On Kingdom Stuff and Righteousness

I am sitting in my room wishing for sunshine to sneak through my window as I daydream. I just started reading a book on mental and emotional wellness by Grant Mullen, MD. I like it so far, mostly because Mullen provides a spiritual perspective on depression and anxiety on top of the knowledge he supplies as a physician.

Think about this: Mullen's first interest in medicine was anesthesia because he was intrigued by the control of physical pain pathways. What he discovered, however, was that more of his patients were suffering from emotional pain than from physical pain. That's heavy stuff.

In my experience, the church has generally avoided discussing mental illness. I am wondering why this is the case. Maybe it is because there is so much stigma around the issue in general and in terms like "mental illness" and "depression." Or maybe there has been a lack of understanding of what it means to be mentally well or unwell, in both the physiological and the spiritual sense.

Or maybe it goes deeper than that. Maybe we have forgotten what it actually means to seek the kingdom of God.

Think about this: a kingdom is where a king reigns. God's kingdom is where He reigns: over the entire spiritual realm. One day, everyone will know the fullness of His kingship. But for those who know Him and love Him now, the desire must be to seek His kingdom in the present tense.

And in His kingdom broken people are accepted and healed. Joy that has been stolen is retrieved. Hearts and minds that have been shattered are restored. His children bless one another because they understand the sheer glory of seeking His will.

I am tired of hearing of individuals who have been stigmatized or looked down upon for seeking treatment for mental illness. It is especially disturbing to hear this from Christians. Things like, "did you know s/he's taking antidepressants?", when stated  for the purpose of judgment, must stop. First, because the public knows so little of the physiology and drugs of mental illness. Second, about fifty percent of North Americans will experience a form of mental illness during their lifetime--Christians included. Third, and more importantly: seeking healing is kingdom stuff. And the kingdom is what we are to be pursuing first (Matthew 6:33). People do not need your judgment; they need your support. They need your affirmation in seeking healing. Not all things can simply be "named and claimed." Stop judging and start helping.

As I was studying this week, I rediscovered a note I made in a lecture a few weeks back that nearly tore me apart: "we are more content with the misery we know now than the possibility of a misery free future." How true that is. I can be so risk averse at times and I praise myself for it because it leads to safe decisions. But a safe decision is not necessarily a good decision and vice versa.

I promised myself at the beginning of this year that I would not be afraid of things I do not understand. It is changing me. What great risk, to truly live.

And what great risk to truly believe God and to seek His kingdom first. "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3). It was not keeping laws, rendering services, or performing rituals that earned him credit before God. It was belief. "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised. This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.'" (4:20-22)

Here's to taking more risks,

E