This is a topic that can go many ways. However, I am choosing as a basis, the biblical worldview along with insights from secular mental health. Both have validity. Both help in the process of Emotional Wholeness.
I recently attended a webinar put on by SAMSHA (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) which covered this very issue. The need for faith communities to connect with mental health providers and vice versa in order to be better equipped at reaching the millions of Americans dealing with some level of emotional / mental health issue.
You see, the term mental health distracts us from the fact that some parts of a persons issues are emotional however are connected to their thoughts (mental). And, some of the mental issues, especially diagnosable mental disorders, are connected to the physical, meaning the brain and it’s chemical activity. And some come in the form of actual physical sickness when not properly addressed and/ or treated from an emotional/mental/spiritual perspective. Some issues are spiritual in nature that then affect the emotional, mental, and physical aspects of a person.
Much of this information requires educational awareness from these different entities and directed at different populations of society for understanding, respect, and positive action to be implemented. This is what I appreciated about the SAMSHA webinar. The spiritual (and again, my worldview is biblical), secular mental or behavioral health, and related medical aspects are important to be understood and addressed. Often, we overlook all of the possibilities of a persons emotional problems because we are narrow minded or shortsighted because of our beliefs, area of expertise, or limited understanding.
Emotional Wholeness means being emotionally healthy. Healthy brings to us the connotation of being healed. All of us at one time or another suffer an emotional crisis; a death of a loved one, a broken relationship, a church, work, friend or family betrayal, failed attempts at what we see as success, disappointments of various kinds or fear and anxiety due to the pressures of life or realities of terrorism and war.
All of these and other items can produce emotional distress and cause a temporary period of emotional duress. Some people process through it in a healthy manner and come out stronger having learned their capacity to cope in a healthy manner at deeper levels. Others respond by engaging negative coping mechanisms which if activated for too long become a destruction force to their emotional well being. Even though seeking assistance when dealing with an emotional issue is warranted, it is especially recommended when negative ways of coping continue.
Each of us, unless there truly is an untreatable brain disorder (which is questionable by those who believe in consistent soaking prayer), has the capacity for emotional problems. Grief, anger, anxiety, bitterness, resentment, rejection, sadness, depression, ungodly, negative or irrational thinking, unforgiveness, relationship issues, and the list can go on, introduce themselves to all of us at varying times of life. To address them (deal with them) is essential to Emotional Wholeness. Not dealing with them in an appropriate and healthy manner leads to our own demise, very subtlety.
Many of us carry with us, from our backgrounds, pride that we can handle it by ourselves. Or, we subconsciously believe that if we share the truth about our emotional pain and/or our ungodly, negative, irrational thinking (use the term that you are most comfortable with), or “stinkin’ thinkin,” that we will be looked upon negatively. This is when it is recommended that you seek out someone, (even a friend or family member) whom will be confidential. All mental health providers and pastoral counselor’s or church leaders (should) are held to a vow of confidentiality.
Some people don’t really recognize that they have an emotional issue, only that they tend not to get along with a number of people or don’t have friends or end up in arguments and fights more often than most people, or keep starting a romantic relationship that never blossoms into a keeper, unfortunately blaming the other person or people.
Emotional Wholeness is your potential! It is possible! It may take a while, depending on your personal issues. But, aren’t you worth it? Or is worthiness your issue? My purpose in this writing is as usual, to help you. To suggest that you think through your life and issues, to think about yourself. Then to assess where you are and decide whether you are emotionally whole. Also, to decide that if you do have some unresolved issues, how will you handle them.
Lastly, let me say this, we need to stop judging each other the way that we do and realize that everyone is dealing with something, or has or will. And that the issues of our lives, though unknown to everyone, may in fact be affecting a person causing a particular attitude or response. That this is probably not their norm or is only their norm because of unaddressed emotional issues. Have compassion and empathy (put yourself in someone else’s shoes) and pray for them. Say a kind word to them. Encourage them regardless as to their attitude, words or behavior. If you cannot do this, accept the fact that you, too, have emotional or spiritual issues that need to be addressed, then address them.
We all need some help in some aspect of our lives. God made us to need one another and even commands us to help / love one another. Let’s change our world by working on changing ourselves. Then being more willing to be a complement to others rather than bringing wounding to the wounded.
[See the following passages in the Bible that speak about emotional healing: Isaiah 53:4&5, I Peter 2:24, and 3 John 1:2 (NKJV)]
BECAUSE OF GRACE 