Mental Illness

I have written about mental illness and psychiatric drugs before.I think that God often uses times of Mental Illness in the lives of some Christians to love,correct and teach.

• Job wanted to die and begged God to take his life.
• Saul was vexed by Mental Illness and tried to ward it off with soothing music instead of repentance.


• David had times of severe mental suffering, day and night Gods heavy hand was upon him.


• Nebuchadnezzar, (Daniel 4) was struck with mental illness as a time of chastisement for his pride, he was so out of it he ate grass, quit bathing and let his fingernails grow out like birds talons, when he came to he worshipped with a whole new perspective on God.


• Deut. 28:27-29,34 mentions "madness" as a divine chastisement


• Paul said "Without were fightings, within were fears"

I think that there are way too many pills being pushed today. Particularly to *Christians* who need to stop and consider if these struggles are not the hand of God trying to save us and teach us. Nothing withdraws pride like a good mental breakdown. God knows how to extract those self efforts and insert compassion and absolute utter dependence on Him alone.

Perhaps depression is not a time to take pills and reflect on ourselves and our childhood like the pop psychologist would have us believe. Maybe God is trying to cause us to cry out to Him, to learn compassion for others who suffer. To share in the fellowship of His sufferings. Suffering can be such an effective tool in Gods hand if we allow it.