Pastor

Marriage is hard because there are many challenges that a couple will face throughout the "for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health" tests of a lifetime. But the greatest challenge may not be from without, but more from within. Learning what it means to be deeply committed to the well-being of another is by far the greatest marital challenge of all because it confronts our inherited commitment to ourselves above all else.

Fortunately, most pastors today realize that coping with mental health issues goes beyond just addressing the spiritual component. Join us as Larry Crabb shares how to avoid oversimplifying mental health issues.

It is impossible to watch or listen to any form of news media and not be struck with how much violence is in the world. The fact that violence erupted between two brother in Genesis 4 and has continued to escalate down through time is verification that there is a bend towards violence that runs through every human heart.

The desperation that fuels a desire to take one's life is real. When someone expresses those kind of life ending thoughts, they need to be taken seriously. However, we often panic, not knowing what to do to help someone who is struggling so deeply. Learning how to not back away but to meaningfully engage can encourage a person to choose living even when life is still difficult.

Life is hard. And if we're honest, it hurts living in a world that is broken. Sometimes the pain and losses simply pile up to the point that we just can see over them. When our vision for what's valuable and important to us is obscured by the pain and losses that have stacked up around us, no longer living in the middle of the chaos can become attractive.

Much has been written in the world of pop psychology and self-help publishing about the concept of "self-image." Is that a good thing, or have we simply become a society obsessed with feeling good about ourselves? Both sides could be argued well. However, self-image, if properly defined, can describe a balanced and healthy way of looking at who God created us to be as image-bearers.

The core of the vast majority of human struggles is selfishness. Being self-centered isn't primarily a psychological problem, but it's a moral sin problem. Addressing our demand to take life into our own hands and to trust no one more than ourselves is what alienates us from God and others.

Cutting and self-harming disorders are on the rise. There are many who feel a profound sense of relief as they see their blood flowing from wounds they have inflicted on themselves. Wracked by deeper pain they can't control, they settle for self-inflicted relief that they can control. In their minds some control is better than no control.

Anxiety is one of the two most prominent reasons individuals report seeking the help of counselors. Anxiety has been described as fear on steroids. But why are people so fearful and dominated by their fears? And what can be done to address those fears?

Many people who seek the help of a counselor come because they describe themselves as depressed. But what is depression? Is it merely feeling down, discouraged, or blue? Or is there more to it than that?

Disease and sickness can push us to doubt if God truly wants to heal. While most people of faith say that they believe He can, too often they don't see Him come through and heal them or their loved ones any more than their unbelieving neighbors. And that leaves one to grapple with faith in a healing God who doesn't respond like we'd expect Him to.

Being told that you have a terminal illness is probably one of the most dreaded situations that you will ever face. And yet, for many, it is a reality that they are living with. Knowing that you are in the battle for your life can really mess with your heart and mind as well as your body. Facing that challenge with grace and courage requires a change in perspective.

Retirement is an invention of the modern world. Too many people work all their lives with the goal in mind of finally quitting, living on the funds they've saved up, and doing what they've always wanted to do and couldn't do while working. But is there anything about that kind of thinking that is biblical?

Death is the final enemy that we all must face. Few of us know when we will die, but we all know that we will eventually die. How we view death can have a major impact on how we view life and the choices we make about how we are going to live our lives. The Bible has much to teach us about dying well because we've lived well

We live in a world where most people are obsessed with youthfulness and avoiding all signs of aging as much as possible. Staying as young as you can for as long as you can seems to be the ultimate goal. However, while aging is inevitable and death is sure, how we embrace our aging makes all the difference in how we live each day.

Pastors are often the first line of defense when it comes to hearing about a person's struggles. While pastors and the church are very helpful in many areas, they can often feel overwhelmed or ill equipped to help with some types of problems that seem very complex or have some physical components to them. That's when they need to make a referral.

The terms "mental illness" or "mental health issues" are often scary and misunderstood because they conjure up images of psych wards in state mental hospitals. And while there is a broad spectrum of mental health issues, too often people tend to narrowly define it as feeling good about themselves. However, good mental health goes far deeper than just feeling good.

Mental health describes a broad continuum of struggles from the mildly depressed to those with full-blown psychotic and personality disorders. Because pastors are often the first-responders in some of these situations, it's important to understand how pastors tend to view mental health issues and their part in providing support and encouragement to those with significant struggles.

Many Christian struggle to know how to address the issues of mental illness and to define what is good mental health. Some write it all off as being a lack of faith. Others confine it to the realm of the demonic that requires deliverance. And still others make it purely an organic disorder that requires medical treatment. A balanced perspective is needed that takes all these perspectives into account.

Feeling good about myself and positive about my circumstances is what many people describe as good mental health. But unfortunately, that describes an unbalanced and unrealistic perspective on good mental health. On the other hand, the Bible provides a perspective on mental health that revolves around how we handle relationships with others, including God.