5 Ways Mental Illness Affects Marriage

 

Marriage is both beautiful and complex. When one man and woman take their vows before God and witnesses to stay faithful to one another "until death do us part", it is extraordinary. God makes it clear in His word that marriage is a covenantal relationship meant for life that is supposed to mirror Christ's relationship with the Church. This is the reason why the Lord hates divorce. He hates divorce because He would never divorce us. He has promised numerous times in Scripture to never leave us nor forsake us. In Scripture, there are only two reasons for ever divorcing your spouse. These reasons are sexual unfaithfulness and if someone is married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever wants to leave. Any other reason for divorce is considered adultery. With this being said, marriage is a difficult thing. It is difficult because any time you bring two sinful people under the same roof for an extended amount of time, there is bound to be strife. It is even more difficult when one of the spouses deals with mental illness. In this blog, I shall be discussing five ways that mental illness can affect a marriage. Since I am a husband who deals with mental illness, I shall be speaking from the perspective of a husband. Although, I am sure that a wife with mental illness will be able to relate to some of what I am going to say. The purpose of this blog is to help a couple who are thinking about marriage to consider how one's mental illness will play into their married life. I will never discourage a couple from marrying because marriage is a good thing. I just want couples to count the cost, that is all. 

My wife and I have been married for about four years now and from my experience, I have noticed five different ways that my Schizoaffective Disorder has affected my marriage. These five ways are: How People View My Marriage, My Manhood, The Stress On My Wife, Intimacy, and Finances. I will elaborate on each of these points, but please keep in mind that these are not the only ways that Mental illness can affect one's marriage. These are just a few of the ways that I have found mental illness affects my marriage. If you can think of any other ways, please let me know in the comments below. I will not explain these five points. 

How People View My Marriage 

I know that the people I am thinking of would deny this, but I can tell by how they interact with both my wife and me that they do not see our marriage as legitimate. There are multiple reasons for this, but one of them is because my wife is the primary breadwinner in our relationship. These people think that since I am not "bringing home the bacon" my marriage is a sham. They believe that my relationship is more like a parent-child relationship instead of a husband-wife relationship. This view comes from some Traditional beliefs that the man should always be the one to work while the wife stays at home to take care of the house and children. They do not ever take into account that the husband can be physically or mentally unable to work a traditional 9-5 job and because of that the wife may have to work outside the home. These people will say that the man should have never gotten married in the first place if he cannot work. 

My Manhood 

This next point is closely related to the first point. I say this because people's view of me as a man does affect how I view myself. Deep down I fully recognize that as a man I should be providing for my family. I know that there is no excuse for me to not be working. I hate the fact that my mental illness causes me to not be able to work. This is why I hate the dreaded question, "What do you do for a living?" I hate that question because whenever I tell people that I am disabled, they almost always give me a stinky eye. Since I know that I must work, I feel like I am less of a man for not working and relying on my wife to take care of us. However, this is why I throw myself wholeheartedly into my ministry work because it is the only job that I can do. And even though I am not making that much money for now, I know the Lord will honor me for honoring Him. 

The Stress On My Wife 

This point is closely related to the first and second points because I am fully aware of the fact that my wife feels an extreme amount of stress. After all, she is shouldering the brunt of the weight in our marriage. She has told me on more than one account that she feels more like a single mom rather than a wife in our relationship. I understand why she so often feels this way. I am fully aware of the fact that she feels like our marriage is abnormal, especially when she sees other married couples at our church. On top of that, she has to always be aware of how my mental health is changing, especially when I slip in and out of manic episodes. 

Intimacy

This point is probably the hardest point for me to talk about. As some of you may already know, I am on a cocktail of medication. This cocktail of medication causes me to be less intimate with my wife. It's not that I do not love her or that I am not attracted to her. I do love her so very much and I am very attracted to her too. I am thankful to God that I have her in my life. However, it is because of my medication that I am not as intimate with her as I should be. My medication really does stunt my sex drive and I really do hate that about taking my medications, but I also know that without my medication I am worse off. This is NOT to say that I am never intimate with my wife, however. I am intimate with her, but my medication does make it much more difficult. 

Finances

This point is another point that is hard for me to discuss. I am ashamed to admit that because of my mania episodes, it is very difficult for me to manage my money. The reason for this is that whenever I slip into even a hypomanic phase, I tend to overspend my money on frivolous things that I do not need. It's not that I cannot control myself, but I do become very impulsive during these moments. As a result of this, I am always financially broke. For this reason, my wife and I have two separate bank accounts to prevent me from overspending her money as well as my own. Sometimes I even feel the need to give my wife my debit card to keep myself from overspending, although I always talk myself out of doing that. 

I hope that this helps you to better understand some ways that mental illness can affect marriage. Again, this is not to discourage you from getting married. I know that I do not regret marriage and neither does my wife. We truly do cherish one another and my wife is my closest ally. We truly do love one another and I know that we always have each other's backs through thick and thin. Marriage is a beautiful thing. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog and May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 15)

 

This blog continues my blog series where I critique Mr. John MacArthur's sermons on "Anxiety-Free Living". This blog and subsequent blogs after this will focus on his second sermon by the same title. This is not an attack on Mr. MacArthur personally. This is merely a critique of his harmful views about mental health that could prove to become a detriment to many Christians who suffer from mental disorders. The reason I say his views are dangerous is because it can lead any Christian who suffers from mental illness to be led to believe that there is something inherently wrong with them or that they are a second-rate citizen in the Kingdom of God. Mr. MacArthur has a ministry that extends all over the globe, so his messages need to be scrutinized because he has a lot of influence on people's daily lives. No biblical teacher is above being criticized. Actually, biblical teachers are held to a much higher standard than the average layman. For this reason, I feel it is appropriate for me to critique Mr. MacArthur's sermons. 

Mr. MacArthur bases his two sermons on Luke 12:22-34. In that passage, our Lord Jesus Christ is telling us that we have no reason to worry if we truly trust in God's sovereignty. He uses the analogy of the birds and the lilies, who neither toil nor spin, yet God takes care of them. Jesus concludes His analogy by telling us that we are much more valuable than the birds and the lilies. He says that if we seek His kingdom first, then everything else will be added unto us. I do not have any disagreement with Mr. MacArthur's exegesis of this biblical passage. However, what Mr. MacArthur fails to tell his congregants is that we cannot "stop worrying" about our own strength. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that task. Furthermore, Mr. MacArthur fails because he trivializes the real struggle of people who deal with any kind of anxiety disorder. He blatantly makes the claim that people who suffer from an anxiety disorder are not following Christ properly because they do not understand what he calls "divine priority". This kind of rhetoric is dangerously close to gaslighting believers who suffer from mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. 

The next portion of this sermon that I'd like to address is when Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

We were made for His glory. We were made to serve His glory, to serve His purpose, to honor Him, to bring attention to Him, to proclaim the gospel, to live out Christ and the power of the Spirit in the world. And as long as that’s the divine priority, that’s God’s priority or purpose for us, He will sustain us to the end of His purpose.

In fact, you can work hard and save - and the Bible says you should save and you should work hard and you should be a good steward and you should make good investments, and all of that, but in the end, it wouldn’t matter whether you did that or gave it all away as far as the divine priority is concerned because whatever you wear and whatever you eat isn’t the reason God put you here

First, I'd like to point out a fundamental flaw in this portion of his sermon. I agree that we were made for His glory and that we were made to serve His glory. I have no contention with this statement. However, it seems to me that Mr. MacArthur is insinuating that a Christian who suffers from mental disorders cannot live for His glory or even serve His glory. If that is in fact what Mr. MacArthur is hinting at, then according to his logic, all Christians who suffer from mental disorders have no business serving God in any way. It is almost Mr. MacArthur who thinks that only people who have it all together mentally can serve the Lord. I believe the testimony of all the believers in the Bible tells a completely different story. The Bible is literally filled with stories of people who did not "have it together" and yet God still used them greatly. Christians who suffer from mental illnesses still have the opportunity to serve God. Our clinical mental illnesses do not prevent us from serving Him. The only qualification for a believer to serve God is to walk humbly with Him and to have a broken and contrite heart. If we have both of these concepts in mind, then the Lord can work through us mightily, despite our mental illnesses. 

Next, I'd like to say that when Mr. MacArthur tells us to "work hard and save", he is not telling us anything new. As a Christian man, I do believe that I should work hard and save for me to take care of my family. However, I wonder what would be Mr. MacArthur's stance on a man who is mentally ill and desires to marry but cannot work a traditional 9-5 job because of his mental illness. Would he tell that man not to marry? I would certainly hope he would never instruct that because a mentally ill Christian man has every right to marry as any sane Christian man does. The only requirement for a man to marry a woman is that both are believers. If both the man and the woman are Christians and they want to marry one another, they should get married. Mental illness should not deter some couples from marrying. Furthermore, the mentally ill Christian man can lead his family in other ways besides monetarily. 

The next portion of this sermon that I'd like to address is when Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

So worry, anxiety and fear fails to understand the divine priority that God has a purpose for your life and He’s going to make sure you live to fulfill that purpose. Second, we said worry is a failure to understand God’s provision. That is to say that everything you have comes from God. It may come through your work and through your savings and through your diligence and through your talents and your training and all of that, but in the end, it really is God’s pledge to you that sustains you.

And the point is made in verse 24, “Consider the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them.” Here’s the point: “How much more valuable you are than the birds.” He feeds birds and birds have no spiritual value. Oh, they give God glory. They manifest His creative power and His immense love of beauty and design. But they have no spiritual value. They hatch and fly around a little while and disappear. And yet God feeds them. They can’t sow. They can’t reap. They can’t store.

Again, Mr. MacArthur is blatantly making the claim that if a Christian suffers from an anxiety disorder they do not understand "divine priority". As I have stated earlier, this kind of rhetoric is clearly a gaslighting statement. For those of you who do not know what gaslighting is, it is when you know you are in the wrong, but you decide to pin the blame on someone else for the sole purpose of controlling them. It is a blatant form of manipulation. I am not saying that Mr. MacArthur is intending to gaslight people. He may be very sincere in his position, but that does not change the fact that he is indeed gaslighting real genuine believers. The reason why I say this is because if a believer who suffers from a mental disorder hears from a well-respected Bible teacher, such as Mr. MacArthur, that the reason that he is suffering is that he does not truly understand "divine priority", then that sincere believer may be led to believe that he must lack faith in God. When a Christian is led to believe that their problems are based on the fact that they do not trust in God enough, that line of reasoning will lead to catastrophic results. The truth is, as I have stated numerous times in this series, that it is possible for a Christian to truly trust in God's sovereignty and "divine priority" and yet still deal with Panic Attacks, OCD, PTSD, and many other mental disorders. Trusting in God's sovereignty will not always make anxiety disorders disappear. Sometimes God may take away someone's anxiety disorders, but most of the time, Christians may need to take medication and see a therapist to help them cope with their illness. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that either. 

I would like to thank you very much for taking the time to read this series I sincerely hope that this series helps you to better understand mental illness and that it helps you understand that if you are a Christian who suffers from mental illness you are valuable and that you are not a second-rate citizen. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. 

 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 14)

 

This is a continuation of my blog series where I critique Mr. MacArthur's second sermon titled "Anxiety-Free Living". This is not a personal attack on him, but since he has a worldwide influence, I feel the need to address his harmful views on mental health. The reason for this is that if any Christians who suffer from mental illness hear his sermons they may walk away feeling like there is something inherently wrong with them or that they are second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. The truth is, there is nothing wrong with these Christians. It is because of the Fall of man that these Christians suffer from mental illness. As a matter of fact, these Christians should be treated with much more honor than how they've been treated. John MacArthur bases his sermons off of Luke 12:22-34. In that passage, Jesus tells us that we should not worry if we trust in God's sovereignty. He uses the analogy of the birds and lilies, who neither toil nor spin, yet God takes care of them. He then tells us that we are more important than the birds and lilies. I do not disagree with Mr. MacArthur's interpretation. I agree with him that we have no reason to worry if we truly trust in God. Where he errs is in the fact that he assumes that we can do this naturally, when in actuality we can only do this by the Holy Spirit. Also, where he errs (and as this series is showing) is in his blatant trivializing of mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders. 

The next part of this sermon that I'd like to address is when Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

Now, here’s the point here. God didn’t create you just to survive. God didn’t create you just to have you eat and wear clothes so that you could make it. God did not create you to fulfill some physical goal or objective or purpose or design. Your life is far more than eating. Your life is far more than clothing. You must understand the divine priority. And what we said a couple of weeks ago is this: If you belong to God and you are in His kingdom, He has a plan and a purpose for your life. That’s the reason you live. And as long as God has a plan for your life, He will feed you and clothe you until the plan is complete. So what is there to worry about?

I do agree with him that life is much more than eating and drinking. Our lives is indeed much more than having our needs met. We should seek His kingdom first and foremost. However, I do not agree with him when he says that Christians who suffer from Panic Attacks and other anxiety disorders do not know or understand "divine priority". The truth is, a Christian can truly understand divine priority, but that will not eliminate the fact that they have Panic Attacks. I know a woman in my church who truly trusts in God's sovereignty, yet she deals with frequent Panic Attacks. Mr. MacArthur would most likely tell her that she is not truly saved, which would be horribly wrong because she definitely does show that she trusts in God's sovereignty. The danger in Mr. MacArthur's teaching is that he is calling Christians who suffer from mental illnesses are not truly saved. 

The next portion of this sermon that I'd like to address is when Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

There is really no place for worry and no place for fear and no place for anxiety if you understand that the priority with God is far more than just surviving, it’s far more than making it through the winter, it’s far more than getting at least one or two meals a day - far more than that. God’s purpose in giving you life, God’s purpose in giving you a body, is not material, it’s not physical, and it’s not earthly. It is immaterial, spiritual, and heavenly.

As I have said earlier, it is easy for him to say, "There is really no place for worry" when he has a net worth of $14 million. It is quite offensive for him to tell a single mother who is living in abject poverty not to worry. It is equally as offensive to tell someone who deals with uncontrollable Panic Attacks that they should never worry. It is true that if we have two meals a day we should be grateful, but it does not mean that we will never struggle with mental disorders. It is because of the Fall that we can either have a physical or mental disability. Trusting in God is not a panacea for physical and mental disabilities. No, we can trust the Lord completely and still need medication. The question is do we trust the Lord enough to know that we should l trust Him to provide us with our medications so we can live a fulfilling life? 

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that this helps you better understand mental illness better. I hope that this helps any Christians who suffer from mental illnesses understand that they aren't second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 13)

 

This is a continuation of my blog series where I critique the second sermon of Mr. MacArthur's sermon titled "Anxiety-Free Living". This is not a personal attack on him, but I do think that these sermons are harmful to Christians who suffer from mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. Mr. MacArthur's ideas concerning mental illnesses are disturbing because he blatantly trivializes the struggle of millions of Christians around the world. My fear is that since he has such an influence worldwide some Christians may walk away from hearing his sermons and will think there is something inherently wrong with themselves. Worse, they may even be led to believe that they are second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. According to Scripture, those with less honor should be treated with more honor (1 Corinthians 12:23). Mr. MacArthur bases his two sermons on Luke 12:22-34. In this passage, Jesus is telling us not to worry because God is sovereign and He cares for us. Jesus uses the analogy of the birds and lilies. He says that the birds and the lilies neither toil nor spin, yet God takes care of them. He then tells us that we are much more valuable than they are and that we should seek His kingdom first above all other things. I have no issue with Mr. MacArthur's interpretation, except for the fact that he is insinuating that we can "stop worrying" on our own. The truth is, we can only stop worrying because of the strength the Holy Spirit gives us. Apart from the Holy Spirit, we are powerless to overcome worry and anxiety. 

The next portion of this sermon that I'd like to address is where Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

If you do know your God and you worry anyway, this is not about ignorance, this is about distrust. This is a sin. To be needlessly ignorant is sinful, but to be willfully distrusting of the God who has revealed Himself is a serious sin. So when you look at your life and you see anxieties and fears and worries, the question then is: Am I ignorant of my God or do I just not trust Him? So let’s go back to some basic things, okay?

Here we see Mr. MacArthur blatantly accuse those of us with mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders of being either ignorant or committing "serious sin". Keep in mind that in these sermons, he is referring to anxiety disorders, such as PTSD, OCD, and other anxiety disorders. Mr. MacArthur is telling his listeners that if they are dealing with PTSD due to trauma, for example, they either do not trust God or that they are willfully ignorant. This is an extremely heinous thing for him to say because he is basically saying that someone who deals with PTSD is in some kind of serious sin. The truth is, a Christian can trust God wholeheartedly and still need to do work in overcoming some traumatic event in their lives. As for OCD, people who suffer from this disorder, according to Mr. MacArthur, just need to "trust God more". This is the blatant trivialization of OCD. The truth is, someone can completely trust God but they will still need to do therapy to deal with the fact that they are feeling compelled to perform certain rituals over and over again to prevent something bad from happening. PTSD, OCD, and other anxiety disorders have nothing to do with intentional sin or even with being "willfully ignorant". 

The next portion of this sermon that I'd like to address is where Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

In this passage, our Lord unfolds this whole issue of why we are not to worry and be anxious and be afraid, either in the material or the immaterial, the physical or the spiritual, the earthly or the heavenly realms. Number one, worry is a failure to understand God’s priority. Worry is a failure to understand God’s priority, verses 22 and 23. “He said to His disciples, ‘For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life as to what you shall eat nor for your body as to what you shall put on, for life is more than food and the body, than clothing.’”

As I have previously stated in an earlier blog, it is easy for him to simply say, "Do not worry" when he has a net worth of $14 million. This is not a judgment against him, but I bring this up as a way to make the point that it is very convenient for him to condemn worrying when he lives such an easy lifestyle. I have to wonder if he would change his opinion if he were to one day lose everything just as Job did. Again, he makes the claim that "worry is a failure to understand God's priority", but what he is doing here is setting up a false dichotomy. He is saying that you either trust God wholly or you are ignorant of God's priority in your life. Again, keep in mind what he is referring to here. What he is essentially saying is that if you are dealing with PTSD because of some traumatic event, then you do not understand God's priority in your life. He is simply making the assertion that if you truly understand God's priority, then your PTSD or OCD will immediately go away. Unfortunately, it is not that simple, Mr. MacArthur.  The truth is, PTSD is a lot more complex than what he is making it out to be. And someone can truly understand God's priority in their life and still need to undergo the intense work needed to overcome their anxiety disorder. Sometimes this work will take the rest of their lives, but over time things will get easier as long as they continue doing the work needed to improve their mental health. 

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my blog series and I sincerely hope this series helps you to better understand mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. Mr. MacArthur truly is wrong concerning this issue and I hope that you know that not all Christians hold to his harmful and ignorant views. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. 

Stay Tuned For Part 14...

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 12)

 

This is a continuation of my blog series where I critique the second sermon by Mr. MacArthur. The title of this sermon is "Anxiety-Free Living" and it is largely based upon the passage in Luke 12:22=34. In this passage of Scripture, our Lord says that we will not have any reason to worry if we truly trust in the sovereignty of God. To make His point clearly, Jesus uses the analogy of the birds and the lilies. He says that although the birds and lilies neither toil nor spin, God still takes care of them Jesus then tells us that we are much more valuable than they are and that our Heavenly Father knows what we need. I do not have any issue with Mr. MacArthur's interpretation of this passage. I wholeheartedly agree that if we truly trust in God's sovereignty, we would not have any reason to worry. However, I do have an issue with his blatant trivialization of mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. He keeps outright equating anxiety disorders with not trusting in God and even at times insinuates that people who suffer from anxiety disorders are not truly Christian. The purpose of this blog series is not to attack or demean Mr. MacArthur. I greatly respect him, even if I disagree with him theologically. I am just intending to help the reader properly understand mental illnesses so they will not be led to believe what Mr. MacArthur wants them to believe. The other purpose of this blog series is to show Christians who suffer from mental illnesses that not all Christians hold such negative and harmful views against them and that they are not second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. Christians who suffer from mental illnesses still have value in God's economy because we are made in His image and we are still ambassadors of Christ. 

The next portion of his sermon that I'd like to address is when he says the following, 

It is critical that we understand who our God really is, and so it is possible to worry your way through your Christian life simply because you’re ignorant, and that, unfortunately, is the legacy of many, many people where ministries do not weigh heavily in on the nature of God, the character of God, the promises of God, and the purposes of God. There, people are cheated very often, don’t understand the greatness of God, the glory of God, the commitment of God, the compassion of God, the power of God, the omniscience of God, the wisdom of God and all the rest in which we rest in the promises of God.

Do you notice what Mr. MacArthur is doing here? He is blatantly saying that Christians who suffer from anxiety disorders do not truly understand the attributes of God. He says that these Christians are ignorant of His attributes. Basically, he says that if only these Christians had a better understanding of God's attributes, then they would no longer suffer from their anxiety disorders. If you have any doubt that he is referring to anxiety disorders, please keep in mind that earlier on in these two sermons he specifically calls out OCD, PTSD, and Social Anxiety. In other words, he claims that a proper understanding of the attributes of God will eliminate PTSD, OCD, and Social Anxiety. He is claiming that knowledge of God's attributes is a panacea for mental illnesses instead of treating them with medication and counseling. In reality, Christians can understand and fully believe in the attributes of God, and they will still suffer from PTSD, OCD, and other anxiety disorders. Knowledge of the attributes of God will not eliminate these disorders. Sure, this knowledge will greatly help the Christian who suffers from anxiety disorder be able to cope, but without medication and counseling, they will continue to suffer. 

The next portion of his sermon that I'd like to address is the very next paragraph. Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

There are many people, Christian people, who have no idea what their God is really like and the level of commitment He’s made to them, and so they live in fear, fear of circumstances, fear of Satan, fear of failure, fear of - you name it. So it is possible that your life is full of fear and anxiety and worry because of ignorance. That can be dispelled simply by reading the Psalms. If you think it’s a long course, if you have to go to seminary to get to know God, you’re wrong. Just start in Psalm 1 and 150 days later finish Psalm 150, and you will have come to know your God. And, of course, all the rest can be filled in, but that’s why we read the Psalms because we come to worship God and we need to know the God we worship

Here again, Mr. MacArthur characterizes anxiety disorders as ignorance. He says that Christians who suffer from anxiety disorders are ignorant of "what their God is really like and the level of commitment He's made to them..." What he is essentially doing is setting up a false dichotomy. He is saying that either you truly trust in God and His character or you do not trust in Him and His character. Basically, he is claiming that if you just "trusted God more", then you will never suffer from anxiety disorders. This is a blatant trivialization of the real struggle of people who deal with Panic Attacks, PTSD, OCD, and other disorders. Mr. MacArthur also claims that if you just read the Psalms once a day for the next 150 days, then you will no longer suffer from anxiety disorders because you will have a better understanding of who God is. Now, I agree that reading the Psalms every day is a good thing. If we all meditate on one Psalm a day it will benefit us greatly both mentally and spiritually. However, when someone is dealing with PTSD and OCD, they definitely need much more than simply reading the Psalms. Actually, in some cases, if someone is dealing with a disorder such as OCD, it can lead the person to become hyper-obsessed with what they are reading. That will always end in their detriment because they may start believing that unless they read a Psalm every day something bad will happen to someone they love. As a result, they are no longer reading the Psalms to grow spiritually, but instead, they are turning their Psalm reading into another obsessive-compulsive ritual. I think we can all agree that reading any portion of Scripture ritualistically is not good for someone both mentally and spiritually. 

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this series and I hope that this helps you to better understand mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders. I hope that you can see how dangerous Mr. MacArthur's rhetoric truly is. Christians who suffer from any kind of mental illness need to be treated with care and compassion without having their struggles trivialized. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. 

This concludes this part of my blog series. Please stay tuned for part 12. 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 11)

 

This is a continuation of my blog series where I critique Pastor John MacArthur's sermons on mental health, specifically anxiety disorders. In this blog, I shall review his second sermon, "Anxiety-Free Living". This is not a personal attack on Mr. MacArthur. I greatly respect the man for his bold stance on the Bible. It is quite refreshing to see a man of his stature stand up to the culture for God's kingdom. However, I do find his stance on mental illness to be quite damaging toward Christians who suffer from mental illnesses. Mr. MacArthur has a worldwide influence on many people and if any Christians who suffer from mental illnesses come across these sermons, they will be led to believe that there is something inherently wrong with themselves. As a result, these Christians may be led to believe that they are second-class citizens in God's kingdom. This is why I am devoting so much time to critique Mr. MacArthur's sermons. I want Christians who suffer from mental illnesses to know that not all Christians believe as Mr. MacArthur does. I also want Christians who do not suffer from mental illnesses to know that we are not second-class citizens. We do have value in God's kingdom and we should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. 

Mr. MacArthur bases his two sermons on Luke 12:22-34. In that passage, Jesus tells us not to worry because we should trust in God's sovereignty. He gives us the analogy of the birds and lilies by saying how they neither toil nor spin, yet our Heavenly Father feeds them and clothes them. Jesus then tells us that we are of much more value than they are. I agree with Mr. MacArthur on his interpretation of this passage. I believe that as Christians we have no reason to worry or fret if we truly trust that God is sovereign over all of creation. My contention is not with Mr. MacArthur's interpretation. However, I do have an issue with Mr. MacArthur's blatant trivialization of mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. He continues to make the insinuation that those who suffer from anxiety disorders are not truly Christians by comparing them to unbelievers. This kind of rhetoric is not only offensive but also very harmful. 

The next portion of his sermon that I'd like to address is where he says the following, 

In regard to our material needs, verse 30 says, “Your Father knows that you need these things.” In regard to our spiritual needs, verse 32 says, “Your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” He will give you whatever you need to sustain your life in this world, and He will give you all that you need to sustain your life in His kingdom. Worry, then, is unnecessary. Worry is a result really of two things. It is a result, first of all, of ignorance and/or unbelief. There are, I’m sure, people who worry not because they don’t believe what God has promised but because they don’t know what God has promised.

Ok, first I'd like to say that I do agree with Mr. MacArthur that God has given us everything we need for this life, whether physically or spiritually. I will not argue with him about that. As a Reformed Christian who firmly believes in God's sovereignty, I must not disagree with that statement. However, where I disagree with him is when he says that worry is "the result of ignorance and/or unbelief". Once more, we find Mr. MacArthur calling Christians who suffer from mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, unbelievers. The fact is, a Christian can know that God will provide for all their needs and even fully trust in His sovereignty, but that belief will not always eliminate PTSD, OCD, or other anxiety disorders. I do not like how Mr. MacArthur trivializes anxiety disorders by making it seem like it is as easy as changing your beliefs. I have met plenty of Bible-Believing Christians who still deal with Social Anxiety and Panic Attacks. Anxiety disorders are not the result of unbelief or ignorance. 

The next portion of his sermon that I'd like to address is the very next paragraph. Mr. MacArthur says the following, 

And the greatest way you could cheat a believer (greatest way you could cheat anybody) is to limit God or to teach them things about God that are not true or to give them a diminished view of God. In fact, this is a form of idolatry. Any misrepresentation of God is an idol, and worshiping and giving homage to a misrepresented God is a form of idolatry. It is incumbent upon all who teach the scriptures and all who possess the scriptures, meaning both us and you as well, to come to a true understanding of God so that we worship Him not just in spirit - that is, not just with our emotion and all of our faculties, mind and soul as well as every physical part of us - but to worship Him in truth.

Do you notice what Mr. MacArthur is insinuating here? Well, he is not exactly insinuating actually. He is outright accusing anyone who suffers from an anxiety disorder of committing idolatry. He is saying that if you suffer from PTSD, Separation Anxiety, or OCD you are an idolater. I hope that I do not have to explain to you how damaging this is. I can imagine a Christian who suffers from one of these disorders listening to this sermon and being filled with all kinds of shame because they cannot shake their PTSD away. Mr. MacArthur is blatantly saying that if you suffer from PTSD or OCD you do not have a proper understanding of who God truly is. The truth is, that we all live in this fallen world and because of that fact, we will experience traumatic events that will affect us for the rest of our lives (PTSD). It is also true that since we live in a fallen world, we could have messed up minds that cause us to believe that if we do not perform certain rituals something bad will happen to either us or our loved ones (OCD). None of this is a reflection of idolatry or disbelief in who God is. We are not "unbelievers" just because we deal with mental illnesses. The truth is, it is possible to know and understand God truly as He is and still deal with anxiety disorders. It does not make us any less Christian. 

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog series and I hope that this helps you to either understand that you're not a second-class citizen in God's kingdom or that this series helps you to better understand mental illness. We deserve to be treated with respect because we do have honor simply by being created in God's image. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 


This concludes this portion of my blog series concerning John MacArthur's sermons. Please stay tuned for Part 12. 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 10)

 

In this blog, I shall begin to critique Mr. MacArthur's second sermon titled "Anxiety-Free Living". Again, I must reiterate that this is not a personal attack on him. I greatly respect the man but I feel his views against mental illness are ignorant and thus harmful toward Christians who suffer from mental disorders. As Christians, we need to be careful not to hold any teacher so far up on a pedestal to make them unable to be criticized. No one is above criticism and that includes our favorite Bible teachers. My fear is that any Christians who suffer from mental illnesses will hear these sermons by Mr. MacArthur and will walk away feeling like worthless Christians. My intention in writing this series is to help those Christians understand two things: 1) not every Christian believes what Mr. MacArthur believes. And 2) there is absolutely nothing wrong with Christians who suffer from mental disorders. If my series accomplishes these two things, their purpose has been served. The passage that Mr. MacArthur bases his two sermons on comes from Luke 12:22-34. For the sake of clarity, I shall post this passage so that you can see it in its full context. Our Lord Jesus Christ says the following, 

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do a small thing like that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies: how they grow, they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom and these things will be added unto you. 
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with the treasure in the heavens that do not fail where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" 

This is a beautiful passage, isn't it? I agree with Mr. MacArthur's interpretation of this text. Jesus is essentially telling us to so trust in the sovereignty of God and that we do not need to worry about what we will eat and what we will wear. He tells us to seek God's kingdom above all and He will take care of us. Jesus uses the analogy of the birds and lilies to demonstrate God's sovereign care for His creation. If we truly understood this passage, we should never worry again. While Mr. MacArthur is right in his interpretation of this text, he is wrong in how he applies this text to mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders. The first portion of his sermon that I'd like to address is early in the beginning. He says the following, 

Our Lord told people they should not be anxious, they should not worry, and they should not be afraid. Anxiety-free living, worry-free living, fear-free living is part of what the Lord offered those who put their trust in Him. It is not just heavenly bliss and heavenly peace and heavenly joy, but here and now there is peace and joy to be found.

If you will notice the emphasis of this passage comes in three particular commands. Verse 22: “Do not be anxious.” Verse 29: “Do not keep worrying.” Verse 32: “Do not be afraid.” They could all be translated with the word “stop.” Stop being anxious. Stop worrying. Stop being afraid. This passage, by the way, parallels our Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount back in Matthew chapter 6, verses 19 through 34, where He said essentially these very same things on another occasion much earlier in His ministry in a different place (this is in Judea, that was up in Galilee).

I find it very disheartening how Mr. MacArthur presents the solution to anxiety as being as easy as just saying, "Stop worrying" or "Stop being afraid". He demonstrates that he truly does not understand how crippling anxiety disorders really are. People who deal with anxiety disorders truly are suffering and I am sure if it were as easy to turn off their anxiety simply by saying "stop worrying" or "stop being afraid", then these people would be doing this all the time. The fact that they cannot shut off their anxiety so easily is evidence that simple platitudes do not work. Also, I do not like how Mr. MacArthur insinuates that anyone who suffers from an anxiety disorder is not truly trusting the Lord. As I have said previously, a Christian can wholeheartedly trust in the Lord's sovereignty and still deal with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. There is nothing sinful about these two disorders. It does a huge disservice to Christians who suffer from these disorders when someone like Mr. MacArthur gaslights them into thinking there is something inherently wrong with them. The truth is, there is nothing with the Christian who suffers from OCD or PTSD and they do need to feel that they are less worthy to be inside God's kingdom. 

The next portion of Mr. MacArthur's sermon that I'd like to address comes when he says the following, 

There really are only two categories in which you can direct your worry, your fear and your anxiety: either into the material side or the spiritual side, right? You’re either going to be concerned about something physical, material, earthly, or you’re going to be concerned about something spiritual, immaterial, and heavenly. Those are the only two categories. You are a physical being and a spiritual being. In that sense, you’re two, an inner man and an outer man. And worry can be attached to both, but in the case of one who belongs to the kingdom of God, worry in either sense is unnecessary.

I wholeheartedly agree with him that there are only two realms in which you can worry: the physical or the spiritual. All of our worries will either be about the physical realm (what we will eat, what we will wear, how will we pay our bills?) or about the spiritual realm. He is right when he says both types of worries are unnecessary. However, please keep in mind the context of this sermon. When he refers to "worry" and "anxiety", he is not merely talking about normal worry and anxiety. No, what Mr. MacArthur has been harping on in these two passages concerns anxiety disorders, such as OCD, PTSD, GAD, and others. What he is essentially saying here is that anxiety disorders are unnecessary and thus people should just "turn them off". What he fails to understand is that anxiety disorders are not something that people can simply turn off by the flip of a switch. If it were that easy, then no one would ever suffer from anxiety disorders. It seems to me that Mr. MacArthur thinks that Christians who suffer from anxiety disorders want to suffer from their anxiety disorders. In a sense, it seems like he thinks Christians who suffer from anxiety disorders are committing idolatry. This couldn't be further from the truth. One has to wonder if Mr. MacArthur has ever held a loved one in his arms who was just brutally murdered. Or if Mr. MacArthur ever considered what it is like to feel such a compulsion to perform some ritual to prevent a loved one from dying. I do not think he has because if he did, then he would understand the stronghold that OCD and PTSD bind some Christians in. 

This concludes this section of my blog series. Please stay tuned for Part 10.. 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Why John MacArthur Is Wrong About Mental Illness (Part 9)

 

This is a continuation of my blog series where I critique two sermons by Mr. John MacArthur, senior pastor of Grace Community Church. His sermons are titled "Anxiety-Free Living" and he bases his sermons off of Luke 12:22-34. In that passage, Jesus tells us not to worry about our lives because God will take care of us. He uses the analogy of the birds and lilies by pointing out how they neither toil nor spin, yet the Heavenly Father takes care of them. Jesus tells us that we are much more valuable than the birds and lilies. For this reason, we do not need to worry because our God is sovereign and He cares for us. I have no issue with Mr. MacArthur's interpretation of this passage. God will indeed take care of us because He is sovereign. What I have an issue with, and what this series shows, is his blatant trivialization of mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. Mr. MacArthur very bluntly says "If you trust God, then you should not worry and if you are worrying, then you do not trust God". This type of gaslighting of fellow Christians who suffer from anxiety disorders is unacceptable. My fear is that Mr. MacArthur has a worldwide influence and anyone who hears these sermons will be led to believe that they are not "good Christians" if they suffer from mental illness. The point of this series is to point out that there is nothing inherently wrong with any Christian who suffers from mental illnesses. We can trust in God wholeheartedly, yet still take medication and see a therapist for our mental health. Mr. MacArthur's false dichotomy is a lie and it needs to be exposed since he is currently buckling down on what he has said. 

The next portion I'd like to address from his first sermon is the section where he says the following, 

Let me tell you what this is.  You do not have the privilege to determine your life span. Who does?  God.  The Lord gives. The Lord takes.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.  People say, "Oh, you know, if you...you've got to do this and you've got to do that to...to live longer, live..."  Look, this society is berserk about lengthening life, mega billion-dollar industries in food supplements and vitamins and exercise and medications, on and on and on.  You can't add one day to your life. I don't want to be here any longer than He wants me here.  That's kind of liberating, isn't it?  Takes the panic out.  People consumed with their health. I'm not saying you shouldn't be disciplined, you should.  I'm not saying you shouldn't be moderate in the way you eat and I'm not saying you shouldn't stay in some reasonable condition so that you can serve the Lord with all your energy and all your power. That's important.  Now there's no virtue in the sin of gluttony or laziness or overindulgence.  But I am telling you, worry isn't going to lengthen your life because the one who has the privilege to determine when you are born and when you die is the sovereign God.

Now, I'd like to say first that I actually agree with him that our society is obsessed with lengthening their lifespan. He is right about that. This is why you see so many people getting plastic surgery done to make themselves look more youthful. I have no issue with him saying this. Furthermore, I have no issue with him even saying that we cannot lengthen our lifespans by worrying. Worrying will not help us live longer. The truth is, God has an appointed day for each of us to die and we are not in control of that. However, where I have an issue with him is his insinuation that people who suffer from mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, are merely obsessed with lengthening their lives. If you do not see how I am understanding this, please remember what these sermons are about. He is supposed to be talking about anxiety disorders and how if we "trust God" enough then we should never struggle with anxiety disorders. In this portion of his sermon, he is lumping people who suffer from mental illness in with people who are worried about lengthening their lives. The truth is, that people who suffer from OCD, PTSD, or even Panic attacks are not "worried about lengthening their lives". They are dealing with real disorders that cause them to either perform rituals to keep something bad from happening, or they are dealing with the effects of some traumatic event that happened to them, or they are dealing with episodes where they even have difficulty breathing. Mr. MacArthur's blatant trivializing of mental disorders is an insult to millions of Christians worldwide. He seems to insinuate that anxiety disorders will disappear just by merely "trusting God", but the reality is that it is not that simple. It is easy for someone like him, who does not suffer from mental illness and who lives a cushy $14 million lifestyle, to make that insinuation. However, for millions of Christians around the world who suffer from mental illnesses, the struggle is very real for each one of us. We need our medication and therapy because without such things we would either die or be in prison. The Lord has blessed people like us with mental health professionals who know how to treat the human mind. It is because of God's common grace that we can trust such people. People like Mr. MacArthur should not talk about subjects he clearly knows nothing about, such as mental illness because this sort of rhetoric is not ignorant, but it is highly damaging toward people with any kind of mental disorders. 

This concludes this portion of my blog series critiquing Mr. MacArthur's sermons. Stay Tuned For Part 10 where I begin critiquing his second sermon on this topic. 

I hope that this series helps you better understand where Mr. MacArthur is wrong and I hope that this helps you to realize that even if you suffer from a mental disorder you are not a "freak of nature" or a second-class citizen in the Kingdom of God. You are a child of the Great King and so that makes you royalty and the Lord really does care and cherish you. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and may the grace of the Lord and Savior richly bless you all!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website