[This is for my Christian Folks; and those who ain’t afraid to be Inspired and Blessed]
20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:20-21:
Recently I spoke at a conference in New Jersey about Fatherhood & Mental Health. In the weeks leading up to the presentation, I did a lot of reading about depression and its affect specifically on men. I wasn’t surprised by what I learned, but struck by the denial to which we as men dismiss the notion that we might not have all of our mental capacities. To which, in a light moment, I summated to the women in the audience that I could solve the craziness in their lives; if I could fix the crazy men “in” their lives. Obviously, that found laughter, applause and agreement.
One of the pieces of literature I read in preparing for my presentation was a new report out of Morehouse entitled, “The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis of African-American Males,” by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D. In the text, Dr. Xanthos highlights the increasing and dramatic rise of mental illness and related behavioral problems of African American males. Specifically it speaks to the rising disparities in homicide of black males, suicide, and achievement difficulties, amongst other issues impacted by mental health.
While I take seriously the research and efforts to inform us of these critical issues, my ultimate gauge comes from another source. Yes, I believe God is an action God; meaning that if we’re sick, we should seek earthly help; however with heavenly guidance and Godly results. So as crazy as this concept might sound, you have to believe God will supply all of your needs. Philippians 4:19.
So what about those everyday things that drive you absolutely bonkers? Not to the extent of homicide and suicide, but those things that stop you in your tracks; disrupts your thinking, slows your movement and even disorients your mind. Those things that are created, not by the things you hear, but by the people you hear it from. Chris Rock once said, “guns don’t kill people, stupid people with guns, kill people.”
Who is bringing you messages of mental illness? Verbal Poison? Why can’t a God’s who desire to bring you peace; get through to you? My previous pastor always said, “if I’m not teaching you, who is?” Basically what he was saying; “if you’re not listening to me, who are you listening to?” We are ultimately responsible for all of our actions. It is why God gives us free will. One of the most devastating voices to hear, is through what I like to call the “Serpents Language;” GOSSIP. It is a language that scrambles our brain; causes us to have ungodly thoughts and do unspeakable things. It can be the most effective trigger to many of our behavior problems.
Jesus says, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Choose what is better and it will not be taken from you.” Luke 10:41-42. We often get caught up. Bogged down by things and people that don’t matter. The words of people that have no life and their whispers in the night that cause you discomfort. You can’t control what is said; but you can control who you listen to; and as much as you would like to; you can’t control what they say to you. However, you can control how you deal with it.
Isaiah 30:21 tells us that God will tell us what we need to hear; where we need to go and how we need to do it. You just have to figure out how to distinguish His voice in the midst of your storm.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).