Three Lies
Author: Pastor Bryan Lowe
A repentant rascal with definite issues, but who is seeking to be authentic in his faith to Jesus Christ.
An avid reader and a hopeful writer. Husband and father. A pastor and Bible teacher. A brain tumor survivor. Diagnosed with clinical depression, and now disabled.
Enjoys life, such as it is, in Alask.a (Actually I have it pretty good.)
Photo: Power That Can Be Seen
“Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power;
they rise up when they despair of life.”
Job 24:22
We should periodically re-configure our thinking. We don’t always get to observe nature working anymore. It seems we must rely on the technique and talent of the photographer to bring us up close, and then perhaps we begin to see things differently. People who live in cities, will seldom get the chance to see the stars in the night sky. Nature, and its profound wonders are the canvases God uses to proclaim His presence and glory.
Sometimes I think that when a person becomes a Christian, we should get them a Bible, and a subscription to National Geographic Magazine! We need to experience both to truly see the wonder of God in His creation. After all, we become what we worship.
“Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?”
–Job 37:15
Related articles
- Best lightning shots from 500px site (thedailydom.wordpress.com)
- Laser lightning rod: Guiding bursts of electricity with a flash of light (scienceblog.com)
Whim-Whams
“In our family “whim-wham” is code, a defanged reference to any number of moods and psychological disorders, be they depressive, manic, or schizoaffective. Back in the 1970s and ’80s – when they were all straight depression – we called them “dark nights of the soul.” St. John of the Cross’s phrase ennobled our sickness, spiritualized it. We cut God out of it after the manic breaks started in 1986, the year my dad, brother, and I were all committed. Call it manic depression or by its new, polite name, bipolar disorder. Whichever you wish. We stick to our folklore and call it the whim-whams.”
— David Lovelace, Scattershot: My Bipolar Family
Speaking in code is often our way of communicating to those who are curious. We seldom tell anyone we have bipolar disorder outright. Some of us tried, and failed; we fall back to “I’m just a little blue today,” or the classic, “I’m just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” We really can be somewhat disingenuous.
All too often these are half-truths that deflect the sticky issues of a mental breakdown. We seek to salvage some kind of dignity, or evade the inevitable stigma that would certainly come if we told the truth. We choose to evade, but at a cost.
I struggle with the stigma of both bipolar disorder and epilepsy. I’m still uncomfortable when others seem uncomfortable with me. So, I have developed a general rule:
Bryan’s Rule #14, “Never reveal your illness, except to qualified people.”
I suppose this adds a layer of personal security. The occasions I have violated this rule have resulted in awkward pauses and odd looks. Afterwards, the relationship changed. It was as if I suddenly sprouted a second head, or something.
As Christian believers, I know we are supposed to walk in the truth. But exactly how truthful am I supposed to be? I’ve always had an iconoclastic streak, and I love stretching the social boundaries of others. Bipolar disorder has been an illness made-to-order for people like me.
Bryan’s Rule #15, “Openness can be a true step toward my healing.”
But it take truth to change. We really need to be honest by bringing things into the light. Obscuring the truth keeps us isolated and distant from others. Will speaking forthrightly about my bipolar disorder be a challenge? Of course. But necessary if I want to heal and cope.
I’m not advocating making a big sign and parading down Main Street. Just to be a bit more honest with others, and ultimately with ourselves. Let’s be comfortable with our own personal “whim-whams.”
How Does It Effect You?
There are four areas that chronic depression will effect you.
- Emotions
- Thoughts
- Physical
- Behavior
We need to really visualize the areas in order to understand. This grasp of the facts will not change a thing, but will only give you a sense of what depression is doing to you, or your loved ones.
Some will emphasize one or another. But all four areas play a part in this disease. We may think we can twist around these, but we’ll find we are still trapped by the evil ogre of depression. (And he takes all the prisoners he can.)
We are hostages to this sickness. Depression truly destroys lives and hopes. It comes uninvited, and springs its trap on us. It can immobilize us in an instant.
David knew what it was like to be a hostage of depression. In Psalm 32:3-4 he wrote:
“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer.”
Many readers will relate. It carries with it an authenticity of a man that is a dear struggler. His experience, and his willingness to write openly provides us with comfort and understanding.
Paul knew all about depression. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:6:
“But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;”
Ancient writers called it “the Noonday Demon.” Winston Churchill called his depression, “the black dog.” Both definitions seem spot on.
Christians will ask me whether depression is caused by an evil spirit, or is it biological? I usually answer both. There is strong evidence that it is a mental illness; an illness like any other (e.g. diabetes, or migraines). It can be treated, to a degree, with meds. But there is a spiritual dimension as well requiring “spiritual warfare” on an serious level.
My own meds have helped me greatly. But strong prayer and worship have assisted me just as much. Reading the Psalms are really helpful. I have made the personal discovery that the presence of God is a great way to walk free.
When you’re truly desperate, you will find a way. Of that I’m convinced. I leave with Philippians 1:6:
” And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Broken Believers 