Category: Spirituality

Mental Illness and Sin.

by Joshua, posted in Blog, Healing, Mental Illness, Spirituality

I recently read a couple of posts online about certain Christian communities telling people with mental illness that it is caused by sin.  I was aghast.  In my mind, blaming people for their suffering shows very little understanding of the message of Christ.

In the book of Job, the upright and righteous man Job, who obeyed all of God’s commandments, was met with grievous losses.  Everything is taken away from him: his family, his home, his possessions, and eventually his health.  His ignorant, and yet well-intention-ed friends, try to tell him that it was because he did not walk with God.  “Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?” (Job 22:5 NIV).  They don’t understand his experience, because they haven’t been through it.  At the end, God answers Job and says:  “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2 ESV).  Eventually Job gets his life back.

When the religious Jews are questioning and rebuking the man who was blind since birth that Jesus healed (people used to think that illness was caused by our own sin), the religious Jews said “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” (John 9:24 ESV).  When, “his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.'” (John 9:3 ESV).

Mental illness is not caused by our own sin.  It is not our fault.  Most people I’ve met with chronic illness are the kindest, most compassionate, most spiritually evolved people ever.  There are real reasons why people are sick.  There are physical causes that we did not create, and that we are not responsible for.  Industries created the pathogens and toxins that are making us sick (yes, the devil plays dirty).  Hiding our head in the sand, having medical denial, pretending that medical science and research have it all sowed up (even though people are sicker than ever), and clinging to false, dogmatic beliefs won’t change anything.  Christians are not immune to chronic illness.

The truth is, God gave us free will.  Some people have chosen to use their free will to harm others, and that’s not the victim’s fault!  Maybe it’s happened so that “the works of God might be displayed”.  Millions of people who’ve suffered for decades without answers have found the truth about health in the Medical Medium information and are sharing their healing testimonies, as I am doing now.  You can’t deny my testimony of healing anymore than you can deny my experience of being saved by Christ.  We can object, like my ancient religious Jewish relatives did, or we can accept that it came from God.  The truth will stand either way.  Eventually, we or someone we love may even need it ourselves.

I’m sorry to say, but as Christians, we can do better.  Telling people that their suffering is caused by their own sin is hardly walking in the path of Jesus.  We don’t want to be like the people of Jesus’s time who deny the workings of God right in front of our own faces.

I pray that people suffering with chronic illness find the truth about health.  I pray that they have the openness of mind and heart to see it when they do.

If you’re someone who is suffering, I’m so sorry for what you’ve had to go through.  I’m sorry that you’ve been blamed by others who don’t understand.  Know that it’s not your fault, there are real answers, and that healing is possible.  You deserve abundant health and happiness!  It is your God-given right to have the freedom to heal.  God bless you.

” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Have Compassion for Yourself…

by Joshua, posted in Blog, Healing, Spirituality

As Easter approaches it’s important to remember its significance, especially during these trying times.  As someone with a history of mental illness, I feel both prepared for these challenges (I’ve been through far worse for far longer), but also a little afraid (of the isolation, loneliness, etc.).  Even though I’ve done tremendous work to grow over many years, my old, dysfunctional patterns still seem to be there inside, though faded.

I have to remind myself that I have developed new habits and routines for staying healthy.  I am not the same person that I was before.  I’m stronger, more experienced, and like tempered metal, better able to weather any storms.  Moreover, I have learned a deep faith in God that feels stronger than I am.  I can surrender to it.  I know that when I fail, as I do regularly, that I am still loved.

In these moments, I have to try to have compassion for myself.  I’d love to feed into self-loathing, and self-pity, but I know it serves no purpose.  I have to remind myself of the hardships I’ve been through, my innocence that has been stolen, and the enormous challenges that we face in our society today.  I’ve accepted that I fail no matter how hard I try, and that God knows this and loves me anyway.

When I fail, it’s a reminder to me of God’s love for me, through Jesus, and of my reliance on Him.  I’m not able to make it on my own.  I’m powerless against sin and death.  When Jesus died on the cross He buried my sins, and with His resurrection He gave me new life, a new beginning.  He did what I cannot.  Knowing this gives me peace, because when I fall short, it reminds me to turn to Jesus.  My own shortcomings can help to deepen my love for God, when I have compassion for myself.

I hope this Easter weekend you know that no matter what, you are loved beyond imagination.  God bless you!

God’s in Charge

by Joshua, posted in Blog, Healing, Spirituality

Suffering with the type of mental illness that I did, schizoaffective disorder, I experienced a powerlessness that is beyond words.  It felt like life was impossibly challenging and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do what I had to do to function.  I felt trapped, and powerless to change my situation.

All these years later, I still face challenges that seem too great for me, but if you combine the lessons I’ve learned, along with the tools that I’ve picked up along the way, and add God’s grace, it’s enough.  I can make it.  I do make it, not by my own wit or strength, but by the infinite wisdom and intelligence of the Creator of all things.

I don’t like thinking too much about the hardships I’ve endured, because looking back it seems like it was too unbearable.  The road seems too long, and the challenges too great.  I feel like I had too many close calls.  However, I know now, there is an orchestrating intelligence with a wisdom far greater than mine.  The times that I failed taught me lessons that I needed along the way.  When I felt like I was too broken, the pieces still fit together in God’s greater plan for me.

Every day I have to surrender.  I have to surrender the things that I want, my plans for myself, and the way that I want things to work out.  Every day I also fail, I fall short.  Every single day.  It’s a painful process, but it’s allowing me to feel fully alive.  Little by little, the last remaining bits of fear that I hold are being burned out of me.

I’m falling into love and trust with God.  It’s more beautiful than I could have imagined.  I’m still challenged past my limits every day, but I have a deep peace within.  No matter what my external circumstances are, I know that I’ll be okay.  My faith keeps growing.  I take one day at a time, and I keep moving forward, little by little, day by day.

If you’re struggling with mental illness, I know how hard it is.  Just know that you are loved and that there is hope.  I wish you the very best.  God bless you!!

Talk about Mental Illness with #ceisenstein and #kellybroganmd

by Joshua, posted in Holistic Health, Mental Illness, Spirituality, Videos

“It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” – Krishnamurti

I have been following Charles Eisenstein’s work this past year, reading his books and watching interviews of him on YouTube.  His ideas about society, the money system, education, holistic health, and the nature of change are truly remarkable!  When I came across this talk about mental illness with him and holistic psychiatrist Dr. Kelly Brogan, I just knew that I had to share it.

The talk is quite long and some people may be a little triggered by it, but I am sharing it because it spoke to me and validated some of my experiences with mental illness.  For example, I can relate to finding meaning in the illness, being highly sensitive, feeling like it was not just me that was sick but society as well, not wanting to take medication, feeling isolated and alone in my understanding, and the importance of community, support, and connection.  Also, I do believe that on some spiritual level, people with mental illness have a calling to heal some of society’s wounds within ourselves, and therefore in the collective consciousness as well.

Disclaimer:  In my experience, mental illness is a real illness, and while I support natural approaches to healing, and the shifting of our perspective around it, I do not support any idea of going off of medication unsupported.

I hope that you find some value in this talk, as I have.