MYSTERY IN THE FACE OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental illness can be disguised as invisible wounds. Mental illness can take many forms, the most common is depression but there are other forms of emotional problems. When the problems that we or others face are physical concerns, we typically know how better to pray for and minister to those. However, it is much harder to assist with those with mental illness and this becomes a real struggle. We need not ignore, look the other way, or even worse, denigrate persons with mental and emotional struggles. We hear about so many of these emotional, mental struggles from returning service personnel. It becomes clear that God’s people are to care for those suffering from mental illness, whenever possible. The setting of this lesson is about Corinth where Paul had spent considerable time. Shortly after Paul left Corinth, the church fellowship fragmented and sinful behavior was rampant. There was a lot of concern that some emotional/mental problems were the cause of much of the problem.
Read 2 Corinthians 1:2-3
Paul had founded the Corinthian church during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-17), but his relationship with the Corinth believers was troubled. Pride, arrogance, egotism, and emotional concerns replaced the fruit of the Spirit among many believers. Paul was writing to correct the situation but his initial efforts were not very successful. So, 2 Corinthians was another attempt to help the healing and restoration of relationships. This Book of 2 Corinthians is actually the fourth letter that Paul wrote to Corinth. 1 Corinthians 5:9 reflected upon an earlier letter sent from Paul. That letter has been lost. Paul’s second letter is actually what we refer to as 1 Corinthians. Paul wrote 2 Corinthians around AD 55-56 from Macedonia. He was responding to opponents questioning His apostolic authority I Corinth but it included thoughts addressed to the region of Achaia, the Roman providence south of Macedonia.
In all his letters, Paul replaced the usual Greek word for “greeting” with a similar word meaning “grace”. It was a major theme for Paul and certainly one of the great words of the New Testament. Referring to all that God does to save sinners “grace” indicates unmerited favor. God gives this undeserved gift because of His love and His sovereign power. Paul was making yet another case that all can only receive salvation by faith. Paul used a common Jewish greeting- “peace”- that had deeper meaning in the New Testament. Originally it meant freedom from conflict both internal and external. In this sense, it is the opposite of the feeling Paul expressed in 2 Corinthians 7:5: “Our bodies had no rest but we were afflicted at every turn- fighting without and fear within”. In all of its full sense, it describes all the blessings of salvation.
This shows the rich meaning and intense feeling that characterizes 2 Corinthians. Paul was describing both comfort and suffering. The emphasis is on God and “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Paul wrote that God is “the Father of mercies”, which is the Hebrew way of saying merciful father, and as “the God of all comfort”, the one whose comfort meets every need. Mental illness often includes a desperate longing for peace. The church confronts mental illness in its commitment to the Great Commission. The gospel we can and should proclaim will give access to genuine peace both on earth and throughout eternity.
Read 2 Corinthians 1:4-5
How can some physical illness affect mental state? (Depression, irritability, stress, and not being independent.) Paul may have thought about Isaiah 40:1 here, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God”. Of course, many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for Him. Sometimes, we really have to spot and think a bit deeper about some of the way God works. We must understand that being “comforted” can also man receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles. The more we suffer the more comfort God gives us. If we feel overwhelmed, allow God to comfort us. Remember that every trial we endure will help us comfort other people who are suffering similar troubles. So what are some of the ways we can share Christ’s comfort with others? (Understanding, listening, love, do something for them, give them a gift, and to know where they stand with Christ.)
Suffering for Christ refers to those afflictions we experience as we serve Christ. At the same time, Christ suffers with His people, since they are united with Him. In Acts 9:4-5, Christ asked Paul why he was persecuting Him. This implies that Christ suffered with the early Christians when they were persecuted. This is the thought behind Paul’s expression in verse 5- “The sufferings of Christ, overflows to us”. So we are able to comfort others due to this overflow from Christ. In Colossians 1:24, Paul wrote of his sufferings completing what was lacking from Christ’s afflictions for the church. Scholars often refer to these as “the woes of the Messiah”, the suffering ordained by God for the church to endure before the second coming of Jesus. Another opinion is Paul had in mind the atoning suffering of Jesus on the behalf of believers. Both thoughts have value and both could be valid- since the church is the people. Regardless, through Christ, Paul’s comfort overflows and we, too, may overflow comfort to others. In Romans 8:18, Paul proclaims, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us”.
Read 2 Corinthians 1:6-7
Paul firmly believed that suffering is a part of ministry. This led him to point to his own suffering to provide an example for the Corinthians and to witness to God’s deliverance. Something terrible had happened to him in Asia (Roman providence around Ephesus). No details are given but the best theory is that Paul was referring to some serious physical threat. The Books of Acts (written by Luke) refers to many of Paul’s brushes with death, but this seems to be yet another one that Paul experienced. It may have been an attack on his ministry at Ephesus (Acts 19:21-20:1; 20:19; 1 Corinthians 15:32) or some later crisis. Clearly, his life was in danger. Such a crisis had a purpose for one who lived by faith. It led Paul to trust God, not himself. A man has no power in the face of death, God is the one “who raises the dead” (v.9). God delivered Paul from death that time and would again.
Suffering- especially trials and discomfort associated with the advancement of Christ’s kingdom- is God’s was of allowing Christians to become more like Jesus, to suffer for the gospel just as Jesus suffered for it (Philippians 1:29, 3:10). Peter agreed with Paul that Christians should rejoice when they suffer, for in their own suffering they will in some small was experience what it meant for Jesus to suffer for their sins (1 Peter 4:12-13). In addition to drawing people closer to Christ, suffering can also help them grow in their faith. In Romans, Paul noted that suffering produces perseverance, which in turn produces Christian character (Romans 5:3-4; James 1:3; 4:2; Peter 1:6; Revelations 2:2, 19). (For me only- there are times when I believe that I have enough “character”.) However, this passage highlights another benefit to suffering. It teaches the sufferer how to encourage others who are also suffering, even if the two incidents are not the same. It can even help others to identify some mental concerns and seek some help.
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