The blog of Deacon Greg Kandra has a beautiful prayer about mental illness, based on Psalm 23, which I find appropriate this morning - it is long, but it is worth praying:
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Although
sometimes we feel we lack everything. Sometimes we cannot see what you
have given us through the lie of what has been taken away. Show us how
to see your blessing. Show us how to see your provision when the world
teaches us an economy of fear and scarcity.
The
Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave
you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
Refresh us, Lord. Let the raging waters be quiet. Let dry pastures be watered. Let us lie down and rest without fear.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
We
so often turn from your path—believing lies about ourselves, about
others, about you; taking on burdens that are not ours to bear;
struggling to entrust you with ourselves, our family, our friends, and
our circumstances. Guide us along your path of trust and contentment.
Have
I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not
be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you
go.”
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
The
valley of depression, the valley of medication, the valley of sorrow,
the valley of pain and abandonment, the valley of past wrongs done to
me, the valley of despair, the valley of derision, the valley of fear,
the valley of waiting, the valley of misunderstanding.
Be
strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of the
valley in which you walk, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will
never leave you nor forsake you.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Although
we sometimes feel abandoned, you have not left us alone. You have not
left us alone with our depression, with our sorrow, our pain, our
illness, our despair, our fear, our waiting. You have not left us alone
with the past wrongs that have been done to us, with the derision and
misunderstanding of others. You have not left us alone. You are with us.
The Lord himself
goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
With
your rod, you protect us from ourselves. With your staff, you protect
us from the harm of others. Your truth comforts us, as we find our
identity wholly and firmly locked up in you.
Have
I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not
be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Although
we are surrounded by people who do not understand the weight we bear,
the struggles we face, we gather to eat at your table. Although we
suffer ignorant comments, laughter, and sometimes shame—we are worthy to
eat at your table. We can eat our fill—even feast—because you have not
despised us. You have made us welcome.
Be
strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake
you.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
You
have made us worthy. You have made us chosen. You accept us with all
our flaws, with all our illness and frailty, with all our failings. You
have anointed us, us, to serve with you—our cup overflows with joy.
The Lord himself
goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
Surely
goodness and love will follow us. Surely goodness and love will chase
us down—despite ourselves, despite others, despite our
circumstances—goodness and love, by the power and grace of your Spirit,
have found us. And will never let us go.
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Forever. In health, in strength, in love, in mercy. Forever. Amen.
The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
And
as we rest in that assurance, we pray for those who live without it,
and who live with the pain and stigma of mental illness. We ask that you
would watch over those who live on the street, without the medication
they so desperately need. We pray that you would hold accountable those
systems that have let these precious children of yours down, that have
left them destitute. We pray for those who are in positions of
power—that, as they make policies and work to improve existing
structures of care, they would faithfully and carefully consider the
welfare of those who struggle with mental illness. We pray that you
would prevent us from putting distance between ourselves and those
struggling with mental illness. That you would grow in us the love we
need to take action, and to make their struggle our own.
Comfort those who live with the darkness of depression. May we be a light in the darkness for them. Teach us to avoid false cheerfulness, and instead give us wisdom to know how to help our friends and family who struggle in this way to come up for air. To see, again, your goodness. Lord, watch over those who are, even now, contemplating suicide. Stop their hands. Send someone to intervene.
Guard our tongues from unthinking and unkind words that contribute to feelings of worthlessness. Empower us to use our words, instead, to speak for those who cannot. To proclaim your worth over those our culture denigrates. To defend the powerless, and stop others from contributing to the stigma that mental illness so often carries.
Bring
the comfort only you can bring to those who have lost a loved one to
mental illness. And use us to bring comfort. May we, your church, be a
healing presence, a safe community, a strong advocate for the mentally
ill.
Thank you for the assurance that
you do not let go. That you are always with us. May we in turn extend
that hope to every person we encounter.
Amen."
What is the difference between mental illness and demonic activity? The news media ferociously avoids this topic.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy,
ReplyDeleteGood question. Monks have historically referred to the state of "acedia", sometimes called the "noonday demon" - a state of despondency. There is an interesting article from an Orthodox priest about this - and it touches on your question. I think his answer is that in responding to despondency, both spiritual and medical/psychological remedies should be employed. Here's a few key points from the article.
"We know too well the limits, and disappointments, of counseling and pharmacology in the treatment of our depression; yet Evagrius understood something that we moderns have forgotten: we are beings who live simultaneously in two realms—the physical and the spiritual—and the spiritual realm is populated by demonic agencies that are seeking to destroy us through passions and mental disorders."
"We are involved in spiritual warfare, whether we believe in demons or not. Our skepticism does not change the reality. The ascetical tradition provides us with weapons and therapies that may and should be employed both against the evil supernatural powers and our disordered desires."
- but -
"One word of advice: do not throw away your meds or terminate your secular counseling. A few years ago I saw such counsel being dispensed on an Orthodox internet forum and was horrified. The relation between brain chemistry, moods, and spiritual states is a mystery. We must not toss aside whatever knowledge we have gained from science and depth psychology."
The rest of the article is here: http://afkimel.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/acedia-the-noonday-demon/
Thanks, great answer. I would only add that throwing out Christ is just as dangerous as throwing out meds. Maybe more so.....
ReplyDeleteI just read a quote by Robin Williams: "I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. Not so. The worst thing is to end up with someone who makes you feel alone."
Reminds me of what St Augustine said: "The heart of man is restless until...."