I am always very touched when youth allow this grandpa to spend time with them. Last Sunday afternoon I had the privilege to share at Covenant Evangelical Free Church’s combined youth service held at their Woodlands campus. It was one of a number of sermons addressing the issue of mental health. The church was taking seriously the alarming stats of mental health challenges among Singaporean youth.
I am no expert on mental health. But I survived a period of clinical depression some years ago. When I am asked to speak on the topic of depression I turn to the poster boy for depression in the Bible, the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. I know I am stretching the exegesis a little, but I have always been struck by how God ministers to Elijah wholistically.
1. Physically (1 Kings 19:5–6) — Elijah is allowed to sleep and eat.
2. Emotionally (1 Kings 19:9b–10, 14) — God provides a safe place for Elijah to share his story.
3. Spiritually (1 Kings 19:12–13) — God speaks to Elijah in a still, small voice. I guess a loud voice would have scared off someone recovering from depression/exhaustion.
4. Relationally (1 Kings 19:15–17) — God gives Elijah a band of brothers.
5. Vocationally (1 Kings 19:15–17) — God gives Elijah a fresh assignment.
Too often, the church wants to fix people spiritually, forgetting that God has made us integrated beings of at least five dimensions and that any approach to healing and restoration will have to take these into account. We also need wisdom as to which human dimension needs care first. In Elijah’s case God started with physical renewal. Sometimes folks may be too tired to receive spiritual input. A nap may be the most healing thing to do first.
If there is one group committed to wholistic care, it’s hospital chaplains. The last three days I was privileged to be at a retreat with a group of hospital chaplains. They were some of the most intelligent, spiritual, and caring people I know. And because they provided wholistic care to patients, their families, and other staff, they were also drained wholistically. In addition, they had to struggle with the fact that many people are not quite sure what chaplains actually do. They are often asked, “Are you counsellors? Are you pastors?” They reply, “Yes, but …”.
Christian hospital chaplains are one of the few groups that are actually intentionally committed to wholistic care, in partnership with doctors, nurses, counsellors, social workers, pastors, etc. Many of us are prone to reducing human brokenness to just one area, e.g. the spiritual, and therefore looking to just prayer and Bible study as the only or main approach to healing.
But God understands human anthropology. After all, He created us. We follow His cue in how we try to bring healing to those who need it. He treats the total person. I am glad I had the opportunity to make this point with a group of youth, and the privilege of encouraging my chaplain friends.
