I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. The idea that we aren’t meant to just survive life, but thrive in life. This doesn’t mean that we don’t go through periods in our life where we are just surviving. I know that phase well. However, I believe we can have joy and peace and hope here on earth and I believe God has given us so many blessings and resources to help us do this. I do think this idea is very dependent on our outlook on life and how we view the adversity and pain that will inevitably come into our lives.
This season of my life has been extremely painful. Struggles with mental and physical health, job loss and financial insecurity, being in situations where I have had to forgive and love people who have treated my family and myself unfairly, watching people I love suffer and die, and then just being exposed to so many other people’s pain and struggles. This year has been a hard one. There have been periods during this time that I am just struggling to survive each day. However, I want to also see God’s sovereignty and purpose in this pain. I want to rejoice in all circumstances and realize that whatever happens in my life is for God’s glory and my good. These struggles and losses can make me stronger and more joyful. They can make me more loving and more hopeful. And I see that. Not in my own strength, but in the strength that God has given me in my weakness.
One aspect of this for me and my mental and physical health has been in the provision of medication in the form of an antipsychotic. This has been somewhat of a struggle for me to accept over the years, but I really do see this medication as a gift from God. I know what this summer was like for me off of the right medication, and I see how well I am doing now. I am thriving. This did not come easily and took time for me to figure out the right medication and dosage and have my body get used to it. But knowing what I know now, I am so thankful I was given this medication.
I talk to a lot of people about this and I hear them as they struggle with the idea of taking medication. So many people are suffering with mental health issues and there is still this stigma that we don’t want to take medication. I DO not agree with just taking medication and it being a quick fix and that being the only aspect that we address about our health. I firmly believe we also need to be doing counselling and educating ourselves on our unhealthy and distorted thinking patterns. We may have sin issues to address or physical areas that need work- eating healthier, exercise, regular sleep patterns. We are holistic people and we need to address ALL areas of our health. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual- these are all important. If you have a chemical imbalance in your brain, you WILL NOT get better just by counselling. God can heal us and He may choose to do that with some people, but that may also not happen. If you had a thyroid issue or diabetes, would you refuse to take medication because you can go to counselling and somehow your blood sugar and thyroid levels will change? I don’t think so.
These are just my words of encouragement to those of you struggling through this issue. Especially to Christians who feel that somehow they are not trusting God enough or praying enough. Yes, you probably do need to do that more, we all do! But maybe trusting God would be using what He has provided you with in the forms of our free healthcare system, our doctors and psychiatrists, and all the medications we have access to. It is definitely hard to accept that we need to take a medication to make us feel normal or well. I have struggled through this too. But I firmly believe that God has given me this medication to help me thrive! I have seen how I am off of it and He used that to grow me too. But on this medication, I feel more like myself, I have more energy, I can give more of myself to others and am able to serve in ways I could not when I was just surviving.
So we can still experience God’s joy and strength and peace in the midst of our struggles. And He does want us to thrive! That is His desire for us and that is not to say all of life is easy and happy and fun. But He does always provide for us and give us what we need to make it through in His strength.
Let me encourage you, if this is something you are struggling through, take heart, because I know the feeling. And I’m not saying medication will heal you and make all your problems go away. I have done some intense group therapy and counselling and spent a lot of time before God in prayer and examining myself, but I do need medication and that is not something that at this point will ever change. I can hope and pray for healing, but at this time, this medication is my healing.
So if you have any questions or want to talk to me about it, please ask away! I want everyone to THRIVE and not just SURVIVE. And it may not be medication that you need, maybe it is counselling or dealing with something in your life. But if it is medication that you think you may need, please don’t be afraid to try it or think you are any less of a person or Christian because of it. And be patient because all healing takes time. Whether it be counselling or group therapy or medication, it all takes time to work. But God is there throughout it all, and I believe He is working for our good. Please use what He has given you.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
