either. Your illness does not surprise or overwhelm him, and he is not disappointed in you. He loves you no matter what, and any message you hear or feel to the contrary is a lie. Please also know that while you may feel alone, you’re not the only person enduring this kind of trouble. There are others out there, and some of them feel alone as well. You may be able to find support with them. I’m sorry for your struggle and I will pray today that you will be aware that the Lord is right alongside you. He loves you more than you can imagine.
(edited for Australian readers by aifc admin)
Original Post – Does Mental Illness Mean I’m Not A Christian?
Permission
By Amy Simpson
Author of the award-winning books ‘Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission’ and ‘Anxious: Choosing Faith in a World of Worry’. Editor-at-large for Christianity Today’s CTPastors.com and a regular contributor for various publications.
Where to Find Help
Talk to your doctor who can point you in the right direction.
Visit CCAA to search for a Christian counsellor near you.
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Free 24/7 Counselling Services
Lifeline on 13 11 14
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MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
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Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
Headspace on 1800 650 890
Studying at aifc
Have you thought about counselling? It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God’s love and grace to the hurting out in the community.
For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:
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Have you thought about becoming a qualified counsellor? It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God's love and grace to the hurting out in the community.
For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:
Enrolment Season - opens approximately 2 months prior to our courses commencing. Enrol online here during our enrolment season.
We also offer two modes of study:
A Master of Counselling course was introduced in 2018.