Much has been and is being written and discussed concerning mental health these days. I listened to a podcast this week that discussed the Mental health crisis in America amongst our teenagers. Experts are pointing to numerous reasons for why they think we are now in this crisis. Crisis’ are rarely caused by just one thing and rarely can you point to just one thing to fix a crisis. The water crisis in Mississippi this past week is an example of this; there had been problems with the water system for years and then intense flooding seemed to tip the scale to a crisis point where the water in the city of Jackson was no longer drinkable. Crisis is not caused by just one thing, nor is it usually fixed by one thing.
I am aware of the large numbers in our midst that struggle with depression, cutting, eating disorders, large incidence of suicide, etc. There are no one stop solutions on how to fix these problems in our society. Those who work in the mental health fields are more than aware of the crisis we are in, and the work itself for these professionals, somewhat like myself, can be draining. It is always asked, “Who serves the mental health professional?” Where do they go for support? Hopefully we each have our own support systems in place.
Another question that is in my mind constantly when I hear these stories of crisis is, “What does the church have to offer to help address this crisis?” As a priest during my examination, one of the things I committed myself to was to “nourish Christ’s people from the riches of his grace, and strengthen them to glorify God in this life and in the life to come” BCP, p, 531
The mental health crisis is not something that we as the body of Christ can or should ignore.
The Psalms are sacred words or hymns traditionally attributed to mainly the words of King David. The Psalms are hymns, or poems, and they can describe great anguish or great joy - they are the words of David, they are his feelings. They are not generally thought to be nor should they be used to form great theological stances from. You can’t take a verse and just form some theological treatise or unbending truth from them; they must be understood in the context in which they were written. That being said and acknowledged, the words of the Psalms provide great comfort and we can learn from them. They were written by a human and record some of his deepest emotions. They were written for our edification and growth, learning and enjoyment. We can identify with some of the emotions.
Psalm 139 is a psalm that I feel can be of some help to the mental health crisis that is plaguing our young people. So many describe feeling lonely and cut off; feelings that no one knows them and feelings of inadequacy; feeling alone in the world though they may be surrounded by people and family. Interactions through social media attempting to portray a certain self to the world that leaves them feeling less than because they know in their heart-of-hearts that the self they portray to the world is not them.
To me, Psalm 139 can be of great comfort to those who have these feelings, for it describes a God who has “searched me and known me, knows my sitting down and my rising up;” a God who discerns your thoughts from afar.
To have a God who is so intimately acquainted with our ways, who created our inmost parts, who knit us together in our mother’s womb, can be of great comfort. You are known! You are known and not just that - you were created by a God who is knows your journeys and your resting-places and is acquainted with all your ways.
If you can believe that you are known by someone/ something outside of yourself- that your God knows you and sees and loves you- I find this very comforting when I feel alone.
Of course, being known comes with its downside. For some it may not bring comfort that God knows everything about you. I see that as an opportunity to give those things to God that you may not be proud of.
Our lectionary leaves out verses 6-11 of this portion of Psalm 139. Verse 6 says, “Where can I go the from your Spirit? Where can I feel from your presence? If I climb up to the heaven, you are there; if I take the grave my bed, you are there also. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me and your right hand hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night’, Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike.”
Darkness and light are both alike to God. He sees all of us; the good and the bad. The ugly. And it is all alike.
There is no where you can go to hide from God’s presence. And God knows you. He knows you intimately. So you are not alone. You are seen. And you are loved.
I am aware of the large numbers in our midst that struggle with depression, cutting, eating disorders, large incidence of suicide, etc. There are no one stop solutions on how to fix these problems in our society. Those who work in the mental health fields are more than aware of the crisis we are in, and the work itself for these professionals, somewhat like myself, can be draining. It is always asked, “Who serves the mental health professional?” Where do they go for support? Hopefully we each have our own support systems in place.
Another question that is in my mind constantly when I hear these stories of crisis is, “What does the church have to offer to help address this crisis?” As a priest during my examination, one of the things I committed myself to was to “nourish Christ’s people from the riches of his grace, and strengthen them to glorify God in this life and in the life to come” BCP, p, 531
The mental health crisis is not something that we as the body of Christ can or should ignore.
The Psalms are sacred words or hymns traditionally attributed to mainly the words of King David. The Psalms are hymns, or poems, and they can describe great anguish or great joy - they are the words of David, they are his feelings. They are not generally thought to be nor should they be used to form great theological stances from. You can’t take a verse and just form some theological treatise or unbending truth from them; they must be understood in the context in which they were written. That being said and acknowledged, the words of the Psalms provide great comfort and we can learn from them. They were written by a human and record some of his deepest emotions. They were written for our edification and growth, learning and enjoyment. We can identify with some of the emotions.
Psalm 139 is a psalm that I feel can be of some help to the mental health crisis that is plaguing our young people. So many describe feeling lonely and cut off; feelings that no one knows them and feelings of inadequacy; feeling alone in the world though they may be surrounded by people and family. Interactions through social media attempting to portray a certain self to the world that leaves them feeling less than because they know in their heart-of-hearts that the self they portray to the world is not them.
To me, Psalm 139 can be of great comfort to those who have these feelings, for it describes a God who has “searched me and known me, knows my sitting down and my rising up;” a God who discerns your thoughts from afar.
To have a God who is so intimately acquainted with our ways, who created our inmost parts, who knit us together in our mother’s womb, can be of great comfort. You are known! You are known and not just that - you were created by a God who is knows your journeys and your resting-places and is acquainted with all your ways.
If you can believe that you are known by someone/ something outside of yourself- that your God knows you and sees and loves you- I find this very comforting when I feel alone.
Of course, being known comes with its downside. For some it may not bring comfort that God knows everything about you. I see that as an opportunity to give those things to God that you may not be proud of.
Our lectionary leaves out verses 6-11 of this portion of Psalm 139. Verse 6 says, “Where can I go the from your Spirit? Where can I feel from your presence? If I climb up to the heaven, you are there; if I take the grave my bed, you are there also. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me and your right hand hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night’, Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike.”
Darkness and light are both alike to God. He sees all of us; the good and the bad. The ugly. And it is all alike.
There is no where you can go to hide from God’s presence. And God knows you. He knows you intimately. So you are not alone. You are seen. And you are loved.