We acknowledge and accept the fact that someone we love has a mental illness.
Matthew 4:23-24
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.”
LOOKING FURTHER:
Matthew 4:23/John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
- The Gospel of the Kingdom – The Gospel, that is, the joyous message, is the proper name of our religion, as will be amply verified in all who earnestly and perseveringly embrace it.
Matthew 4:24
- Through all Syria – The whole province, of which the Jewish country was only a small part.
- And demoniacs, lunatics, paralyzed, palsied – Those whose cases were of all others most deplorable and most helpless.
We see from this Scripture that Jesus, who came to bring the Good News of Salvation, cared for those who were troubled in mind and body. He went to them to preach and He healed them physically. This is from the beginning of His ministry…which indicates His compassion was not something He built up to in His time of ministry on this earth but was an integral component of Who He is.
God still cares, and we today can be “His hands and feet” to participate in this mission to those who today find themselves in the difficult and seemingly helpless situations.
- How did you experience God’s strength in getting through 2016?
- What are your hopes and prayers during 2017 for you and your loved one dealing with mental illness?
The Final Analysis by Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful,
you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.