We rely on God for our healing. And for our strength. For everything in our lives, He is the voice of reason and sanity. In our darkest of times, faith gets us through it all.
Jesus is enough. It’s the principle that all of our worldly issues can be taken care of just by having faith. And we in no means disagree with that. But, there’s a darker side to this type of principle that is worth discussing.
Does God approve of the human need for medications?
It’s taboo. And it’s not talked about. But it shouldn’t be taboo because our mental health is literally everything. Yet within the Christian faith, or others, there’s a stigma surrounding mental illness. But what contributes to this?
It’s Partly To Blame On Trust In God For All Healing
We should absolutely rely on him for everything in our lives. However, healing, despite our faith, sometimes just doesn’t work out. The human mind is a complicated instrument that He designed. It can be complex and messy.
And sometimes, we just can’t fully rely on faith to heal us completely. Mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression, or healing from trauma, just can’t go away on their own. To some degree, God does help heal us from these issues. But an unwavering faith just can’t fix everything. As much as we wish it could.
Medication Is Wrongly Seen As A Failure
We try everything. We pray. Read devotions. Go to church regularly. Get involved in the community. We sometimes try everything and use medication as a last ditch effort.
And the guilt somehow kicks in. We feel shame for having to rely on this outside source from our faith. And then we feel judged and defeated.
Needing Medication Is Not A Sign Of Failure
If anything, it is a sign of strength. It’s okay to admit that you aren’t okay. That you tried your hardest to balance your mental health needs with your faith. It’s okay that trying to rely solely on your faith did not end up working out just right.
Medication does not make you weak. And it does not mean that you lack true faith. Essentially, you are not questioning whether God is enough, but if you are. If you are still worthy of the love and promises he makes to us.
It Should Be About Balance
We feel as if this is the basic principle of life. Balance. When there is balance in our careers, home life, and relationships, we feel at ease. When we eat a balanced diet, get enough exercise, and drink enough water, we feel healthy on the outside.
But what about balancing the needs of our mental health and faith?
It’s the same concept. Balance.
Just because you need to take a medication to help balance your mind and body out does not mean that you are lacking in faith. And just because you have faith it doesn’t mean that you don’t need some extra support.
Balancing our mental health needs, with our faith in God, and therapy is important.
You Can View Medicine As Just Another Means Of God’s Healing Power
God created everything and sent his Son to save us. Hear us out when we say that medicine is just another extension of God’s love and healing power.
Because God created everything, knowing fully what would come from these creations, wouldn’t it be safe to say that he knew creating medicine would be the right thing to do?
That he could give his children the resources they need, if they choose, to live a life of full meaning.
Instead of seeing medicine as a weakness, think of it as a stepping stone to strengthening your relationship with God and yourself.
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If you are struggling with your mental health needs and your spirituality, connect with us so we can help you through this journey.