Five “Take Aways” to Help Christians Deepen Their Care for People With Psychiatric Disorders
So, now that we have worked through (albeit briefly) the necessary foundation for thinking Biblically about psychiatric disorders, and followed up with three guiding truths to conceptualize psychiatric disorders from a Biblical perspective, let’s move into some “So What’s”. How do we move from being just hearers of the truths we have explored to doers of them? How do we take the truth of Scripture and apply it to the worthy endeavor of understanding, loving, and supporting people with psychiatric disorders? The five suggestions you will find below are all born of the context provided in the first two posts of these series. If you haven’t read them, start there (#1 and #2). If you have, here’s a little reminder:
You are an embodied soul, made good by God.
You are an embodied soul, corrupted by the fall.
You are an embodied soul, destined for complete restoration.
These three truths are listed in order below, with the “take aways” listed below those headings. My hope is that by structuring the take aways in this way that you can see how the Word leads to action, without disrupting the cohesion and flow of your reading (too much).
A Person With a Psychiatric Disorder is an Embodied Soul, Made Good by God, so…
1. Respect His or Her Whole Person as Important and Valuable
You might be thinking, duh, we’ve covered this. And yes, I know, we have. This is certainly redundant in some ways if you have read the last two posts, but the neglect of this implicit command in Scripture bears the need for its repetition: Consider the whole person, body and soul, when seeking to understand, love, and support someone who is experiencing disordered, and often distressing, thoughts and behaviors. We must constantly resist our ingrained assumptions about what ails the person in front of us. The person in front of you is not just a heart, nor are they just a brain. He or she is a complex person, designed good by God in body and soul, and is also a devastatingly broken person, corrupted by sin in body and soul. Resist the trap of reduction and approach the person instead with a balanced and compassionate view of them. I can think of two ways we can bring our thoughts and actions in line with this biblical truth:
Rmemeber that a psychiatric diagnosis is not an identity. We must remember that a true psychiatric diagnosis is bodily weakness, and as such, only touches one part of an individual’s personhood. In other words, a psychiatric diagnosis is not an identity. Perhaps an analogy with a recognized medical condition will be instructive here:
I have suffered from endometriosis since I was in my early twenties. Much of my life has been impacted by managing this disease– medication, physical therapy, and four separate surgeries, the last being a total hysterectomy. Even with all of this impact on my life, no one would say that my diagnosis, and the suffering that goes with it, defines me as a person. No, I am a person created in the image of God and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. When people think of me, they don’t reduce me to my pain and inconvenience, they (hopefully!) see a person with strengths and weaknesses, interests and talents, a person battling sin, and fighting for sanctification. I am not my endometriosis, and my daughter is not her schizoaffective disorder. She is a person who reflects the likeness of God. She is a person who, having received Jesus as the covering for her sin, is clothed in purity and beauty in the eyes of her Heavenly Father. She is God’s masterpiece, created for good works, specific good works, that she will walk out while she lives on this earth (Ephesians 2:10). She is a person who brings strengths to the body of Christ and a person who contributes to our nuclear family. While sometimes her illness hides her true self, I refuse reduce her to it. Her diagnosis is not her identity. It is a brokenness she will shed when she reaches glory. Because of this, I still hold her accountable for sin. I still expect her to bring value and strength to the world around her and find ways to nurture her particular giftings. I expect that just like any human being she will have good days and bad days, victories and defeats, hopes, heartbreaks, dreams, and disappointments. And most of all, I trust that she is capable of faith in Jesus Christ, so I work hard to offer her daily bread. Her diagnosis does not define her.
Remember, also, that identity in Christ does not mitigate bodily weakness and suffering. There is a second way in which respecting the importance and value of the whole person impacts our thoughts and actions regarding people with psychiatric disorders. It is the other side of this orthopraxic coin. Yes, a psychiatric diagnosis is not an identity. Identity is found in being an image bearer and in the righteousness of Christ if a profession of faith has been made. But (!!!) identity as an image bearer and being clothed in the righteousness of Christ does not mitigate bodily weakness and suffering this side of heaven. I am not my endometriosis, but my endometriosis has been hard and painful. I am not my endometriosis, but it has impacted my daily life. I am not my endometriosis, but it certainly has shaped me and has contributed to who I am. In the same way, my daughter is so much more than her schizoaffective disorder and she is not defined by it, but it has certainly impacted her life in ways that little else has. We exist in a body that God made on purpose. He loves it, values it, and sees it as important. It is a gross contradiction to the heart of God to dismiss the pain and suffering that psychiatric disorders bring to the lives those who have them. Christians must not minimize the suffering of mental illness because “that’s not their identity, they are a new creation in Christ”. Prayer can heal people of their cancer, but sometimes God says no. That lack of healing does not point to a lack of faith or a failure to receive the benefits of salvation. Prayer can heal people with Bi-Polar disorder, but sometimes God says no. That lack of healing does not point to a lack of faith or a failure to receive the benefits of salvation. Christians suffer. Jesus promised us that “in this life [we] will have trouble”. For some that trouble comes in the form of a brain that doesn’t work the way it is supposed to. The way of Jesus is compassionate care for the downtrodden, not dismissive minimization or invalidation. The way of Jesus is inspiring hope for future glory for the dejected and despairing, not ignorant judgement or shaming. Don’t let a person’s identity in Christ minimize or invalidate their very real bodily suffering. Remember the exhortation of David Powlison: care for psychiatric patients should be amplified, not diminished, in the heart and life of a Christ follower.
A Person With a Psychiatric Disorder is an Embodied Soul, Corrupted By the Fall, so…
2. Consider Both the Body and the Heart When Conceptualizing Problems
Don’t be too quick to assume that the heart is the sole player in the disordered thoughts and behaviors of the person before you. God designed the brain to play a physiological part in managing emotions, processing trauma, evaluating risk, etc. The brain is responsible for a lot. The fall broke these processes just like it broke everything else. Give space for bodily weakness in your conceptualization of the person in front of you. In Descriptions & Prescriptions, Mike Emlet points out that psychiatric diagnoses bring value to the table in that they helped him “to better discern when [his] counselee might be unable to do something rather than simply unwilling. It helped [him] to distinguish between ‘weakness’ and ‘sin’, between ‘I can’t’ and ‘I won’t’.” God’s standards don’t change because of bodily brokenness. Sin is sin whether or not it manifests from a depraved heart or a malfunctioning body. But when a psychiatric diagnosis is on the table, and bodily weakness comes to the forefront as the source of that sin, a pivot may be necessary in terms of the tools used to help that person with obedience to God’s law. Alasdair Groves has wisely pointed out that a “psychiatric diagnosis does not threaten human responsibility”. Rather, it can often offer us opportunity to help people to exercise it.
Don’t be too quick to blame the brain for every disordered thought or behavior either. Every person’s heart is deceitfully wicked in some extremely complicated ways (Jeremiah 17:9). If we neglect this reality and leave no space for calling out sin and calling for repentance, we may throw a stick in the spokes of someone’s sanctification. Give space for spiritual depravity, and thereby opportunity for godly sorrow that leads to life in the person in front of you.
It is also worth pointing out that even if the brain is playing a part in disordering thinking and behavior, it does not mean that the heart is not at work at all. As James point out, trial and difficulty (e.g. bodily weakness) demand a response– towards sin and death or God and the crown of life. Bodily weakness not does remove the necessity and import of the heart, it just changes the way we approach it.
3. Consider Both Bodily and Spiritual Supports When Ministering to People With Psychiatric Disorders
By now you may be fully convinced that both the body and the heart have the potential to contribute to disordered thoughts and behaviors, but Scripture calls us to take this even further and apply that same whole-person-perspective to formulating solutions, regardless of whether or not the problem is weighted more heavily toward bodily or spiritual weakness.
Consider both bodily and spiritual supports for bodily brokenness. God has gifted His people with both common grace and special grace solutions to alleviate the suffering of bodily problems.
Common grace solutions include psychotropic medications and psychotherapy. These are gifts from God, and the fact that the physical body is broken means it is appropriate to pursue physical body solutions. When the body is sick, we thank God for the provision of medication. Insulin treats Type 1 Diabetes and it would be considered irresponsible and dangerous not to receive and utilize this good gift from God. Likewise an SSRI is generally used to treat the bodily weakness known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but instead of seeing this as a good gift from God, Christians often condemn its use as a lack of faith or will power. Having established that Scripture teaches that the brain can be broken, we must also make provision in our worldview for medical intervention for psychiatric disorders.
God’s love is so full orbed that He also provides special grace on top of common grace for those who put their faith in Him. He has gifted us with Christian friendship and the beautiful way in which the body of Christ is designed to supply the lack of others (2 Corinthians 8:1-15). He’s provided His Word, that brings solidarity with Jesus, who experienced every kind of physical torment possible. If a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, we treat the body, consult oncologists and pursue all available treatments, and we also nourish the soul. In addition to treating the body, we are called to recognize the interwoven realities of God’s sovereignty and His love, and to trust Him. We receive chemotherapy, and we cast our cares on Him. We undergo life-saving surgery, and we consider the words of Scripture, reminding us that while the body wastes away, our inner man is being renewed day by day. So also, with a bodily weakness that comes in the form of a psychiatric disorder, yes, we ought to trust medical professionals, take medication, and engage in appropriate psychotherapy. But bodily weakness does not exclude the potential for spiritual comfort and fortitude. Give your loved one their medication, and give them God’s Words– His Words promising that He sees them, understands them, and keeps each one of their tears in a bottle. Support engagement in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, replacing falsehood with truth, and take it one step further, pointing them to theTruth so that they have something solid and sustaining to sink their teeth into when the falsehoods scream at them, torture them, make demands of them. Take your loved one to therapy, and remind them that goodness and mercy pursue them as they go. Tell the doctors about the symptoms, and talk to God about the pain.
Consider bodily and spiritual supports for spiritual brokenness. God designed our bodies to be able to participate in spiritual comfort and sanctification. Consider the Eucharist, a God-given a ritual that offers a physical, tangible, sensual dimension to His presence with you. It is a God-given ritual which brings your body into participation with your spirit for the strengthening of your faith. If God has not excluded the body from participation in spiritual well-being, neither should we.
The fact that deep breathing brings calm over the mind is a body-soul interaction that God designed. Stillness and silence are God’s prescription for chaos (Psalm 46:10 and Isaiah 41), not the invention of your local yoga studio.
One of my favorite Old Testament stories takes place in 1 Kings 19, when Elijah fled for his life from Jezebel. It is not overstating it to say that Elijah’s heart was greatly troubled. Look at what he asks of God in vs. 4-5:
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life“… And he lay down and slept under a broom tree.
God does not respond with a rebuke for lack of faith, nor does he quote a clever verse from the Pentateuch. He recognizes spiritual weakness and provides physicalcomfort (vs. 5-8):
And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
Elijah was afraid (vs. 3). Elijah was agruably depressed (vs. 4-5). These heavy heart issues were the results of his circumstances, not a broken brain. And still, God brought comfort to his body. He brought him a meal, a drink, a fire, and a nap. Don’t underestimate the body’s role in a person’s well being. Sometimes bringing comfort to the body brings a softness and a receptivity to the soul. After that encounter, Elijah had enough strength to keep going– he traveled forty days to the Mount of God.
Our bodies are a good gift that God Himself has utilized to bring comfort to the broken. We too should look for ways to utilize the good gift of our bodies and the role it can play in healing.
A Person With a Psychiatric Disorder is an Embodied Soul, Destined for Complete Restoration, so…
4. Christians aren’t exempt from caring for those who suffer.
Most Christians would agree that they are called to participate in God’s restorative work, but as Mike Emlet points out, “the modern church has abdicated [that] responsibility [when it comes to] the care of individuals with psychiatric diagnoses…” Ouch. This abdication, whether conscious or not, is in direct contradiction with the call of Scripture to participate in God’s restorative work by caring for the sick, encouraging the faint hearted, and spurring one another on to good works. It’s also disobedience to the call to make disciples of all people, since people who suffer with psychiatric disorders have a soul and are facing very real trials that present with very real temptation to cope with said trials.
Christians are called to strive, side-by-side with other Christians, for the sake of the gospel (Philippians 1:27). This includes side-by-side striving with those impacted by mental illness. A few words on reclaiming Christ-like care for our brothers and sisters with psychiatric diagnoses:
Education is important, but not a prerequisite to love someone who suffers. You don’t need to know what causes lymphoma and how to cure it to bring a meal, to offer a listening ear, or a ride to someone who suffers with it. What suffering people need is side-by-side ministry. What suffering people need is love that says “I don’t always understand, but I am here for you”. What suffering people need is the benefit of the doubt. They need compassion and understanding, not pressure, judgement, and misguided expectations. What suffering people need is a friend. Mike Emlet puts it this way, speaking of a gentleman in his church who suffered episodes of psychosis:
“I think especially needed at those times was a friend. A friend who would listen with compassion and patience. A friend who would take seriously the impact of those frightening and demeaning voices inside his head. A friend to remind him of God’s favor, care, and presence in his isolation, confusion, and loneliness. A friend who would pray for him and read the Psalms with him… a friend that would highlight that, in Jesus, nothing could separate him from the love of the Father. A friend who expected both personal and corporate benefit from having this man as a part of the body. You can be that friend. I can be that friend.”
We must, as followers of Christ, move towards those that routinely find themselves marginalized. As we do so, the education naturally occurs as a result of humility. When you love someone, you ask questions and listen well. When you love someone, surface level understanding doesn’t satisfy. Sharing life side-by-side in humility leads to understanding instead of the other way around. Education is the by-product, not the prerequisite to moving toward people with psychiatric diagnoses.
Instead of heaping shame on top of isolation on top of very real suffering, can we, the body of Christ embrace those who suffer? Come alongside them? Take a real interest in their lives and work to better understand their experiences? Can we see that our compassion, care, and friendship is not an option, but a gospel issue?
5. You Can’t Remove the Thorn, But You Take Them to Jesus
I have spent most of my parenthood praying for, working for, and desperately longing for the thorn of mental illness to be removed from my daughter’s life. I have asked far more times than three. And God’s answer, thus far, has been “no, My grace is sufficient for her”. This has been a hard pill to swallow. I want the suffering to end, but I have to trust that His grace is sufficient for her thorn. How can I be a doer of that trust? By shifting from desperately trying, needing, to remove her thorn, to instead pushing her into the arms of the one who’s grace is sufficient to get her through it all. I want to see her happy and whole now, but I have to trust that if she belongs to Him she will one day be made perfectly complete in both body and soul. The evidence of this trust is in my heart’s deepest longing that she know Jesus, not that her body be healed. In not neglecting Bible reading or daily prayer, in continuing to take her to meet with God’s people, and in continuing to look to Him myself when all seems dark.
None of this means that we don’t care for the body and that we don’t do what we can to alleviate suffering. Of course it doesn’t! It doesn’t even mean we should stop praying for healing. To do either of these things so would be to neglect the call of God. What it means is that we remember where ultimate relief and restoration is found.
Don’t Be Afraid to “Mess It Up”
You don’t need a degree in psychology to love and support someone with one or multiple psychiatric disorders. You don’t need a specific script or the right lingo. You don’t need to get it all right. What you need is humility to be shaped by the truth of God’s Word and compassion to walk alongside suffering people. That journey may take years, and that’s okay. Being on this journey, genuinely striving toward a Biblical worldview and Christ-like compassion, is enough. Paul puts it this way in Philippians 3:12: “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Learning to understand, love, and support people with psychiatric disorders is part of your sanctification, your trajectory toward perfection. Just like everything other part of your journey toward glory, you will put in effort and will need to receive grace. You will mess up, His mercy is more. Keep learning. Keep loving. Keep looking to Him.