One of the most difficult things to recognize is the place of faith when it comes to mental illness. Many view mental illness (or really any illness, for that matter) as a question of faith. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard variations on the theme:
“Trust that God will take care of you. You don’t need to feel this way.”
“If you prayed more and spent more time in the Word, you would feel better.”
“Depression is really a faith issue. If you had more faith, you would have a better outlook on life.”
“How can you be anxious and nervous? Haven’t you ever read Philippians 4?”
I’ve seen a number of comments about the ongoing anxiety of preaching. I know preachers who throw up before every service. I know preachers who haven’t loved it for years. Preaching, if it is done right, is profoundly self-exposing. Preachers who know their people must know themselves, the depths of their own sin. These who preach to their congregation best probably preach to (sometimes against) themselves first.
Time/CNN online recently posted an article on the most depressing day of the year. Apparently a Dr. Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University published a study indicating that the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year.
