Why I Got so Mad!

In my last post I mentioned a skit at the women's retreat that inspired me and infuriated me. Here's the details:

The actress came down the aisle carrying lots of baggage. Yeah, like we all do except hers was literal baggage...with labels such as control, pride and the big rolling beast of a suitcase labeled "not good enough". Yep just like my baggage-only not invisible. I could add a few more bags to the list. Sometimes I'm completely buried in it and I almost smother to death....but I'm getting off subject. I'll save that for another post, another day. Basically baggage sucks, but you knew that.

So the actress started lamenting out loud to God about her baggage and how it's weighing her down. Amazingly God was backstage with a microphone and began to reply. Actually it was Randy the bass player which totally distracted me because I was snickering to my sister "that's not God it's RANDY!!", like she didn't know. "God" responded and told her to "lay it down."

She started with "control". She cried "but I need control, control makes me feel safe!" I don't know about you, but that hits the nail on the head for me.

"Lay it down" "God" said and so she did. She went through the other smaller bags and laid them down while conversing with "God" and finally came to "not good enough". She talked about the negative messages she received growing up with an alcoholic father and her serious self worth issues.

Before she laid it down she opened up the suitcase and pulled out two bottles of liquor. She confessed that she's used the liquor to numb her pain. Yep... me too..... I'm with ya....done that...what else is in that suitcase? And then she pulled out PRESCRIPTION BOTTLES OF PILLS!!!! She confessed that she had turned to these pills when she needed to be up or down. Ummm excuse me!? Are you saying that pills are a copout and if I just trusted Jesus enough or had enough faith I would not be bi-polar!? Are you actually serious?

I have heard this entirely too often in the church (meaning the big overall body of Christ including all Christians, not necessarily my home church). It's ignorant and dangerous. Mental illness is as much a medical problem as diabetes or breaking your arm. Nobody judges you for taking insulin or wearing a cast but if you take psychiatric medicine you're a "bad Christian". Depression is so common that there had to be several women in that audience that are suffering or have suffered from depression in the past. Maybe they finally worked up the nerve to get the help they need.....and after hearing her speak they will go home, throw their pills away and after the "mountain top high" from the retreat wears off they could fall so deeply into the depths that they commit suicide. I know that's extreme but I truly feel the ignorance and judgment is THAT dangerous!

C'mon Christians! Just because it hasn't happened to you, just because you can't see it is no reason to remain ignorant and judgmental. The evidence says that mental illness is real and terrible. If someone you love is suffering in this way they need your total support and love. Choose truth!