November 14thPsalm 88 (pt 2)
God of all Comfort
(Last week we explored this psalm with disturbing example from the Holocaust. This week I will focus on some examples closer to our own experience).
Les Murray describes his experience. A successful writer, highly esteemed, he suddenly was struck with debilitating depression. Here is how he describes it:
“Every day [I had] a season of helpless, bottomless misery in which I would lie curled in a foetal position on the sofa with tears leaking from my eyes, my brain boiling with a confusion of stuff not worth calling thought or imagery: it was more like shredded mental kelp marinated in pure pain.”
Murray describes what he calls “the 4 a.m. show”: the predawn darkness in which you wake and lie sleepless till dawn, your troubles and terrors ripping into you with a gusto allowed them by fatigue and the disappearance of proportion.
Data from eight Canadian provinces revealed that the prevalence of major depressive disorder during the fall of 2020 (16%) was more than two times higher compared with the years (2015 to 2019) predating COVID-19 (7%).
In a survey more than 25 per cent of participants reported feeling moderate to severe anxiety — up from 19 per cent in July 2021. Also, around 24 per cent reported feelings of loneliness in comparison to 18.8 per cent last summer, and roughly 22.3 per cent of people reported having feelings of depression, compared to 18.6 per cent last summer.
Consistent with previous surveys, Canadians between 18 and 39 years old reported the highest levels with 33.5 per cent for anxiety, 29.1 per cent for loneliness and 27.7 per cent for feelings of depression. [CBC online 2022]
Prayer based on Psalm 139
Leader: Let us pray
All: O God of all comfort,
Leader: You have searched me and know me. You know my thoughts, my coming and going, when I rise and when I rest. You are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, you know it. You hem me in, behind and before. I am safe and secure in your presence.
All: O God of all comfort,
Leader: You are always present with me – there is nowhere that I can go where you are not. Even when it feels that the darkness will overwhelm me, that the light of day will turn to night; I take comfort in knowing that the darkness is not dark to you, the night is like day.
All: O God of all comfort,
Leader: I find peace in knowing that you have been with me from the very beginning. You knit me together in my mother’s womb, you know every hair on my head. You know all about me! I know that your works are good, so I will give you thanks that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
All: O God of all comfort,
Leader: You have searched me and know me, you know my heart. Take away my anxious thoughts. Take away anything within me that is hurtful. Lead me in the way everlasting. Amen [Angelica Dawson]
Two short videos tell of two peoples’ journey with mental illness, what they learned and what they do now to stay healthy.
God of All Comfort: Amelia Kent’s Story (3:45) – Amelia shares her journey towards mental wellness. She talks about her breakdown, the long journey towards wellness and how medication, exercise, diet, and positive people all help her maintain her mental health now. “I love my life,” she says. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-S7sxPjjGg
God of All Comfort: Leonard Klassen’s Story (3:35) – Leonard talks about how a panic attack revealed that he was living with burnout and anxiety. He shares how his family, his colleagues and his church helped him return to his pastoral work. “We need each other,” he says. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAQmu_2zV_o
CARING FOR OTHERS:
Be a LISTENER - take the time to be quiet and listen when someone shares their experiences with you.
Be OPEN - it takes courage for someone to share their journey with mental illness. Be open and non-judgmental as you listen.
Be a FRIEND - put yourself in the shoes of the person: how would you like someone to be there for you? (eg. make meals, baby-sit, go for a walk, go fishing, other practical support)
Be PATIENT - this is a journey, with hills and valleys. Celebrate the successes, be sensitive to the challenges.
Be an ADVOCATE - for those you support, in our community and also by presenting your requests to God.
I Lift My Eyes Up | Brian Doerksen | Official Audio - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com › watch
2 Corinthians 1.3-4…
3 May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the compassionate Father and God of all comfort. 4 He’s the one who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves received from God.
***
Some of this draws on materials distributed to MC Canada Churches by the Communitas Supportive Care Society. Anglica Dawson writes:
As a faith-based organization, Communitas Supportive Care Society provides services for people living with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges. We are inspired by Jesus Christ to be a place of belonging, growth and contribution. We envision communities of fully human, interdependent citizens. Our hope is that people with developmental disabilities and/or mental health challenges can participate fully in their places of worship.
Communitas Supportive Care Society
103–2776 Bourquin Crescent
West Abbotsford, BC V2S 6A4
Angelica Dawson – Communications Manager