Is anyone else struggling with mental illness in relation to religion?

Question

I'm hoping there's someone out there who is struggling with this issue too. My dad is mentally ill and he's a believer...I can't stop struggling with WHY God would allow this. I believe God is all-powerful and dont doubt Him for a minute, I dont know I just never have, and that's why I don't understand why He won't heal my dad when He says He will.

Can anyone share experiences, opinions?? Email me if you like....thanks so much, I appreciate it, really need the help right now :(

Answer 1

iunderstand were you are coming from i struggle with it all the time since my mom died she was very devoted to god .was very healthy the dies froma brain tumor..she prayed and prayed tobe healed..but died..so i dont have an answer just adds more confusion for me

Answer 2

You are contradicting yourself and not allowing yourself to see the reality. It's your choice, you have a right to remain confused.

Answer 3

I don't know why God won't heal your dad - I don't think everyone is going to be healed and I don't think it matters as far as his spiritual standing goes.  If he's right with God, he's promised life, abundantly and later a new body.  Why everyone isn't healed is like this huge debate topic among Christians: is it a lack of faith on our part, are we following the instructions in the bible correctly, do we have sin in our lives before we lay on hands, have we fasted and prayed since some things demand that (because some battles are intense spiritually speaking and in order for people to be freed from certain afflictions, Jesus said fasting and intense prayer are needed) - sometimes it's blamed on the lack of faith of the person needing the healing.  There are a whole lot of 'reasons' or at least, a lot of ideas.  And the truth is: no one knows.  No one knows except God, why suffering is allowed in this life.

All we do know is this promise: all our suffering will turn to good for those of us who love the Lord.  My baby son died 9 years ago now - I don't know why, he'd never sinned, I wanted to love him and see him grow more than anything in my life, but he died.  No one knew why - not even the doctors, they just gave me theories and finally admitted they were shooting i nthe dark.  I never judged God about this because the truth is - as intense as my love for my son was, I know I don't see all ends: I only see one part of the whole story.  That is, the story of my life, and my son's.  I couldn't see the future, and still can't - I don't see what is happening in the spiritual realm because I live i na human one.  And I don't presume to know the mind of God.  All I could do was pour out my heartache to my God, trust his will and purspose and let it go, and get on with my life.  

A lot of people had their theories on why he died - just like a lot of people will have theories on why your dad should be healed, could be healed - or even why he isn't being healed.  But men's theories are only men's theories.  God is still God and still loving us unconditionally and through all our questions and sufferings.  I'm not saying you don't have the right to question or even get angry about your dad's illness - and I'm not saying it won't happen for him either.  I'm just sying: don't put your eyes on people in this matter, don't rely on their theories, and don't take your eyes off God just because you've hit a question you can't answer.  There have always been sick, poor, starving, wartorn nations with evil tyrants, corrupt governments and so on.  Even Jesus said they would always be with us. But if he says he has compassion on all mankind, that includes them too and his love is more perfect than mine so I can't judge him on why it happens.

All any of us can do, is endure like Job and remain just as faithful - and, also, we can seek to understand sicknesses, diseases and conditions, not just spiritually, but also through studying medicine and gaining new ground in how to heal and cure these conditions.  Because to me, this is as much seeing God's blessing poured out as any miracle healing.  It just takes longer, so some of our loved ones don't get to experience it in time.  

Answer 4

I'm a believer too, I don't claim to know the answer.  All I know is that I believe in God and Prayer, I believe in cause and effect and there is a reason for everything.  It is not for me to understand some things or to know why, but I ask God to give me the strength to confront and if I can't come to an understanding of some circumstances, to please give me the strength to accept, and with acceptance, believe it or not you do come to some degree of understanding if that makes since for you. To me there are all levels of understanding, you have to find that level that gives you acceptance and with God, your mental health will get better.

Answer 5

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

Answer 6

I have struggled with depression most of my adult life. I did not understand why God allowed it to go on for so long, since I believe in Him and His healing and mercy, but I always believed that He would turn it to good somehow. Finally, after about 20 years, I've discovered that I have Asperger's. I still get depressed, but now I know why, I know how to limit the triggers to my depression, and most of all, I have a testimony to those who are also struggling. When Job went through his testing he did not know why, but when God made it clear, he did. I can't claim to know why your father faces this trial, but I am confident that God will work it to the good of those who believe. (I am also confident that no matter what SOME Christians may try to say, that it is NOT a sign of sin in your father's life. Granted, it could be, but I think if it was your father would know. More likely, it is simply a thorn that may or may not be removed.)

Edit - If your dad needs an understanding Christian adult to talk to feel free to e-mail me or have him e-mail me. He is not alone!

Answer 7

I don't want to criticize God, because I've spent most of my life trying hard to gain better understanding about Him.  But I feel for you, and I want to be honest.  I was a Christian minister years ago, and I know that many people get very discouraged when they pray for a healing and it doesn't happen -- myself included.  Instead of asking why God allows a problem to happen or doesn't heal someone, the question I finally had to ask myself was, what is wrong with my understanding about God and the universe, that what I'm expecting isn't consistent with what's happening.  

Have you ever considered that your dad's being a believer in the bible may be part of the reason he is struggling with being mentally ill.  I've seen several examples of that very thing first hand.  My thought is that since the Bible is quite hard to reconcile in a person's mind (depending how deeply you get into it), people who have a degree of unbalance become much worse when they start getting into a religion like that.  My brother in law became delusional, bi-polar, possibly schizophrenic, and couldn't function in life, and he obsessed about the Bible all the time.  He hasn't gone to school or worked for over 30 years.  I also know another schizophrenic who basically has read nothing but the Bible for 20 years, and he's still institutionalized.  

Maybe it's something to do with the mystical, magical, miraculous nature of the claims of the bible, and it doesn't sound much like reality as we know it.  If you believe it too much, maybe it helps cause you lose touch with reality.  When was the last time you saw the sun stop in one spot for a whole day, (so God's people could have more time to chase down and kill hundreds or thousands of people from another nation who were fleeing). ??

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be negative about God at all.  I seek after God with all my heart.  But there are some things in the Bible that don't really sound much like God, and I'm just trying to honestly answer your question.

Answer 8

There is ABSOLUTELY NO credible, viable, tangible, irrefutable evidence of ANY 'god'. Now, about your dad. Be kind and a good daughter and get him professional help.

Answer 9

I think there is a strong relationship between mental illness and religion. People in the darkness of mental crisis will often turn to religion for guidance.

Unfortunately, religion is like a bed that provides comfort for the sufferer, but won't cure them.

If your Dad is ill just give him the space and the room to talk, and hope that time can do the rest.

Did God write you a personal letter saying He can heal your Dad?

If not, then you can rely on faith, or you can say that whatever God's plan, right now he needs people who can intervene and help him to recovery.

Hope he gets better soon.

Answer 10

GOD HAS GIVEN FREE WILL WHICH ended up being a huge risk cuz Satan was determined to ruin things! My Mom died of cancer at 46...that was painful.... we dont understand everything right now....but we Know we will see Our Lord in time ....my parents were born again sofor me them too.....hang in there...

Answer 11

The Bible is not a medical book describing the cause for different maladies. Yet it does explain what is the common cause for all human diseases, mental and physical.

It shows that we are victims of the imperfection resulting in death that was passed on to the human race by our sinful forefather Adam. As the apostle Paul explains: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

This means that every descendant of Adam is imperfect and thus somewhat deficient both mentally and physically.

Therefore, mental aberrations are but extreme forms of an inherited weakness we all have.

That God does care for those mentally ill can be seen by the provisions he has made.

He lays the obligation to care for them upon their closest family members. At 1 Timothy 5:8 we read: “Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.” No exception is made for members of the household who are sick.  

Through prayer God may be reached at any time, day or night. And he invites us to petition him “in everything,” which also includes mental problems.—Philippians 4:6.

With permanent relief in view, God has permitted this imperfect human condition to exist during a certain period of time. But not forever! The Scriptures assure us that all unpleasant aspects of human life will completely disappear when God’s heavenly Kingdom government replaces Satanic rule with divine rulership of the earth.—Daniel 2:34, 44; Revelation 21:4

Answer 12

YES!  My parents are Jehovah's Witnesses.  I was raised as one.  My parents are OBSESSED!  If you research JWs you will see that they are mind controlled.  It's very frustrating and sad.  My parents don't have a relationship with me OR my kids since we don't belong to their "organization".  Once your in, you in....if your out, your shunned!

My parents act so strange!  They believe that they are to be 'no part of the world' literally.  They believe that they are the ONLY religion that is going to survive an impending war between God and the devil and everyone ELSE is going to die a violent death!  This makes JW's very arrogant and out of touch with reality!  That WOULD be enough to drive

someone crazy!

Hang in there!  I am slowly watching my parents deteriorate mentally.  I understand.