You know when you've had a difficult thing going on in life and you are looking for an answer, and finally it comes? A child vomits for hours each night for months and one day the mystery ends: they have a food allergy. Someone you love stops talking to you and with no communication, there is a real question in your mind about what happened. It turns out they were diagnosed with something serious and it made their world turn upside down and inside out immediately.
Whatever the scenario, I'm reminded that very often in life we go through challenging times. We seek answers because we want to fix the situation or at least make the best of it. If nothing else, we just want to know what is happening and have some semblance of an explanation. The "not knowing" is grueling.
What I want to touch on tonight is when we think we're given an answer that is going to lead to a decent resolution or solution. When we think that whoever gave the answer actually can help.
We are complex beings made in the image of God, and we have numerous systems in play at all times. Our bodies function in ways that are mysterious. Some systems are understood well, but others are not. There is a great deal yet to be truly understood about how the systems interact with one another and what it is that really makes us tick and what makes us sick. Why does a germ make one person ill and not another? We can say it is the immune system, but what of the deeper understandings of why. on one day this happens but another it wouldn't? How much does stress break us down and make us vulnerable? What about diet and even our own preconceived notions?
I've read that in this era of depression and the multiplicity of mental health diagnoses, we are seeing far more mental health issues than we used to in spite of some doctors (most) claiming we know how to deal with those sorts of problems now. People aren't less anxious with all these "solutions", they are far MORE anxious. The answers to depression have not eradicated depression, rather the number of cases has exploded. Logic would make us consider we don't have a cure or a good way of managing this. Logic would suggest the solutions are making things worse.
Where should we put our trust and hope? Do 'they' really know the cure for these things they like to tell us we have?
Just because a doctor looks at a set of conditions and professionally puts a label on them, does not mean he knows how to then remedy things! Often doctors are irresponsible or are of the opinion we won't be "helped" until we GET a diagnosis so they give one to keep us busy or silence us. Often they follow the training they've had that this plus this equals this...label it and then start experimenting.
We have to understand that every human being is unique, and if we allowed the mental health "experts" to label everyone, no one would be normal. Everyone would have some condition or ailment. It is the nature of the industry and it begs the question, has this way of looking at society helped us? Are we healthier and happier than before this new trend started, as a society? A nation?
There is so much experimental treatment of people with mental health diagnoses, it is really criminal what doctors often do. Mind altering treatments are not new to this era, but the difference from the past is that we often know we're permanently changing someone's brain.
I understand wanting to have hope, wanting to feel in control again after so much time out of control, but no human understands us as well as God. Sin and living outside of God's ways leads to all manner of ailments: physical, mental and emotional. Until we are right with God, we should hold off on any "treatments" because sin is often the root cause of our problems. God is in the healing business and there aren't devastating side effects to His methods. He loves us and knows just how we work. Nothing is outside of His realm and understanding. He truly will DO NO HARM.
There is real hope in Christ and His payment for sin. He brings wholeness, peace, love, joy and patience into our hearts. His Word and truth renews our minds. Doctors and medicine cannot do what He alone can do, and they often just guess and try different things, sometimes leaving a person far worse off than they started. No doctor can renew our mind. "If then you've been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth, for you have died and hidden your life in God. When Christ who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3 I believe...
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Pr 3:5-6
With that I'll exhort us all to remember this reason so many are in the straight they are in. As a people: We want change, but we won't change.
We must change if we want different results. No medication or doctor can bring that about. The Word of God can. Let the Word of God richly dwell with in you and may your spirit, soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.
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