Isolation in Ministry, Part 2

Last time, I talked about Elijah isolating himself because he was disconnected from God. He was busy being zealous for God but was not personally connected to the life-giving source of the Spirit. So, he ran off and is now hiding in the mountain of God, Horeb.

Here is what 1 Kings 19 told us:

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Amid Elijah’s emotional state, he believes he is the only one who serves God. He believes that his life is meaningless. He is tired of doing ministry.

What does God do in this situation?

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Elijah is about to have an encounter with the living God.

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Wow, don’t you wish the Lord would say to you, go out, and the presence of the Lord will pass over you?

I love what happens next, there are three events that most of us would expect to be signs from God.

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

A Windstorm, an earthquake and a fire, but God was not in them… Listen to what happened next.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

God spoke in a gentle whisper, not in a loud demonstration of His power, but in a quiet voice. Psalm 46:10a says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

What did the voice say? God asked the same question as before. Do not mistake the three events; they had a purpose, and they were to remind Elijah of who God is and His power. I think God had hoped the demonstration would serve as a way for Elijah to grow in his confidence and faith in who God is.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

In other words, Elijah, have you now found hope and purpose once again?

Elijah, unfazed, replies with the same answer as before, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Sometimes, when our mental health pushes us into isolation, we lose sight of who God is and His power. Sometimes, everyone around us will remind us of how great God is, and deep down, we know that truth. But that knowledge does not remove the dark shadow of gloom.

Elijah heard God’s voice and felt the earth move, yet he was unmoved from his mental state of depression and feeling lost.

The Lord responds to Elijah’s heartfelt answer with a few action steps to restore the prophet and reassure him that God is still in charge. He tells Elijah to go and appoint two new kings over the divided Israel. He told him to go and anoint Elisha as his successor (future replacement).

But, then, God addressed one primary concern or feeling in Elijah’s answer - I am the only one left. Elijah felt alone and had no hope because everyone had turned to worshiping false idols.

Look at what the Lord says in verse 18, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

This is a critical theological point: regardless of how we feel and how things might seem, we never know what God is doing in other people’s lives. God had reserved or kept 7,000 who had never worshiped a false Idol. Elijah, you are not alone!

Isolation can make us feel all alone but look to Christ, and you will see Him and His church with arms wide open. Trust Him; He has you and thousands of others just like you. You are Not Alone!

TTFN

Isolation in Ministry Part 1

In 1 Kings 18, the Prophet of God has just demonstrated that the true God of Israel is more powerful than the false god Baal. Elijah put 400 prophets of Baal to the sword. In the text, he is bold and taunts the other prophets, saying, ““Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.”

Wow, this man of God stood up to the enemy with boldness and in the power of the Lord. Verse 46 says, “The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.”

Yet, when we turn the page to chapter 19, everything changes. Verse one says, “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

That should mean nothing to a man full of the Lord who just demonstrated God's power over the false god Ball. But that is not what the text says in verse 3a: “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.”

Then the text tells us that “He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.”

Do you hear Elijah’s words, “I have had enough, Lord.” Then he laid down under a broom brush and fell asleep. I would say from the text that Elijah is struggling with depression.

But how could that be, considering everything that just happened? How could he feel this way when he saw God's supremacy demonstrated so powerfully in chapter 18? Because he lost being with God in doing for God.

We have been studying Emotional Healthy Discipleship in church. The key to the study is that we have become so busy doing church, teaching people about God, and serving Him that we have lost our personal connection with Him.

That is precisely what happened to Elijah and many people today who are involved in ministry. They become burned out from too much doing and not enough being with God. I know from personal experience that we can be so busy doing that we have no time for being in His presence, and then we begin to decline mentally.

Notice that in the middle of Elijah’s crisis, he fled and isolated himself from everyone, even his servants. When we become spiritually drained, we withdraw as the depression sets in.

But in the midst of his torment and depression, God stepped in. Verse 5b says, “All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” Verse 7, “The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”

God sent help when Elijah needed it the most. The key is for us to recognize when God is reaching out to help us. We have to set aside our pride and be willing to accept His help.

Then Elijah goes on a long journey. 40 days and 40 nights of walking to reach Horeb, the mountain of God. But, even in this moment, after God has feed him twice, Elijah is still in the pit of despair.

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Next time, we will see how the story ends… See you then.

TTFN

Isolation and Mental Health

Proverbs 12:25-26 “Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

A few days ago, Christian recording artist Mandisa was found down in her home in Nashville. According to her father, she was suffering from the lasting effects of COVID-19 (weakness), but the Cause of Death (COD) has not yet been released.

Speculation in the media, and perhaps among her friends, was that her death might have been self-inflicted, the result of an ongoing struggle with mental health and depression. The Christian Post referenced an interview with Mandisa from a few years ago when the singer spoke out about her struggles. In the original article, she said, "I isolated myself, I didn't want to talk about it, and I battled with the shame of feeling like I didn't have enough faith or that God was displeased with me."[1]

This blog is the first in a series of Isolation. I want to discuss the issue of isolation for people dealing with Mental Health and expose some of the causes and solutions. Mental Health affects people regardless of social status, age, race, gender, or size of their bank account, yet people who are below the poverty line tend to have more stress and struggle with depression and other forms of mental health versus other segments of the population.

Likewise, trauma has a direct impact on a person's mental health and can be amplified by isolation. I talked about the goals of building resilience in my blog on the iceberg. Some of those tools apply here as we deal with the issues below the water line regarding mental health.

There are three reasons people with mental health become isolated, and there often is a compounded effect when more than one is present. Let me say up front: isolation is harmful to and unproductive for a person’s recovery.

1)      The person becomes isolated due to the mental illness itself.

Let's be honest: when you feel depressed, the last thing you want is to be around other people. Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, and many other mental health concerns will cause a person to isolate as part of the illness. It is often because the processing aspect of our brain wants to shut down, not deal with anything or anyone that might add to the issue.

People with mental health concerns will not just isolate themselves but will withdraw from social life as well. They will sleep a lot and suffer from fatigue. For them, it feels like they just fought off a 400-pound grizzly bear, and they are not sure who won the fight.

Solutions: If you are suffering from a mental health issue, realize your need to interact. Seek help from family and friends. This is a great reason to have a loving church family that can be your support network. I know that reaching out for help can be like swimming to the surface of an ocean filled with molasses, but you need to use your survival instincts and push on.

Families and friends can help best by what I often call the “Ministry of Presence.” The person dealing with mental health issues does not need your advice unless they ask for it. They may not need intervention or rescuing from their crises. What they need is someone to listen and be there for them. They need to know they are not alone and that you can be trusted to support them as they navigate the emotional and mental gauntlet.

2)      People isolate themselves due to the stigma associated with having mental illness.

This is a big one because no one wants to be labeled as “Crazy.” People will hide their depression or other mental health concerns simply because of fear of rejection and being stereotyped. The shame of dealing with mental health can make a person feel weak or less than a human.

Mandisa said, “I didn't want to talk about it, and I battled with the shame of feeling like I didn't have enough faith or that God was displeased with me." People often think one of these two reasons is why they have their issues, and I promise the little voice (and Satan) will reinforce the feeling that “Real Christians don’t have mental health issues; you are weak. If you just had more faith, this would not have happened to you.” Other people think their issue is because God is mad at them and is doing this to punish them.

Let me assure you that both of these reasons are lies, and you should never believe them. We live in a broken world where sin and disease rule. Because of the fall, sin, and death entered the perfect world; therefore, each of us must deal with that consequence daily in our own way. Mental Health is just one of those areas where we will struggle; it does not mean it is due to sin or God’s retribution.

Solution: If you are dealing with mental health, do not believe the lie; you are not broken or crazy; you live in a broken and fallen world. It does not reflect how God feels about you; He loves you and is there for you. Being ill is not a sign that God does not care. In fact, you are made in the image of God, and He dearly loves you.

If you have a family member or friend who is dealing with mental health be supportive, be careful of what you say, and do not tease or say things like, “I always said you were a little crazy.” Work to break down the stigma and realize that anyone can deal with various forms of mental health.

3)      The judgment of others pushes those with mental health concerns into isolation.

I will admit that the church and pastors are the number one offender in this area. Often, it is done without thinking about it, and it is just part of the pastoral mindset that it must be spiritual. This is likewise connected to the stigma and shame of having a mental illness, compounded by poor judgment on the church leaders' part.

I have heard pastors say that the issue is sin, and repentant prayer can solve it. Others denounce the use of medications, counseling, or even biblical counseling. In a world where people need real help from the church, cognitive behavioral therapy is a great option. Christians should not feel ashamed or afraid to talk to their pastor about their mental health and should receive help and support.

When I was pastoring in Pennsylvania long ago, I had a church member come talk to me about her depression and the fear of taking medications. She felt that it might be unchristian to take medication. She really struggled with stigma and needed both support and encouragement. I assured her it was appropriate to take prescription meds just as anyone would use medication to treat high blood pressure or hyperthyroidism.

The church needs to be a support network for those dealing with mental health and not a barrier. When the counseling is greater than my knowledge or skill level, I have a good Christian counseling group to which I refer people. I am not totally against secular counseling, but I prefer someone grounded in God’s word.

Next time I will explore the topic "Isolation and Self-Destruction." I hope to see you then.

P.C.

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[1] https://www.christianpost.com/news/police-give-update-on-death-of-christian-artist-mandisa.html?utm_source=Daily&utm_campaign=Daily&utm_medium=newsletter

https://www.christianpost.com/books/mandisa-talks-battling-depression-mental-illness.htmlv