by Josh Monda | Dec 12, 2021 | Advent
Faith And Good Works What does it Mean to us this Christmas? Part 2
Good Works
While it is very much true that we receive Christ by faith alone, but we also receive Christ as an example of Love toward our neighbor, whom we are called to serve as Christ serves us. While faith receives Christ, love gives us to our neighbor. Faith and good works constitute a complete Christian, we do not do good works for acceptance, but we do them out of love for Christ.
Now one may wonder what good wors are we to perform. However, we can’t just sit back and name all of the good works; if that were the case, we would be tempted to do some and not others. We are called to give all of ourselves to Christ, with all that we have, in the same manner, to which Christ did not come and simply pray for us, but he gave all of himself for us. The call is not for us to simply give to our neighbor. Still, the call is to give of ourselves completely to our neighbor, to serve them, wherever they need us and in whatever way, whether it is comfort, encouragement, work, food, clothing, shelter, admonish, rebuke, prayer, suffering. Yes, even dying, we are to give all of ourselves.
Here is the question where do we see this? Sure it seems people are more caring, loving, and giving around Christmas, but where is this seen in Christendom? Think about this for a moment. Christians are constantly speaking of good works, singing of them, thinking about them, wishing they would od them, but where are there good works? For some strange reason, we have confused good works with being spiritual or fasting, praying or decorating our church or giving to the church, using a rosary, or being in, or a monk or a priest, or eating special food, but thee are not good works. These things only serve as an abomination to God as we try to work our way to be accepted.
What makes a good work good is that it is beneficial and helpful to the one to whom it is performed; why else would it be called a good work? If it had no benefit to anyone, what is the good in that? If you build a nice house, who does that help, if you drive a nice car or dress nicely, who does that benefit? Do you see how we have confused things in the church to be a rewards-based salvation?
Christ explains to us what good works are; this is what he says “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12 ESV). Who are we to do good to? It is not to God to make ourselves more pleasing we are to do good works to one another. Christ has already done and accomplished everything for our sins; he has made the atonement and secured our salvation. We must be content with this knowing there is nothing we can do to make our salvation more secure. There is nothing we can do to benefit God, but we can do work to benefit others.
A profound truth of the Christian faith is that we are to live, speak, act, suffer and even die for the good of others. For the good of our spouse, our children, our parents, the government for its subjects, each one for one another, even for our enemies. This is the reality of what it truly means to be a Christian doing good works, which are to be done at all times in all places towards all people. What good is it for us to express good works only for those who we like?
The Christian must understand that good works are not done as an act of worship to God; God is worsipped by faith; in fact, everything that is done between us, and God is done by faith. The person who has faith can pray for others, knowing God, here’s the one without faith can ray for nothing. Unfortunately, we have reduced works to outward pomp, and that is useless. We can appear to be the most spiritual person around and yet be faithless, miserable, needy, and godless.
Christ by How own example teaches good works. Christ is not self-serving; instead, the prophet declares, “Behold you king is coming to you” Zechariah 9:9. The King comes on his own free will, out of his pure love, to do good for others. He delivers us from sin, death, and hell, and he does not do this just for his friends, but he also does this for his enemies, are we not all enemies of God before salvation? Jesus comes and weeps over us, and as we see in Scripture, he weeps over those who will not receive him.
People everywhere from all walks of life want to be saved from sin, death, and hell. Perhaps if they knew of a physician that could help them here on earth, no doubt many people would come to this physician and risk everything they had to make the journey to be seen by this physician. The truth is Jesus is that physician; he overcomes sin and death and hell for those that believe in Him. He says, “if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” (John 8:51 ESV). He also declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25–26 ESV).
Now that we know that Good works are what we do for others and do not improve our standing with God, we should act accordingly. When it comes to sin, death, and hell, we need someone else’s works. Christ alone is our just savior. Our sin can never be blotted out by works but is blotted out by faith. I submit that it is impossible for someone who believes in Christ as their savior not to love to do good. For the person that does not love nor does any good for others, they can be sure they do not have faith in Christ. We know the tree by the fruit it produces; our lives are proved out by the love and deeds to display whether we have Christ or not. This is why Peter says; therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall (2 Peter 1:10 ESV). If we bravely practice good work, we can be certain without a doubt that God has called us and chosen us.
Faith alone blots out our sin, and our love and good works prove or demonstrate our faith that there is faith present in our life. This is why Paul says, “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2 ESV).
So good works should be done, but we do not do them so we can earn standing or favor with God; instead, we trust in CHrist’s work. We trust that He has dealt with sin, and death, and hell as we serve our neighbor, as we helo the stranger, as we look for ways to do good works for others, giving us a sure testimony of how our savior has overcome death. Next time we will look at part 3.
by Josh Monda | Dec 9, 2021 | Advent
Faith And Good Works What does it Mean to us this Christmas?
Part 1
This is the first part in what I hope to be several posts over this advent season. This all started when I started reading a series of messages from Martin Luther on advent so I decided to take down my thoughts on those messages and turn them into a series of blog posts. In so doing, I realized I probably needed to divide it into parts and which is what I am doing.
Faith
The Gospel not only encourages faith, but it demands faith; we see the coming of Christ, and no one can receive or accept Him except those who believe He is who the Scripture portrays Him to be. God in the flesh who is truly God and truly man. All those who receive and believe in Christ are saved. When Christ rode into Jerusalem, he came on a donkey and animal of peace that was used to bear the burdens of people and used to work to help people. Jesus did not come to instill fear into people, He did not come to crush us, but He came to help us and carry our burden. The King of Kings came meek and lowly.
Even when Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day, there was no terror or fear; people spread their garments on the ground, and they cut tree branches and spread them along the way. Christ came in peace, showing grace and mercy to bear the burden we could not bear. When Christ comes, he quotes the words of the prophets Isaiah “Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
“Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.”
(Isaiah 62:11 ESV) and of Zechariah “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9 ESV) We are tenderly invited to receive Christ, and He testifies of himself. In these verses, we have Christ revealed to us, and we must believe in Him.
The verse says, “Say to the daughter of Zion,” the point being there is now a new sermon to proclaim, and that message is what follows in the verse concerning Christ, and anyone who proclaims anything different is a deceiver. This is why Paul tells us in Romans 1:2, “which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,” (Romans 1:2 ESV). The Gospel is a sermon from Christ, centered around Christ, calling us to faith in Christ.
However, there are two kinds of faith. There is a faith in which you believe that Christ is as He is described in the gospels, but you do not believe that he is that man for you; he is that man for others, but you do not believe He is the savior for you. This faith amounts to nothing; it does not save, and it does not receive Christ, and it never enjoys Him. This, in fact, is the same faith that the demons have. Unfortunately, many are in this camp due to the blasphemy of teachers who proclaim this worthless faith is all one needs to be a Christian. It is those that teach this kind of faith the Peter alluded to when he said, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1 ESV).
But there is a second kind of faith in which the verses describes as “the daughter of Zion,” and the rest of the verse is what is to be proclaimed about Christ if this is proclaimed, someone must hear it, to receive it and to treasure, these words in their heart and this is saving faith. He doesn’t command the daughter of Zion to believe that she has Christ, but instead, she is to believe it herself, and not to doubt it that is the essence of Christian faith, a faith the believes without wavering that Christ is indeed the Savior not to the disciples only not to the saints of the gospels only but that He is our personal savior. Our salvation does not depend on the fact that we believe in Christ to be the savior of the godly person but that Christ has come to us to be our savior and has become our savior.
This faith works in us to cause us to love the Lord and find joy in Him, for where this faith is, so is the Holy Spirit. Here is what we must understand this faith is a gift from God. You do not earn it; you do not find it, you are not looking for it, there is not a day that you wake up and suddenly have this faith. No, this faith comes to you; look at what Zechariah says “your king is coming to you” You do not come to him; no one comes to bring you to him; he is too far from you for you to get to him. With all of our effort and everything we do, we can never get to him, so we can never boast about how we came to the savior. We don’t find Jesus Jesus finds us. Our salvation from beginning to end is a gift from God.
The Scripture in its entirety and in these verses stands in stark contrast to free will. Any teaching that says salvation starts in us is false. We would never seek God, never come to God, never run after God, and we would never acquire the grace of God. Beware of any poisonous doctrine of the devil that proclaims salvation starts in us. Before anyone can even begin to cry out to God and seek him, God must first come to them and find them, as Paul declares, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:14–15 ESV) God comes first, He lays the foundation; if we ever seek him and pray to him, it is because he came to us first. If he is not present, we can never seek him; we could do nothing but sin.
So how can anyone ever be godly, and what does it mean when the scripture tells us that God has begun a good work in us? We do not work to be more godly; anything that we do is sin; in fact, we can do nothing but sin, do as you wish there is nothing that we can do apart from Christ that is not sin. It may seem good on the surface; it may even seem moral, but its root is always sin. So when we teach someone to pray or tell them something they must do to be saved, we are misleading them there is nothing we can give or do to be more godly or more spiritual; we can’t seek God’s grace unless he first stirs in our heart.
Some will then say, “so I sin out of necessity because I live without God, and he has not called me. I can’t avoid sin no matter what I do. Truly everything we do in our free will is sinful, and we can never please God. That is the point, as Martin Luther has put it, we are in bondage to our will. Listen, if we could ever out of our own free will do that which please God and somehow make out way to God on our own, why would Christ die? It would be foolish for him to die if he did not have to. The teaching that we can somehow work our way to God is a lie from hell and should be eradicated from Christianity. It is God who makes us godly, and it is God who takes the first step. The King comes to us and begins to work in us. The beginning of our salvation is the relinquishing of our work and the understanding that apart from Christ, we are a wretch in need of mercy, and we receive the King in faith, and we call out to Him alone for mercy. However, when we hear the Gospel and respond to it, that is not in our own power, but by the grace of God, that causes the Gospel to be fruitful in our heart, we understand that we are nothing and we offer nothing all we do is receive it. Do you see how few there are who truly receive Christ? This is why Christ wept over Jerusalem because they lacked faith.
It is not by virtue of our power of mind that the Gospel is preached to us, and we respond God must sned the messenger. Stop and think about what this means to those to whom God still had not sent a messenger of His Gospel and leaves a people in darkness and sin we should cry out how long, O Lord, will you allow them to suffer. There is no greater grace than where God sends the Gospel. Behold your King comes you do not seek him. You do not find him, he finds you, the preachers come from him, the sermons they preach come from him, your faith comes from him, and where he does not come, you remain outside, and where there is no gospel there is no God, only sin and damnation, free will exists there, but only to bring suffering, as people work and do all they can to live as they can. May we never ask how can we begin to be godly, there is no beginning except where King Jesus enters our life and proclaims that we are his.
He comes to you. It is not enough that he is your King, but He is our possession; he is ours. It is not enough that he saves us from the tyranny of sin, and death and hell, and is our King, but he offers himself freely to be our possession, and that whatever he is and has can be ours as he freely gives us all things.
by Josh Monda | Nov 29, 2021 | Mental Health, random thoughts
Christianity is the story of God’s redemption. The Christian narrative begins with the fall of humanity, which was due to the first man and woman’s disobedience to God’s command not to eat from the tree of knowledge. This disobedient act resulted in sin entering into humanity and death afflicting humankind. Humanity cannot fix this, except through Christ, who became a man Himself, took on our sins and died for them.
While reading about Elijah recently, I realized that while Christians may at times feel like their story is not essential or that telling their story will not help them or others, that is just not the case. For one reason or another, we refuse to tell our story of grief. Maybe it is fear that our story really is meaningless, or perhaps it is fear that our story is not that bad. Maybe we have a suspicion that telling our story of loss and grief will only conjure up feelings of pain and hurt that we will not be able to deal with. Regardless the story needs to be told. Christians need to talk about their account to understand the depth of what it means to be redeemed. The Bible says that for someone’s sins to be forgiven, they must confess them and then make recompense (Numbers 5:7). It sounds like a lot, but the word “recompense” is translated from the Hebrew word “kippah,” which means “to cover.” How does one cover their sin? In the Old Testament, sin was covered by sacrificing a spotless lamb; however, Jesus is that lamb. There is no more sacrifice needed; Jesus paid the price. So when one receives Christ as savior, their sin is forgiven. How does this relate to telling our Story?
In Genesis 32, Elijah has fled from Jezebel Elijah makes it to Horeb, and something interesting happens. God permits Elijah to tell his story of grief. Not once but twice. God already knew why Elijah was grieving, and yet He allowed Elijah to tell the story. We must realize as followers of Christ that it is a wonderful relief to be able to tell your grief. To sit down and ponder those moments of sorrow, pain, loss, heartache, hurts, and allow the floodgate to open and for your sorrows to run away. If there is no one to hear it but God, that is ok; if there is no human to listen to our grief, it is still sweet to unburden your heart of the pain. However, I would challenge all Christians not to allow it to stop there. If we allow it to stop with just sharing our grief with the Lord, we have stopped short of the gospel. Instead, I would challenge us to share our stories with others so that we can reveal God’s redemptive purpose.
The Biblical Story
Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose again to defeat sin and death forever. The stories one finds in Christianity are no less riveting than any other great story, but they are different. Christians need to tell their story because it is the story of God’s redemption. It is not the story of how man gets to heaven or even finds their way to heaven but rather the account of one man who was God in the flesh who came to earth to pay the price we could never pay. If we keep our story to ourselves, we will never express or learn to express God’s redemptive plan in the middle of our mess. The core of our story remains unchanged; we are redeemed by Jesus Christ’s power and strive to share that message with others. We must stand up and proclaim that God is making a difference in this world, and it starts with each individual who trusts Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Who we are
We are God’s children and heirs to eternal life with Him in heaven. Christians need to tell their story because it is the story of God’s redemption. Some people wonder if there is a Creator, and some even question if they have a soul. The world often leaves people feeling empty and without hope. But we can rest assured in knowing that we belong to God and He has a plan for our lives: We were created for a purpose. The purpose does not include never opening our mouths and sharing about the one we believe is the savior of people. Who are we? We are children of God called and designed to share our stories with others. This lead me to this
Christian Witness
Living a life of faithfulness to God… means living a life of courage and hope.
Living a life of faithfulness to God not only means living a life of courage and hope but also living in the light. When Christians come out and tell their story, they proclaim that God never gives up and that there is always healing and redemption. Sure we may give up, we may throw our hands in the air, we may struggle with the problems we face, but God does not. It’s so crucial for Christians to be open about their faith because, again, it is the story of God’s redemption.
Christians should be open about their faith. Throughout history, Christians have been persecuted for what they do and what they believe in. It is important to tell people that they are not alone, that their life has meaning, that there is a purpose in life, and that they can come back to God even when they feel like giving up.
One of the most significant things about Christianity is that it is an evangelistic religion – Christianity is all about sharing what God has done in one’s life. It’s not just for us Christians, but it’s for everyone. What makes Christianity so significant to the world around us is that it has the power to change lives and give hope when there seems to be none. What makes Christianity so significant to the world around us is that it has the power to change lives. The Christian religion offers a story of hope, love, and redemption – all three of which we need in this difficult world. Christians need to tell their story because in our story is the story of God’s redemption.
Conclusion
The world needs Christians to tell their stories because in it is the story of God’s redemption, which is our hope today. When Christians are able to tell their story with honesty and authenticity, it becomes a challenge for others who may not know Christ. Their hope is to help others see the truth of who Christ is and what He has done for them. In conclusion, Christians need to tell their story because in it is the story of God’s redemption. The Biblical account, who we are, and what we should do as Christians should be told so that others can understand why we believe and live as we do. So that they to may believe.
We are all broken, sinful people who need a savior.
Jesus came to earth, sacrificed himself for us, and willingly died for our sins.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the key to being saved from eternal damnation.
Tell Your Story.
by Josh Monda | Nov 17, 2021 | Mental Health, random thoughts, Uncategorized
I know this is a longer post because this is something dear to my heart; hopefully, you can learn something from this. There is a reason why the Bible instructs Christians to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phil. 4:6). The problem is that trauma can cause people to lose their faith in God. There are many unfortunate things in today’s society, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, forms of abuse, losses, and many other things that lead to traumatic experiences.
What is trauma?
Trauma is a psychological term that refers to the emotional response to an event that threatens one’s physical, social, or emotional well-being. Trauma can be defined as an emotional injury that is the result of an adverse event. For Christians, this could be anything from physical abuse to rape to losing a loved one. This trauma can manifest in many ways, but the most common symptom is fear, which is considered multidimensional in traumatic experiences. There are five stages of trauma: -Acute Shock-Denial-Anger-Bargaining-Depression The best way for a Christian to handle trauma is first by acknowledging it. This will make it easier to deal with. Secondly, they should turn their attention towards God and pray. Lastly, they should seek comfort and help from family, friends and, fellow Christians. However, we all know that often this is not what happens when A Christian experiences trauma; for one reason or another, they feel shame, and instead of dealing with their hurt, they suppress it.
One might ask what exactly are the Causes of Trauma.
A traumatic event is not one’s fault. It is impossible to predict the future and avoid traumatic events, but it is possible to be prepared for them. A person may experience a traumatic event listed below, but we must understand there are many ways to help with trauma, and each person will need a different treatment plan.
Witnessing or experiencing violence
When one witnesses or experiences violence, it is a difficult and traumatic experience. Every year, millions of people fall victim to violence. Their lives are suddenly and irrevocably changed. They may be unable to work, go to school or even feel safe. When violence causes trauma, it can lead to a wide range of mental health problems.
Witnessing the death of loved ones
Every day we live and work, we may experience stress and trauma. Like any other human being, Christians go through difficult life experiences. The death of a loved one is a traumatic event for anyone to experience. Christians have the added need to know whether their loved one believed in Christ or not on top of the desire to know that their loved one knew they loved them.
Witnessing the death of a loved one can be an incredibly traumatic experience.
Witnessing or experiencing sexual assault
Witnessing or experiencing sexual assault can be a very traumatic experience. In some cases, trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is an anxiety disorder that may cause flashbacks and nightmares of the event. It’s important to remember that not everyone who goes through a sexual assault will develop PTSD – the severity of the trauma will determine if a person experiences this mental health issue. Some people may develop sexual assault trauma disorder (SATD), also known as complex trauma disorder. This disorder can include symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, dissociation, and anxiety. People may also develop a dissociative identity disorder following a trauma such as sexual abuse.
Experiencing physical abuse
Physical abuse is often an experience that people are left to ponder the aftermath of. As a result, the trauma can cause long-term repercussions for victims. What does this mean for Christians who have experienced physical abuse? While it may be difficult to know the answer in every situation, there are steps that Christian individuals can take to process their experience in healthy ways.
Experiencing verbal abuse
The most common response to trauma is to try and push it out of your mind. However, when you experience verbal abuse, this is not always the case.
First off, you may find days when you can’t stop thinking about what was said to you. Secondly, you may find yourself reacting in anger when someone says something similar. Thirdly, there are times when memories of that hurtful event would arise without any triggering event happening, which is called spontaneous recovery.
Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event
Typically, a traumatic event is a disturbing, violent, or scary experience that someone goes through. That being said, just because someone has been through a traumatic event does not mean it will lead to trauma. If a person can process their emotions and thoughts about the event, they may not experience trauma. An individual should be aware of mental health resources so they can get help if needed. This way, they have the resources to maintain healthy relationships with themselves and others.
Does trauma happen to Christians?
Obviously, one can look at just a small portion of traumatic events listed and know that Christians experience trauma. The problem arises when “well-meaning” Christians want to treat trauma as something that is not real, or they have the attitude that trauma can be prayed away or even worse that if you are going through trauma, you must lack faith.
Are Christians traumatized? Yes.
Are they traumatized by the same things non-Christians are? Yes.
How should Christians respond to trauma?
Many Christians experience trauma and find themselves unable to cope with the stressors that come with it due to the lack of resources and counseling. Churches especially can be a great resource because they provide a sense of community and knowing that someone else has been through what you’re going through. Churches also can be a place to go to get counseling and support. Christians should first find out what they are experiencing as trauma. How do you know if you are experiencing trauma?
People with trauma often experience a lot of the following symptoms:
– Feeling detached from others
– Feeling isolated
– Feeling hyper-aroused
– Feeling numb
– Feeling angry
– Feeling sad
– Feeling depressed
– Feeling anxious
– Feeling overwhelmed
– Feeling frustrated
– Having trouble concentrating
– Having trouble sleeping
– Having trouble eating
In addition, people who have been traumatized can have these symptoms:
– Agitation and irritability
– Low self-esteem
– Sleep problems
– Impulsivity
– Feeling suicidal
– Thinking of harming themselves or others
– Impulsively acting out
– Having trouble controlling their anger
– Inability to trust others
– Having trouble making decisions
– Having trouble being assertive
– Having trouble focusing
Treatment can help reduce the symptoms of trauma.
Healing takes time, so you need to be patient with yourself and allow God’s power to work on you.
How can one work through memories of trauma?
In the past, when people were traumatized, they might feel guilty about what happened because they thought that they were supposed to be strong and that they were supposed to be able to get through it. They might have thought that they deserved the trauma. A therapist can help you take a different perspective that would change your entire life.
If you are ready to work through your trauma, there are a few things you should do.
– Talk to someone about your trauma. Especially someone who will understand. This person might be a friend or a family member, a pastor, or a counselor.
– Get the help of a therapist. If you are in a relationship, this person can help you work through your trauma.
In the aftermath of a traumatic event, it is not uncommon for a person to experience a great deal of anxiety and fear. The resulting feelings can cause significant stress and instability in their lives. It can also lead to mental health concerns such as depression, insomnia, and social withdrawal. These symptoms are very challenging to manage because they leave the individual feeling much worse about themselves and their situation.
Getting Help
If you have gone through trauma, I want to encourage you to get help.
Trauma can be tough. It can leave us feeling alone and afraid, and we might suppress our emotions for years after the event happens. It is essential to know that there is hope and healing available. One way to do this is through talk therapy: talking to a therapist about what happened and their feelings. Another option is through prayer: praying and seeking support from God and others to find peace again. Please reach out, even if it is to me. You do not need to carry this burden alone.
Conclusion:
How the Scriptures encourage us to handle trauma.
Many people find themselves in situations where they are faced with traumatic events. After these events occur, many people are left with questions about handling the trauma they have experienced. They may experience intense feelings of anger, disappointment, grief, or guilt. The scriptures encourage us to be gentle and kind to ourselves and others and accept that God’s peace is found in Christ. Your own personal relationship with God is not based on your ability to do something but on your willingness to receive God’s grace. You may be wondering how a Christian should go about handling trauma with the Bible. After all, the Bible speaks extensively on how we should live when things are going well and when they are difficult. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you.” Matthew 11:28.
The Bible was written by people who experienced trauma during their lifetime. A Christian should not be afraid to discuss these experiences with God and other Christians. God wants to help us all heal, but sometimes it may take time and be difficult. God will do everything in His power to help us heal.
I close with this.
Every human being will experience trauma. It is impossible to go through life without experiencing some type of trauma. As a Christian, you, too, will encounter tragedy and hardship. However, God has promised to never leave us or forsake us.
by Josh Monda | Nov 13, 2021 | Mental Health
Intro:
For me, it started with a simple message in Facebook messenger. Someone I barely knew was reaching out to me and asked if we could have lunch and if I could help them learn more about our town. Of course, I knew this was not why he wanted to meet. I will never forget his words as he sat across from me and said, “I am worried about you, I see you in a downward spiral, and I am concerned for your health and your ministry.” For the first time, I was talking with someone who would not let me off the hook, and as we sat there, he would not let me leave until we had a plan. By the way, he is my counselor.
Pastors are not immune to mental health struggles. In a recent study, it was found that pastors experience more symptoms of depression and anxiety than non-pastors. Pastors have difficulty finding time for themselves. They are constantly trying to be the caregiver for their congregation, making them feel like they don’t have control over their own lives.
What Is Mental Health?
Mental health, the medical term, is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own abilities, can cope with the everyday stresses of life, can work productively, and can make a contribution to their community. Mental health does not mean that one’s life is devoid of challenges and difficulties. In fact, Depression and Anxiety are part of “normal” life in that most people experience them at some time. However, for whatever reason, “mental health” conversations are sometimes taboo among Christians, particularly pastors. Why Is Mental Health Important? Mental health is essential because it is the health of the mind that makes us truly healthy. The Bible says that “a body without a soul is dead” (Ecc. 9:5). Mental health is the health of both body and soul.
What pastors need to know about mental health.
Mentally healthy people are much more likely to be able to cope well when difficulties arise. It is the difference between being able to cope well when there is a hurricane, flood, or earthquake and being unable to cope when there is a hurricane, flood, or earthquake. In fact, depression and anxiety are part of the “normal” experience of life. However, most people are not aware of these feelings, and many of us try to deal with them alone. Because mental health is so important, pastors should know about mental health and minister to people with mental health problems.
Mental health and the mental illness of others cannot be separated from the work of ministry. Therefore, ministers have a special obligation to minister to people with mental illness. The first thing ministers must do is to understand the illness. As a pastor, you must know the signs, symptoms, and causes of mental illness. You must know the diagnosis, the history, and the prognosis. You must also know how mental health professionals can help people with mental illness.
When The Pastor Struggles
However, what happens when all of this hits close to home? What happens when the pastor struggles with mental health? Or the minister goes through a period of emotional distress?
The key to ministry is caring for people. That is what makes us ministers. Therefore, ministers must be able to care for themselves. A minister who is sick is a sick minister. A minister who is depressed is a depressed minister.
A minister who struggles with mental illness is a minister who is struggling with something that needs to be addressed. If a minister is concerned about their mental health, they should be concerned about the church and about the church’s concern for them.
Pastors must be able to identify what makes them more susceptible to mental illness and know the steps they can take to be well.
Of course, we are not going to leave out the Bible
The Bible helps us understand the issue of mental health. The Bible is especially helpful in helping us recognize mental illness and encouraging us to seek help.
In Psalm 139, the psalmist writes about his mental illness. He says:
Hear, O Yahweh, my voice when I call to you;
hear me when I call to you,
for my cry has reached to you,
to your holy temple.
The psalmist understood that mental illness is real.
Pastors, we must understand that this is a real thing, not something that is just made up, and we must understand it is ok for us to struggle as well.
Pastors are people too.
They have bodies, minds, and emotions just like the rest of us. However, for many pastors that are involved in ministry work or are focused on serving their congregation members or other Christians, there is little time to focus on themselves which leads to a decreased awareness of wellness, burnout, depression, and suicide.
How can the church be supportive of a pastor who is struggling with mental health issues?
Some of the things that can be done to keep a pastor healthy are:
- Make sure the pastor’s needs are met.
- Offer help in the form of a counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist.
- Provide rest and relaxation time for the pastor.
- Encouragement: Tell him how much you care about him. Encourage him to seek professional help or make sure he knows that he is not alone.
- Build him up: Praise him for his work; allow him to be recognized for his work.
- Finally, just take the time to talk to the pastor. Ask him how he is doing, if there is any way you can help, how is his family doing, what is he struggling with?
I want to take a quick moment and talk about a few things that can be done to help.
The importance of self-care.
This is important for a couple of reasons. One is to help you keep your faith. It is easy to get worn out in ministry and feel like you can’t be a good pastor unless you are putting your life on hold and are putting yourself last. This is a terrible mindset to have. The other reason is that pastors are constantly in touch with their bodies. It is easy to be so busy doing ministry that you don’t have the time to make sure you are healthy. This is a massive problem for pastors. Pastor, you must practice self-care, meaning you must take time to take care of yourself.
Take time to exercise.
Make it a priority to set aside time to do things that increase your heart rate, and the will help you stay healthy. This does not have to be running; it can be doing something fun or some sort of sport; it can even mean going out and prayer walking. The point is to get some exercise
Get enough sleep.
Your brain actually heals when it sleeps. If you are not getting enough sleep sooner or later, it will affect the rest of your body. A lack of sleep can lead to cognitive impairment, making it difficult for someone to concentrate and remember details. Another effect is the depletion of energy. Sleep deprivation is also associated with increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation.
Get some sunshine.
This may seem like a strange one, but the sun is actually a fantastic source of vitamins and minerals. This doesn’t mean you should stay in the sun for too long, but it means you should take advantage of the sun when you can.
Maintain relationships
Pastors have to have friends. They do not necessarily have to be in the church, but pastors need to have friends that they can talk to and that they can be real with. Pastor, you need a friends and for those that are not pastors, why not be a friend to your pastor?
In conclusion, pastors have a responsibility to their congregations, their church leadership team, and themselves. They must be mindful of the signs of depression and mental illness, get treatment when needed, and speak up when they notice that another pastor might need help.
To offer the best service possible to parishioners, pastors must also stay mentally healthy. Attend regular counseling sessions with a therapist who can diagnose and treat mental illness, if necessary.
