Many of us have loved ones who live with a mental illness and we continue to bang our heads up against a wall when it comes to "wanting them to change". WE CAN'T FIX it as family members and it is very frustrating for all of us. I have come to learn that I must accept my family members who have mental illnesses and where they are. Their brain is sick and has to have medication and lots of love and patience to make it all work! We, as family members, have to be the ones to change our thoughts on this subject. If we continue to not accept their illnesses, we will always be frustrated and feel helpless. I am by no means saying we should tolerate bad behavior, but we have to couple those choices with what is behind them. MOST OF THE TIME...it is a brain issue and not just meanness or on purpose.
I am not at all saying we should dismiss prayer and accountability but we have to find a balance and make the environment so that no one is ashamed of having a brain that needs help to function!
I hope the church will begin to rethink how they minister to people who live daily with MI. We need to be more educated, more understanding and more patient. It is not easy to be healthy when your brain is sick. Doctors have to try and retry meds to find the right combination and sometimes that still does not work.
Praying that our churches will open their hearts and minds to learning more about mental illnesses and ministering appropriately.
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