I’ve heard some churchgoers beat back against taking medication for mental health issues by saying that Jesus is enough. He’s all you would like. And that’s true. His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). He is our only hope in life and death. And yet, the Bible doesn’t command or condemn medical intervention in terms of our physical or mental health. In other words, taking medication is a wisdom issue, not a sin issue.
Taking medication, for some, is a must in an effort to function on this life. And if that’s you, then take your medication without hesitancy and without guilt or fear of judgment. For others, though, medication is used to dull an emotion, similar to grief. Medication is likely to be obligatory or helpful for a season, however the grief will still be waiting to be handled once the medication stops.
This is why medication is a wisdom issue, not a sin issue. For some, medication is obligatory, and for others, it is just not. It is as much as each individual to evaluate their mental health, with the guidance of their medical physician, and to make your mind up if medication is correct for them. Each individual must weigh the risks and advantages and resolve if deeper issues must be addressed and, in that case, when and the way.
We must keep in mind that Jesus isn’t a pill, and your pills aren’t your Savior. Jesus is required by all; medication is needed by some. And remember, taking medication can actually be a faith-building exercise. Consider Hezekiah in Isaiah 38. He cried out to the Lord in his medical distress. The Lord graciously prolonged his days and offered healing through a fig cake. Hezekiah applied the fig cake to his physical sores, all of the while depending on the Lord for healing to happen.
Conversations about mental health are necessary, and we’d like to maintain having them even when it’s hard and hurtful. We must hear those that disagree with our viewpoint just as we wish them to hear us. It’s also necessary to flesh out our thoughts on this topic because sometimes we’re unintentionally caught up in misunderstandings, miscommunications, and misapplication of Scripture.
It’s necessary to keep in mind that when someone points you to Christ, it’s because that’s the one place they know to point you. I hesitate to think that a fellow Christian would intentionally dismiss your struggles or condemn the way you’re coping with them without just cause. They are likely speaking from a heart of inadequacy and are making a beeline for the rock and refuge we’re so blessed to have.
Mental health is an area we are going to all proceed to study and grow in our understanding. Information changes, and with it, our thoughts and understanding. But one thing we are able to all agree on is that the Lord cares about your mental health. He sees your distress and hears your cries. He is the creator and perfecter of your faith; He will carry you thru.
Related:
A Few Not-So Stereotypical Thoughts on OCD
4 Reasons Why the Church Needs to Reform Its Teaching on Mental Illness
4 Truths People with Mental Illness Need the Church to Know
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