The focus of his message was on children and students who deal with Anxiety and Depression.
When you have anxiety and depression you feel caught and can get out.
His prayer is that the church will say, “It’s ok to not be ok but it’s not ok to stay that way”
James 5:14-16
The question is asked, “Is there anyone among you sick?”. When we think of those sick we think of colds, flu and cancer. But the sickness we don’t normally think about is mental illness. We think that’s a separate category.
Worry leads to anxiety leads to depression leads to suicidal thoughts. That is sickness. That is sick because none of those things are God’s best for you.
Perry didn’t know that it was ok not to be ok. He was pretending. 16% of Christians at 1 points have considered taking their own life. That’s a sickness because that’s not God’s best for you.
Perry wanted Jesus to change his circumstances, but God wanted to change him!
“Call the elders” and let them know if you are sick.
We’ve created an environment where sicknesses can’t happen at Church. Somewhere, somehow Churches became places where you have a perfect image. You can’t have a problem. Cause, when someone is sick, you alienate them and don’t let your kids play with their kids.
Most of the heroes of the Bible were NOT perfect. Noah, David, Peter…they would NOT be allowed work in our Churches because we have this image of perfection. We’ve created environments where these people can’t be used. That’s not right. It’s ok to be ok…but it’s not ok to stay that way.
“prayer offered in faith will make sick people well”. The healing process begins with prayer. “the Lord will raise them up and if you have sinned, they will be forgiven”.
God never wastes a tragedy or a problem. He can use it to refine you.
There is a key to the environment our churches need to make. Verse 16. Confess your sins to each other. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Why??? So that you may be healed.
Some of us have been forgiven but we haven’t been healed. Why? Because we’ve never confessed it to others. Those who have been healed have talked about it to others.
The healing process begins when we talk about it out loud.
It’s ok to not be ok…it’s just not ok to stay that way]]>