Do you all have people in your churches who need to be on medication but are not because they don't think Christians should be on medication? I am just curious. We were just talking with our staff about this today. We have a few people at our church who are truly clinically depressed and in need of medication. Believe me, we don't need an M.D. after our name to tell it with these people. One man gets on the carpet as soon as music starts and lays there and bawls. When you say anything to the guy, he bawls. I'm not kidding, when you just say, "Hi, good to see you this morning", the man bawls. He is so depressed our music pastor joked that he'd love for "holy laughter" to hit this guy. And I have 2 others who are so depressed that I'm not kidding, you just say "hi" to them and they just cry and cry. All 3 have been talked to about going to the doctor to get treated with medication (and in my recollection all have been told at some point by their doctors that they NEED medication) however -- they feel that as Christians, they shouldn't depend on the medication.
I don't agree with that at all. I think it's no different than being treated for a broken leg or diabetes. If you had that, you would just get treated...you would not be worried about depending on medication.
It's very sad in my opinion, to see believers suffer like this needlessly because they think they are more spiritual to NOT take any medication.
Just curious if you have come in contact with a lot of people in your church who have these type issues.
BTDT. I suffered --needlessly--from postpartum depression after the birth of my first child for nine months. And felt like I would be compromising my witness if I took medication. A part of me wanted to take some to get some relief but I was so tormented about being a loser. It was really sad. Now in 20/20 hindsight I should have been on it BEFORE I had her. Depression has been such a strong hold in my family. Several generations. But God helped me and now I know when I feel it how to deal with it -- in my thinking. But after I had Ashton, it was a chemical/hormonal thing too. Totally making a bad situation worse. Now I know that the power of that thing is broken in my life and I don't entertain self pity thoughts. It is dangerous. God is so quick to correct me and "get on my case" . Depression is nothing to play with. You are right. We would go to the MD for anything else. I think the stigma is that it is a mind thing solely. And it isn't. It can be such a three fold problem. It can start as a physical thing and become a mind, and spiritual thing or vice versa. Just as a person can wear themselves out doing ministry, giving from their spirits and before you know it they are exhausted physically to the point of becoming ill. And yet we prescribe a PHYSICAL rest that winds up helping them spiritually too. You have to be discerning when to disect a problem between spirit, soul or body and when to know it could be a combination. Lord knows when the physical man is ill, yoiu don't feel too good spiritually either. So I think there is balance. Medication is not for everyone. Some people need to get a good case of joy get out of the mulligrubs (lol) and see what all they have to be thankful for and quit being self--ish. But a vast majority need medication. It truly is something they cna't help and they shouldn't feel bad. Here's something else to think about. And I'm meddling now. But I did a low carb thing here while back to trya nd lose a few lbs. And I did. But I am hypoglycemic. So I didn't get to stay on it long. But once I got off the sugar--about three or four days into it-- I felt alot less of the mental fog that I think the enemy plays on. I could think clearer and felt better -- unitl I bottomed out and started getting mean (haha) cause you need some carbs and my husband was like eat a cookie already! lol Anyhoo. I would encourage those people with something Paul said. He told young Timothy to take a little wine to sooth his stomach. Don't you know Paul knew what a miracle and physical healing was all about. I researched this one time and found that wine was considered a medicinal stubstance back then. Not just to pull a good drunk. And church histroy says Timothy was probably suffering from an ulcer, pastoring those young churches and all. lol So Paul encouraged him to use something -- other than God's miraculous power -- to help with a physical infirmity. What you really are dealing with Deanna is this whole thing ...are you going to the doctor becasue you don't have faith. That is not right. That is extreme and you aren't proving one thing to God by not seeing a MD. I have a dear one, the partner for my business. Awesome christian man that treats me and my husband (and anyother full time minister) for FREE! Said God told him to. I had to see him just yesturday for what I thought was an ulcer. Turns out it is Hpylori. I was thanking God for acid reducer you know. I have had God heal me supernaturally and spared me of surgery.I have gone to the doctor too. I go to the doctor in faith. I try to do ALL things in faith , not fear. That is the balance. They should take the medication in faith. Knowing that God will use that medicine to bring them the peace they need. They may not need it for ever. There could be natural things to do. Dr. Don Colbert has a great balance on medication and depression. Point them in the direction of that book. It's only like $6. The Bible cure for depression. Very good book. Small but powerful. Hope my sermon helped. HAHA. I had fun writing it.
I believe the same thing about counseling. I have told people that I have no shame in admitting I have been to counseling, and more than once!!! Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, yet he had more counselors than anybody! There is a stigma attached to "going to counseling" and people are afraid to admit it. I just tell our people, "please if you need it, put yourself in Christian counseling immediately."
I know if I had not had Christian counseling I would not have survived, let alone thrive. And, I found that I needed it a lot more to help through the hurts of the ministry than even other life's hurts. Because...you don't expect hurt from the church when you enter into ministry. It shocks you. It's like John Bevere talks about in his Bait of Satan series...you don't expect hurt from Christians because you have higher expectations from them than the world. And then when you get hurt it feels more devastating.
I found so much peace through talking through the hurts in Christian counseling, I cannot even tell you!!!
As a nurse, I have seen this before. There are many Christians, and others who suffer needlesly because of the ill-formed belief that God will save me from this. Well, God once sent a fourwheel drive, then a rowboat, then a helicopter to very wet man who claimed"God will save me!". He died you know, he drowned on his roof! My very own DH is one such person. He suffers from Bi-polar disease and will not stay on his meds. Actually, we all suffer. Sometimes, he can be tough to be around and I find myself running interferance alot for him. He just goes on suffering year after year, and struggling with every relationship.
It's a tough thing to be in Church and worship with people on the floor crying. You must feel like you want to , I don't know, ease the pain they are feeling. I understand the pain of knowing someone needs meds and they will not get the help they need. Have you spoken to the families? Maybe a door can open there. It sounds like the people in need may need to hear it from their immediate circle. lw
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...... Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I never said anything. And then, they came for ME, and there was no one left to speak up. Martin Neimoller, German Pastor, WW2
I really believe that's part of it -- the families in question have issues as a whole...they really can't be depended upon for an intervention or anything such as that.
It's sad and truthfully there's nothing we can do about it -- the people involved have to want to get help.
I was simply asking you all as a question of wondering whether you have many people like this.
We did have a gentleman in this situation. He often cried and talked alot during the sermon. His Mom did not attend here but she said he was scizophrenic, poor thing. I hate to say this, but when he began "bothering" the kids, our dear Pastor David and I had a talk, Pastor to nurse, and he had to ask him not to come back unless he would agree to follow a set of groundrules. Not talking during service, staying on his meds., things like that. And of course, the youth were off limits. It does not seem like things are that serious where you are. Just some poor folks who don't see the need for meds so they do not suffer. No one wants to tell any person they can not attend church, but we do have kids to protect. We said he could come back if he followed the rules, he decided not to come back. I do worry at times if we did the right thing. He was ok while on his meds, but off of them, he was really out there, poor fellow. I pity him, but his Mom said that he is aware enough to choose to stay on his meds or not. He usually chooses not to. And you can never go wrong in prayer about anything. You are correct, it is something to pray about. lw
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...... Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I never said anything. And then, they came for ME, and there was no one left to speak up. Martin Neimoller, German Pastor, WW2
Ours are not "dangerous" nor do they accost anybody...they don't go up to kids or youth...they are pretty much to themselves and just weepy. It just always saddens me to see believers who COULD live in victory and blessing, but they choose not to. I believe for the folks in question, medication would be God's way of helping them to do that. As much as I believe in the divine healing power of God, I also believe God works through doctors and medication. After all, He enabled those people through His knowledge & power to discover these medical breakthroughs. I know as for me, without my doctor, Rosemay Latortue, who is a member at our church, I don't know where I'd be! She and her husband, Dr. Patrick Watson (who practice together) are the most kind, loving and wise people I know. I often joke, "if there's something wrong with you, Rosemay will find it!" She has helped me so much in getting healthy. I still have a ways to go. She's working with me on my weight and it's a wonderful thing. You know, it's an interesting experience to have your doctor in your church. Somebody says, "Here Pastor Deanna, I made you this brownie!" And Rosemay is standing right there... So, I feel a little convicted...which is just what I need, actually!
I really needed that laugh about the brownie! THANKS! I used to go to church with our Doctor, Joe. The ladies I have fellowship and DINNER with on thursday, are the doctors' wives though. And they watch me like a hawk! At times, Martin or Joe will be there looking over my shoulder as I reach for a second dessert and go"MMMM, do we really need that?". They are my dearest friends as well as my doctors and they truely care about all of us. I AM GRATEFUL.
It is sad to see folks suffer though. My sister Patti even with the meds she is on, can still be a little weepy every Sunday. I hope that soon God will reveal to them that medicine is not against God, or doubting his power. In fact, I will ask the ladies to pray for this on thursday. This is a powerful group of ladies! We will just ask for God's grace for these folks and that he would reveal wisdom to them so they might get well. You have such a good heart, all these ladies do. And I would like to say here that it is so nice to finally have a safe harbor for women in the ministry. There is no other place like this, THANK YOU FATHER FOR SENDING THESE WISE LADIES TO MINISTER TO THOSE IN THEIR LIVES, AND TO EACH OTHER, TO THIER HUSBANDS, AND TO ME. THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS YOU POUR OUT ON US EACH DAY. THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR SON JESUS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM WE HAVE TO SERVE YOU IN THIS WAY. PLEASE RAIN DOWN YOUR PEACE AND GRACE UPON THESE LADIES. IN YOUR SON'S NAME WE PRAY, AMEN....I love you all, lw
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...... Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I never said anything. And then, they came for ME, and there was no one left to speak up. Martin Neimoller, German Pastor, WW2
So, I feel a little convicted...which is just what I need, actually!
