Mental Health Awareness Month

According to Google, May has been observed as Mental Health Awareness Month since 1949. While that may be true, I never really paid much attention to it prior to my own venture through the dark.

How often does this happen?

Why is it so difficult to admit when our mentals are not healthy?

I'm not even talking about the undeniable mental issues some people have. I am simply referring to the stigmas included with anxiety and depression. Fear and anger also lead to a cornucopia of mental health issues if left unaddressed for too long.

I'll be honest. I've thought some very defeating thoughts myself in regards to these "lesser" mental battles. Which is maybe why God knew I would be the perfect candidate to walk through a dark season of depression. Hand in hand with Him.

Previous to my own humbling experience, I'll admit, I had mixed emotions when I heard someone mention being anxious or wrestling through depression. Until my own mind began to resemble Eeyore, or even the more recent, Sadness.

What I have learned over the past three years, at least, is that God even loves those who are depressed. He cares about those struggling with anxiety. He does not turn His back or say, "suck it up, buttercup". He does not ask you where your big girl panties are.

I thought I just wasn't trying hard enough. Not believing enough. My sins must've finally caught up with me. My heart had broken into so many pieces, surely I had to have done something wrong, again.

But God reminded me of a prayer that I was "foolish" enough to pray prior to leaving Texas, "break my heart for what breaks yours, Lord". I would not suggest that prayer to anyone.

My heart has continually been broken for those who do not know that Jesus died so that God could meet them in their mess. Their messy depression, their messy anxiety, their messy mental state, whatever caused it. Broken hearts, broken promises, broken people, broken genetics.

If you battle with mental health issues, I encourage you to invite your Creator in to shed some light into your darkness. Doctors, counseling, lifestyle changes and medications are all great tools to aide in this process. But if those doctors, and counselors do not believe in our Great Physician, our Ultimate Counselor, the One who created our complex mind, are we being given a band-aid for our bullet hole.

Invite Jesus in. His specialty is binding up broken hearts SO THAT our minds get the chance to be anxious for nothing.

Fortunately, God warned my heart ahead of my season of depression. Unfortunately, I thought that meant it would be easier. It was not. But God was with me in the midst. And that made all the difference.

Even if you were blind-sided by depression or invited anxiety in with your incessant worry, Jesus came to bring good news to the afflicted and bind up the broken hearts. There is no darkness too dark for Jesus to venture in to save one of His lost loves!

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me

To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;

He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,

To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives

And freedom to prisoners,

Why would Jesus do that? Besides His undeniable love for us?

Because of Isaiah 61:4

Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,

They will raise up and restore the former desolations;

And they will renew the ruined cities,

The desolations (deserted settlements) of many generations.