The Stigma of Mental illness

Stigma; The dictionary says it is a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person. 

                        Stigma often comes from a lack of understanding or fear, also inaccurate or misleading media representations of mental illness. 

                        I've learned though threw out the years that Stigma is not an obstacle. Psalm 139:14 says, "I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well".

                        It was 1978 when I became ill with mental illness. The stigma drove me more insane, I was in hiding most my days, and my life was with much shame. And of course my life was a mess. I contemplated many many things including suicide. Hospitalizations was a norm for me in those first five years of my illness. I was hospitalized five times, once a year because I would lose my mind, not knowing who I was and where I was. The first time I was in the hospital for six months, the other Four times they would lock me up for three months at a time in the VA hospital.  But it was in 1980 when I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, while going threw this my life began to change for the better.

                         Even though I still have mental illness today, my illness started going in a positive direction back then because I had the Holy Spirit. 

                         In 1980 I received the Holy Spirit but I did not go to  church or read the Bible until 1987. Before that I was going to commit suicide, but the day I stepped into that church in 1987 that thought just disappeared from my mind, and was also going to get a divorce at the time. 

                         The first day at that church a brother in Christ gave me a verse. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

                          I read that and ran with it and took it to heart. I said to myself though, the Lord has a plan for me? I'm mentally ill, I am dirt, and no good in this world. 

                          But I believed that verse and started going to church and reading and applying the Bible on a daily basis from then on. 

                          It has not been an easy road, it is now 2022 and I can easily say that Jesus has never, never, never let me down. Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

                           All things. Good and bad work for our good. you see it's all about Jesus in the true world. He created us and we were created for Him. And until we truly realize this we mentally ill or not will have a deep void and a lack of real peace in our lives. And the good that all things work for is being more like Jesus. 

                          Sin is a depressant, a mental illness maker. Everyone is ill in one way or another. its just that some of us need medication to treat our illness and that does not mean you are inferior. Luke the apostle was a doctor and God used him mightily. If you need medication don't feel bad. 

                          Today I don't feel the stigma, I see it and I feel an urgency to do something about it because of Jesus. I see how God has healed me with medication and the miracles He has done in my life and has given me a Hope and a future not to bring me harm but to prosper me. and the prosperity is in my mind in my case. I still have the illness but I feel I don't. Praise the Lord!  

                        

Why does all this happen to me.

Though He was a Son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Hebrews 5:8. 

             At times things happen to us that get our attention, things we go through and we suffer through these things. We wonder why does all this happen to me. Jesus learned obedience by the things which He suffered and so do we. So we ask ourselves, how is this? 

             When we go through things and we suffer, this gets our attention. First of all, God is in control, so that means He either does things or allows things to happen. Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. So this means if you love God, you will in turn follow Him and obey His commands. So all things happen for the good. The good is that you will get closer to him and in turn, be like Him.

              When a father disciplines or tries to get his sons or daughters' attention, to do something, correct, or to direct in some way, he will do anything possible to do so. God is the same and does the same by allowing or doing things in our lives to direct us or correct us. But the difference is that God does it perfectly. 

                So when things happen to us that get our attention,  sometimes it's a conflict with someone else. Sure that person has to do something, to correct or change in some instance, but so do we. 

               The thing is, we who love God, all things happen for the good. And as I said earlier, it's to get closer to Christ and be like Him. 

                In these times, we have a tendency to blame others and avoid responsibility for our actions. But God allowed or made this conflict happen, remember He is in control. We must always in all things that get our attention, ask God, what are You trying to teach me in this situation that has gotten my attention. 

                God will show you in some way what He is trying to teach you. But in order to know more accurately what God is teaching you, you must be in most cases in the right relationship with God. 

                 Jesus is always teaching us something. It may be to correct and remove some sin in your life or to direct you in some direction, or it may just be to tell you to keep doing what you're doing. As your Father, He loves you very much and wants the best for you and your future. 

                  

               

Where is God leading you.

For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11. God has a real plan for all His children. And everything that," if you love God," happens to you along the way is to prepare you for the plan God has for you. Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those, who are called according to His purpose. 

                  You may be going through some hard times, or you may be going through some good times. What ever you are going through it's for your good, if you love God. Good things even the bad things, all are for your good, to prepare you for what God has planed for you. He will not bring any harm to you, it may seem that way at certain times, but trust Him always, He is working to prepare you for what He has for you. It's to give you a hope and a future. 

                   Some times though, we go through places, high and low and sometimes we don't know what's going on, or where are we going we seem to be blind at the time. But trust Him always He is working to prepare you for the plan He has for you. Isaiah 42:16 says, I will bring the blind by a way they did not know, I will lead them in paths they have not known, I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight.These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.

                    Now you might say, what do I do when everything does not make sense, or goes wrong? Begin with thanking Him,  Colossians 3:17 says, And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

                    God is in control and that means, He either allows things to happen or He makes things happen. When we give thanks in all things, even  the things that don't make sense, He will show you why you should be thankful in His time. Trust and pray to Him, He will never let you down. His plans are always great, no matter how small we see them, because He is a great and mighty God.

He Is Our Healer.

The Blame Game.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28. 
God is in control, right?, of course He is, that means He either makes things happen or He allows things to happen, all for His purposes. The good things and even the bad things all work for your good and the good is to get closer to Him and be more like Him. We sometimes have arguments with people, it could be a friend or even a relative. 
So in the heat of everything and as time goes by we blame the other person and maybe even get to the point of never talking to them. Jesus asks us to forgive each other. Matthew 18:21-22, Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 
It's a constant forgiveness. Now that doesn't mean that you will forget the wrong, you may never,  but you treat them as if nothing happened, you don't in other words X them out of your life and judge and condemn them, God forgave you of many atrocious things or are you so perfect. You still love them. Even though there might be a loss of trust or no relationship. those things have to be earned and rebuilt. 
Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Hebrews 5:8-9.
We forget or just never knew that Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered. 
We too must learn things that way most times. Remember God is in control, that means He either makes things happen or He allows things to happen. So your child is going in the wrong direction or he needs to learn something very important. You as a parent will most likely do anything in any way to get his or her attention to transmit the teaching to correct or give the information. God does the same thing to us. He uses anything even suffering to get our attention so we can learn obedience and be more like Him. 
The fact is, knowing all this, it's not the other person, it's God using the other person or circumstance or what ever to get your attention and the question is not why this person, but God what are you trying to teach me through this. 
It's very simple my friend, it's to Know Him if you do not know Him or if you do know Him, it's to be more like Him. God is in control.   

WHEN CAUGHT IN THE EYE OF A HURRICANE.

And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall not have no other gods before me." You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:1-6 ( NIV ). We wonder sometimes as Christians, like I have for many years until God showed me this truth. we wonder what is wrong with some of the relatives around us, that there is no peace or love among them or the unity that is found only in Christ. And those who know this unity, know what I am talking about. It's a genuine unity and only those who truly know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, only have. The Bible says Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me you who practice lawlessness! Matthew 7:20-23. Our fathers before us might have not known Jesus and loved and worshiped other things. maybe it was witchcraft, or simply not God, and were guided to make their life decisions without Jesus in their hearts. The Bible says that God will punish their children to the third and forth generation. I see that. I'm living in that, in the center of it all like in the eye of the hurricane and destruction all around me. But thanks be to God there is an answer. Cause God will show love to those who really know Him and follow Him. Do you know Him ? Matthew 10:34-39 says: Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to " set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in law against her mother-in law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.        Do you really know Him ?

What Is God Teaching you.

Proverbs 20:30 Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being. What is God teaching you with your pain, or do you think like most people, it's all about the other person, it's their fault I am feeling this way, their making me  miserable. I'm innocent, God does not love me. Troubles and pain come into our lives often. And like we do not realize allot of the times, God is in control always. That means He makes things happen or He allows things to happen, it's as simple as that. We blame others for our pain and point the finger. When we should take responsibility for our actions and ask God, who is in control, what are you trying to teach me, or what do you want me to change because of this pain that You have either allowed or put in my life. God is a good God he always wants the best for us. Like a good father always wants his child to grow strong and go in the right direction. That's why I really believe that two things happen in life. The things that happen before we really know Christ, happen to lead us to know Him, and the things that happen after we really know Christ, happen to get us closer to Him and mold us to be more like Him. It's not easy to figure out what is happening as the pain comes in and determine the answer of what is God trying to teach you or change in you, Allot of prayer and asking God for guidance is probably necessary. And sometimes it's very obvious what God is trying to transmit to you. Always look up, no man or woman has any power or will ever have any power, to overthrow God. Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. What is God teaching you or want to change in you today? Focus on that and you will gain peace, joy, love, understanding, self control and many, many more Good things, that we gain when we really know Him. And remember also For He says in Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.