Out of the "Blue"

Depression. The modern-day “common cold”. A word that is sometimes tossed around casually. There is confusion about being depressed versus depression. Being depressed is something you do when you step on the scales and they haven’t budged from last week. Depressed is what happens when the kids will be out of school another day due to winter weather.

Depression and other mental illnesses are a different kettle of fish. According to the Global Burden of Disease study, mental illness has a greater effect than all cancers combined. In America, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people age 15 to 24. The Surgeon General’s office estimates twenty percent of adults are affected by mental illness.

Numbers are not just abstract facts. How many people belong to your church? For every hundred members, you can believe around twenty people are affected by mental illness. When you look around the sanctuary next Sunday, consider that one of every five may deal with the consequences of mental illness. You may very well be the one in five on your pew.

But when was the last time your pastor called a member to the prayer rail for support in their struggle with mental illness? Cancer, heart disease, strokes – these woes call for corporate prayer at first glimmer. But mental illness is a problem to keep under wraps. Please join me in the next few posts as we explore the Bible’s take on mental illness and the response God calls for from us.

May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.

The last Word: Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:14, NIV.