Church should have something to say about mental health issues.....

Stats on depression....see infographic materials for current numbers....

James 5:17-18 NLT

Although suicide is relatively rare among children, the rate of suicide attempts and suicide deaths increases tremendously during adolescence. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), surpassed only by accidents and homicide.

Depression and Suicide
by Kevin Caruso
Untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.

If you or have some of these symptoms below, please seek help immediately:
Feeling sad for two or more weeks
Feeling lethargic -- feeling like you have no energy
Unable to concentrate
Sleeping too much or too little
Eating too much or too little
Feeling worthless
Feeling hopeless
Feeling helpless
Feeling negative or pessimisstic
Losing interest in activities that you previously enjoyed
Crying frequently
Withdrawing from others
Neglecting personal appearance
Feeling angry
Feeling guilty
Unable to think clearly
Unable to make decisions
Basically, if "the blues" do not go away after two weeks, you probably have depression. And you need to get treatment. So please make an appointment with a medical doctor and a therapist so you may be properly evaluated. Many people do not think of going to a medical doctor when they are depressed, but it is an important step because there could be a physical problem beside the chemical imbalance that is causing the depression. And please get into therapy. If the therapist believes that you need medication he or she can refer you to someone.

Cain - Anger
Genesis 4:1-14

Unjustified anger
Bitterness
Stubborn jealousy
Rebellion
murder


Elijah - worry

1 Kings 19
I ….very zealous vs. 10
I ….very zealous vs. 12
God corrects him vs. 18
Get’s directives vs. 15-18
So Elijah went…..vs. 19


2 main (although there are others as we will see in this story) ……….in the Bible for depression

Anger…………and worry………..

Big difference between Elijah and Cain……….one responded to God’s correction and the other did not………….

And yet the Indiana Jones of the Old Testament had his share of ups and downs………..

As James 5:17-18 remind us ………….
Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops..

When to get away

After great conflict
After great physical exertion - a 30 mile run
Facing great threats to bodily harm
Hunger
Isolation
Exhaustion
Personal frustration

19     Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah  - God of Jehovah....talked about a godly name......just coming off of one of the bible's greatest victories..... had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraid a and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, juniper tree..... sat down under it and prayed  - requested.......that he might die. “I have had enough,....
 
   
 Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

Exhaustion

Threats

Fear and worry

Running away

Depressed mood

Personal frustration

Desire to Die

Takes a crisis …….of faith in this case....

Takes an angelic
Nudge…..

Command

Takes

Proper amount of sleep

Proper nutrition

Quietness

Strengthened for 40 days of travel

Where are you? vs. 9-13a

Express your frustration

Get to where God can “pass by”

Listen for God to speak

Are you sure of where you are?

Get new guidance - vs. 15-18

Go back

down does not mean out…..

Get back to work

You are not alone

That is Elisha....whose name means God is salvation
Good work ethic – is already busy being productive and is not afraid of hard work

Self motivated – working in a field as a farmer is something you do without a lot of supervision

Sense of direction – knew what direction to point the teams, plow a straight furrow,

Able to work with teams – in this case 12 of them, and knew how to motivate them to move forward together

Stands out in his field –

As the Sonlife says AFTR more

Available
Faithful
Teachable
Responsive

goes running after Elijah

then goes home and burns the bridge backward

Church should have something to say about mental health issues.....

Stats on depression....see infographic materials for current numbers....