Gods care for mental health part 3…
Now the text comes to God’s interventions in Elijah’s depression. Verse 5 begins the intervention process. First, the angel touched him and said to him, rise and eat. Three things to mention: touched him, said to him, rise and eat. Touched him—this touch was for the purpose of arousing him from sleep so that basic needs can be tended to. Look again, it is a gentil touch, like a mother sweetly touching her child to rise and eat breakfast. There are certain people that God has graced to have the ability to touch people in a meaningful way. I think there are select musicians, poets, writers, and therapists that can existentially “touch” someone. In therapy this is called establishing therapeutic relationship. The purpose of therapeutic relationship is so that the patient and provider can trust one another to go on a journey of healing and hope. This touch, like the therapeutic relationship, is non-evasive. It is to arouse, to bring to one’s attention there is someone here to help.
The next step in this process is the phrase, “rise”. Obviously, this is referring to the physical act of rising from sleep to participate in activity. This is not an easy thing to do for those that are suffering from depression. The simple act of rising or waking up or motivation is a difficult chore. A symptom of depression is lack of energy and excessive sleep. One must understand that there is a need for external sources to assist in helping the depressed to motivate. The depressed must allow this assistance to overcome lethargy so that progress in healing can be made. Sometimes medications, talk therapy, or other interventions are indicated to help the patient to motivate. Know this, a state of inertia is not healthy. One must actively pursue healing and reframe from being passive or inactive in their depression. In the clinical setting many times prescribing an antidepressant that is activating (when appropriate) could help the patient become motivated to attend therapy.
Moving on to the last point. The prophet was told to eat. A description of the food is also given; cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. When I think of this my mind immediately goes to Maslow’s hierarchy scale. According to Maslow there is a hierarchy of needs that a person needs to have fulfilled. The very base need that must be satisfied before any other needs can be addressed is physiological needs such as food, water, and shelter. Addressing these needs comes before the depressed can move onto dealing with more complex needs such as socialization, self-actualization, and spirituality. The angel told the prophet that he must satisfy the base needs before he can participate in the journey to come. Likewise, the depressed person should have foundational needs met before entering the journey of therapy to address more existential or traumatic issues. Practically this looks like this: eating well balanced meals at regular times, hydrate with water, establish a routine, and become active. Also, a proper physical including labs is a good idea. Often depressive symptoms are a result of underlying medical conditions. These simple recommendations cannot be overstated. A routine, healthy diet, good sleep hygiene, and activity are super important and establish habits that will carry future mental health. The text says that he went on the strength of that food 40 days and nights. The strength of these interventions will carry a person a long way.
This next section verses 9-21, I will deal with as a whole. This section says that Elijah came and lodged in a cave. God then visited him with a repeated question found in verse 9 and in verse 13: “Elijah what are you doing here?” This question was meant for the prophet to retrace his steps and examine the pathology of his condition. Therapy is also meant to allow the patient to examine the pathology of their condition. This means what are the stressors, what is the emotions, what is the thought process, what is the actions, the behavioral actions, the coping tendencies, and the result. This exploration is vital for self-awareness. God is allowing Elijah to reflect on this in a therapeutic sense. The repetitive nature of this question indicates that knowing the answer is important. It also indicates that there is healing in the processing and reflection of these events.
Next thought is the imagery that surrounds the meeting of God and Elijah. Elijah is in a cave. If one has ever experienced depression, burnout, or other mental health conditions it often resembles being in a cave or a hole. The condition resembles a dark place without a way out. This symbolizes the mental state of the prophet. God is shown in a vastly different way. God is stated as to have passed by in strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire. Yet, God was not in either. God was in a still small voice, a whisper. I think that the text is explaining the greatness of God by using these descriptors. Additionally, perhaps the Lord is teaching Elijah that external stressors such as these natural disasters as wind, fire and earthquakes are inevitable stressors.
Elijah responded to the whisper. He arose and went to the entrance of his cave and began to engage with God. Elijah felt comfortable with the whisper, comfortable enough to then engage God with all his internal feelings. I believe that God provided an environment of healing that Elijah could express his emotions and thoughts. The whisper did not judge or push, just listened. Elijah expressed all his fears, frustrations, and loneliness. God responded to the prophet by instructing him to go back and get to work. That is the short of it.
What are the interventions?
Some of the prophet’s thought process was faulty. His faulty thought processing caused him to behave in faulty actions. God would point out this faulty thought process and gave him command so as to change his ways. Recognizing stressors and subsequent emotions then the thoughts and behaviors attached to these thoughts are very important in changing. The correction of Elijah’s faulty thought process was this: God stated that Elijah was not the only person serving him and going through persecution, but there were others. This was a correction of the self-absorbed, victim thinking pattern of the prophet.
God also told the prophet to go back and get to work. Why? Because Elijah needed purpose. Everyone needs a purpose. Work is purpose. Being productive for the good of society and family is very therapeutic. Productivity is subjective. There is an understanding that many who are depressed are physically unable to perform work. Not all work is physical, and God can give purpose outside of physical labor. Having a purpose or working toward purpose is a dopamine release. Men (women) need mission. God put Elijah on a mission whether he liked it or not.
The last section of the text describes how the prophet was to find his replacement. Interesting. The prophet was given a clear message that there is another generation that needs mentoring. By mentoring the next generation, one’s legacy is established, and God’s purposes are passed on. Isn’t it interesting that the replacement of Elijah would in fact do twice as much as he would accomplish. Now it seems that through the prophets bought of depression that God used it as a means from which to perpetrate his plan. God used Elijah’s depression for good and to further his will. This speak to me that even though mental illness is a terrible condition, yet God can use even the darkest depression to accomplish good things. This gives me hope.
Sowers Pouch 