Looking to God through Mental Illness
In February 2014, my mother called to tell me she was sending her helicopter to pick me up. However, she didn’t own a helicopter and didn’t know anyone who owned one either. This was the start of a four-year journey with my mother’s mental health crisis. Unfortunately, mental illness is quite common today in the United States. Each year, 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience some type of mental illness. Supporting a loved one with a mental illness can be an exhausting, frustrating, and discouraging battle. But you don't have to fight alone, and your loved one doesn't either. God is with you in every season. Here are eight prayers you can offer to the Lord in times of pain.
1. You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book. – Psalm 56:8 NLT
God, as I come to You with my pain, I pray You will help me be sensitive to the mental issues facing my loved one. I seek insight into how I can help them during this time of crisis. I ask You to give me an understanding heart to meet their needs. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. – Psalm 46:1 NLT
Lord, I pray You will help my loved one realize their need for care and support to begin the process of healing their mental illness. My prayer is they will let me assist them in getting the care they need. I pray they will listen and act on my words, which spoken out of love and concern for their wellbeing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
3. Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. – Proverbs 11:14 NLT
Father, I thank You for providing modern medicine and medications to help control the mental illness my loved one is facing. I ask You to lead me to medical professionals and counselors that can provide the best care possible. Guide me to those who will be sympathetic in caring for my loved one. In Jesus’ name, amen.
4. Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. – Proverbs 25:11 NLT
Father, I thank You for friends that will come alongside me to provide caring thoughts, words of comfort, and support. I also ask You to send friends into my life who have experienced what I am going through so they can give me the necessary encouragement and guidance to get me through these difficult times. In Your Son’s name, amen.
5. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. – James 1:5 NLT
Lord, I seek Your wisdom in making the difficult decisions needed to help my loved one. I pray they trust that my purpose is to help them and not harm them. I hope my loved one understands I will take whatever steps are necessary to assist them in their recovery. In Jesus’ powerful name, amen.
6. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2 NLT
Lord, I thank You for the spiritual care You make available through my church family. Please lead me to those who will keep my situation confidential and commit to praying for my family and loved one. Help me to be honest about what I'm going through, and to ask for help for me or my loved when whenever I need it, knowing my church family is there to love and support me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
7. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. – 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT
Lord, I pray I will use the circumstances of my loved one’s mental health crisis to help others who may face these same challenges. Whatever lessons I learn, help me to be bold in sharing them, so I can support and encourage others. I ask You to let my heart be obedient to help, however You lead me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
8. We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. – Psalm 33:20 NLT
Father, my prayer is that You will bring hope, comfort, and protection to my loved one facing the challenge of mental illness. I seek Your help in restoring them to total health and complete recovery. First and most importantly, I pray Your will be done in my loved one’s life. In the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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