How Mental Illness Has Affected My Marriage

 

Marriage is a difficult relationship to manage in life. The reason for this is that we are all sinners. When you get two sinners living together for life, it is difficult for the two to learn how to deal with one another. This is made even worse when mental illness is thrown into the mix. According to the AI Overview, 

"Couples with a history of mental illness, whether in one or both partners, face a higher risk of divorce compared to couples without mental illness. Studies indicate this increased risk can range from 20% to 80% higher, depending on the specific mental disorder and its severity." 

This may sound daunting, but there is real hope for marriages that are built on a solid foundation centered on Christ. In this blog, I shall discuss how my mental illness has affected my marriage but then I will give some advice that has worked for me and my wife. The purpose of my writing this is to show you that marriages that deal with mental illnesses can work out, despite what the statistics say. I want to give you hope so that you will not feel discouraged from pursuing marriage. A godly marriage is a beautiful thing that God has blessed us with on this side of Heaven. I firmly believe that the Lord has someone for everyone. If you have a desire to be married, then God will grant you the desires of your heart. I believe this because Psalm 37:4 tells us, 

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will grant you desires of your heart" 

Did you notice what the Psalmist is saying here? He basically is saying that if you find your delight in God, then He will grant you your heart's desire. I believe that this means we must find our ultimate fulfillment in Christ, and once we do that, then our desires will become His desires. When our desires become His desires, that is when He will give us what we want because we will want what He wants. I sincerely hope that this makes sense to you. We just need to trust in His timing to reveal who our spouse is. Trust me, it took me over a decade to find my wife, but once I found her, I realized that upon meeting her, it was literally the best thing to ever happen to me. But, I digress. Let me explain how my Schizoaffective Disorder has affected my marriage. I will reference three ways, but I want you to know that there definitely are more ways, though. These are just three ways I would like to cover for the sake of this blog. These three ways are: Leadership, Financial, and Sacrifice. I will elaborate on each of these points now, and then afterwards, I will give you some encouraging words of advice that will help you make your marriage successful. 

Leadership

This has probably been the hardest barrier for me to understand. I believe that part of the reason it has been so difficult for me is that I never had a godly man teach me how to lead a wife before I became a Christian in my 20s. However, this is only part of the reason. The main reason is that my mental illness causes me to be extremely lazy. This is a symptom called anhedonia. In case you're wondering what anhedonia is, it is a symptom that decreases one's interest in things that they once found pleasurable. My anhedonia causes me to no longer enjoy leading and spending time with my wife. It is for this reason that sometimes my wife has had to step up to tell me what I must be doing as the man of the household. For example, I know that I should be leading my wife in our weekly Family Worship times, but sometimes all I want to do is read my books or watch movies and TV shows on Netflix. It is for this reason that I sometimes discourage myself from leading us in Family Worship, and my wife will have to bring it to my attention. 

Financial

This is the second most important barrier that has affected our marriage. You may or may not already know this, but my wife is the primary "bread-winner" in our household. It is for this reason that sometimes I feel like I am "less of a man" because I am not currently working a traditional 9-5 job. I try to encourage myself by saying that I am doing the best that I can, despite having a mental disability, but it does not always work. However, this is why I am working so hard in this ministry and why I am working so hard in my Biblical Counseling Courses too. I know that as long as I am faithful in glorifying God with the work He has given me, then eventually He will bless the work that I do. I am just glad that my wife believes in the work that I do. This is one of the reasons why I feel blessed to have my wife. 

Sacrifice

This is the third most important barrier in my marriage. I say this because sometimes I feel like my wife has and is making more of a sacrifice for me than I am making for her. After all, she is the one who left her home to come be with me. I know that she was willing to make that sacrifice because she believes in me, but I feel like I should have done more for her. Even to this day, I still feel like I should be doing much more for her. It is for this reason that I try my best to do the little things around the house just so I can ease the burden off her shoulders. I know that she does appreciate that I do that, too. 

 Now that I have explained how mental illness has affected my marriage, I shall give some godly advice for how you can live in a successful marriage centered around Christ, even though mental illness is prevalent. If we turn to Proverbs 18:22, we read the following, 

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord" 

Husbands, if you want a successful marriage, you must take this verse to heart. You must see your wife as the good thing that is displaying favor from God. I personally look for every opportunity to show my wife that I truly do appreciate her. Do we have the perfect marriage? Of course not! But I do my best to show my gratitude for her, and I am always thankful to the Lord for showing me favor by giving her to me. If you want a successful marriage, you need to do what I am doing. 

If we turn to Ephesians 5:25-28, we read the following, 

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing by the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind--yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish" 

As you can see from this text, brothers, it is our duty to love our wives the way Christ loves His church. How did He show us this example? He displayed His love for us by sacrificing Himself on the cross and thus, bearing our sins and our punishment that we deserved. Theologians call this "The Great Exchange". What this means is that when Jesus went to the cross, He took all of our sins upon Himself, and His perfect righteousness was imputed onto us. It is for this reason that we, as His bride, can stand before God as holy and blameless in His sight. If Christ was willing to take the ultimate sacrifice for us, then how much more should we be doing for our own wives? Husbands, this means that if your wife had a long day at work and she wants to rest, then maybe you should take care of the dishes instead of making her do it. The same applies to other household chores too. If your wife wants to spend time with you, but your "boys" want to hang out, then you should be able to tell them no because your wife comes first. If your wife tells you that she does not want to cook dinner one night because she had a hard day at work, then you should fend for yourself on those days. You should also offer to give her a back rub. The bottom line is this: you should be willing to do more for your wife than she is doing for you, even if you do not feel like doing anything. Anhedonia is no excuse to disregard the commandment that tells us to lay down our lives for our wives. Also, anhedonia is no excuse to neglect Family Worship. I personally understand that anhedonia is difficult to overcome, but if you want a successful God-honoring marriage, then you must do whatever you can to overcome anhedonia. We can accomplish all things through Christ, who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). 

For those of you who feel condemned because you have failed at being a "bad" husband for your wives, I would like to leave you with one last word of encouragement. When we turn to Romans 8:1, we read the following, 

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." 

I personally find this scripture comforting, especially when I consider my own failures in being a "rotten"  husband. It helps me to understand that no matter what I am not condemned by God because He has borne my condemnation already. It is for this reason that you and I can celebrate, despite our failures. If you have let down your wife in any way, shape, or form, please understand that it is alright. You do not need to feel like God is punishing you or even that your wife should love you any less than she currently does. All you need to do is acknowledge your failure to God and your wife, and then pick yourself back up so that you can do better next time. 

I hope that this blog really helps you understand how you can be a better husband for your wife, even if you are dealing with a mental illness of any kind. I pray that you will not feel condemned by this blog, but instead, the Lord will use this blog to give you encouragement to be the best husband that you can be. It will not be easy, and some days you may even feel like giving up, but on those days, you need to give it all to the Lord, and He will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and may the grace of Jesus Christ richly bless you all!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Please check out the CCMH Ministry Website

Advice For Why You Should Stay On Your Medication

 

As a lot of you may already know about me, I have been on psychiatric medication for about a decade now. What you may not know is that I have gone a long time without medication. It is for this reason that I feel like I have the personal expertise to talk about this subject. I have found that for people with various mental illnesses, it is extremely vital for us to take and remain on our medication because going off of them can be detrimental to our physical and mental health. However, before I dispense my advice, I would like to give you some words of encouragement. If you are someone who has to take medication for your mental health, please keep in mind that that does not mean you are not "normal" or that you are a "freak of nature". I say this because when I was younger, that is exactly how I used to think, and I know there are others out there who think the same thing. If you take medications for mental health reasons, it is just like a diabetic having to take insulin shots. What I mean by this is that just like a diabetic needs to rely on their shots to keep them alive, so we rely on our medication to keep us alive or even out of prison. Another myth I hear from people concerning psychiatric medication is that taking medications displays a lack of trust in God. This is patently absurd because the people who make this argument will never tell a diabetic that their taking insulin shots displays a lack of trust in God. If they are not willing to say this to diabetics, then they should not tell us that either. So, if you have to take medication for mental health reasons, keep in mind that you are perfectly normal. Now, I will go over my advice, but I will separate my advice into three categories. These categories are Time Length/Life Consequences, Relationships, and Side Effects. I will elaborate on each of these points, but first, I'd like to say these are not the only reasons why you should remain on your medications. These are the main reasons, but if you can think of any more reasons, please feel free to comment below. 

Time Length/ Life Consequences 

What I mean by this is that if you have a clinical mental illness, you must remain on your medication so that you can have a good quality of life. I know that we cannot control the quantity of life because we all only live as long as the Lord permits. However, we are in control of how we live our lives. This means that we have the choice between not taking our medications and accepting our medications. If you choose the former, then you will risk ending up dead or in prison. I say this because depending on your illness, you risk having an episode where you can either be killed or you will do something that will get you locked up. If you choose the latter, then you will more than likely live with a better quality of life. Sure, you may deal with some bad side effects, but overall, your life will be better off. I say this because if we remain on our medication, then our minds will be much more stable. It has been proven that mental illness progressively gets worse over time, but when we take our medications regularly, then our mental progression will be much slower. If we go without our medication, that is dangerous because our mental illness will progressively get worse quickly. So, if we want any hope whatsoever of living a functional life, then we must remain medicated. I know this from firsthand experience because when I was younger, I tried to live without medication. As a result, my life went completely out of control. I ended up homeless in the streets at least ten times in my life. I vividly remember sleeping on park benches and in abandoned cars, too. I even remember going into mania episodes that either drew the attention of the Secret Service or even caused me to get into humiliating situations. It is for this reason that I came to the realization that I should keep taking my medication. 

Relationships 

If you remain on your medications, then it will greatly benefit how you treat your loved ones. I say this because I have noticed that when I am off my medications or when I need a medication adjustment, I treat my loved ones poorly. On the flipside, I have noticed that when I am medicated and my medications are working properly, then I treat my loved ones better. I believe that this is the reason, because for some of us with mental illnesses, if we go off our medication, we can become very paranoid. This paranoia can cause us to no longer trust our loved ones. This distrust of our loved ones will cause us to mistreat them, not because we hate them, but because we are trying to protect ourselves. However, when we are on our medication, our minds can think more properly and clearly about our loved one. As a result of this, we will be able to trust our loved ones more easily because we can see that they truly care for us. It is for this reason that our relationships will be better. 

Side Effects 

This is probably the most controversial topic that I can address because I know a lot of people do not like the side effects that come with taking medications. I know that the side effects are hard to deal with. I also know that sometimes the side effects can be life-threatening, too. It is up to us individually to decide what side effects we are willing to deal with because ultimately, it is our bodies that we must live with. I can tell you that when we find the right medication, the side effects should be minimal. It literally took me over ten years before I found the right medication, but once I did find the right ones, my life has been a lot better. I say this because I do not want you to become discouraged because you have not found the correct dose of medications that work for you. It may take a while, but you must not give up. If you keep being open and transparent with your psychiatrist about everything you are experiencing, then it will make things a whole lot easier for him or her to help you out. The saying "help me help you" is a perfect motto for the psychiatrist because he or she can only do so much if we are not completely honest with them. 

I hope that this blog encourages you to remain on your medication or helps you to help someone else remain on their medication, too. Keep trusting in Christ, and He will guide you into all truth. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and may the grace of Christ richly bless you all. 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the CCMH Ministry Website

Biblical Counseling Is Biblical After All

 

As some of you may know already, last year I was adamantly opposed to Biblical Counseling. My contention with Biblical Counseling was that Biblical Counselors all seemed to be anti-psychology. As someone who greatly values the insights of psychology, I thought that anything that opposed psychology must be rejected. However, this year I have had the amazing opportunity to learn more about Biblical Counseling, and now I actually would like to earn my certificate in Biblical Counseling. You may be wondering what exactly Biblical Counseling is, right? You also may be wondering how someone like me could make such a complete 180 on something that I was so adamantly opposed to. Well, to answer the second question, I have learned that Biblical Counseling is very helpful for people. As a matter of fact, it is indeed more helpful to people than psychology because the help that it provides comes straight from the Scriptures. This does not mean I am against psychology. No, I will always support psychology, but now I see the immense value in Biblical Counseling. To answer the first question, the Biblical Counseling movement was founded by a Reformed theologian named Jay Adams, and it was originally called "nouthetic counseling". The term "nouthetic" comes from the Greek word, which means "to admonish". Jay Adams believed that mental illnesses were actually sin issues that needed to be confronted from a biblical perspective. He authored the book "Competent To Counsel," where he discusses in depth what exactly he means by this. As a result, he was very much opposed to psychology and psychiatry as it was presented in his time by people like Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. It is for this reason that I was so opposed to Biblical Counseling because I thought that Biblical Counselors were still adamantly opposed to psychology, and as someone who is currently receiving help from psychology, I felt like he was saying I was not a very good Christian. I have recently learned that the Biblical Counseling movement has since progressed away from its founder. There are two Biblical Counseling organizations called the CCEF (Christian Counseling Education Forum) and the ACBC (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors). They are basically similar to one another with very slight differences. For example, the ACBC believes that a counselor needs to operate under the auspices of a local church, whereas the CCEF believes that individual counselors can operate separately from the local church. The organization that I have been studying under is the CCEF, and I am very excited about the prospect of earning my certificate from their organization. My goal in this blog is to show how Biblical Counseling is indeed biblical. I will do this by explaining four points in this blog. These points will be: Sin Issues, High View of Scripture, God Cares, and Helping People. These are not the only points that prove that Biblical Counseling is indeed biblical, but these are the most important points. If you can think of any other important points, please share them in the comments below. I will now elaborate on each of these points. 

Sin Issue 

If we turn to Psalm 51:5, we read the following, 

"Behold, I brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" 

As you can clearly see from this text, we are all born into sin. There is not a single human being on this earth who was born without a sin nature, besides the God-Man Jesus Christ. We clearly see evidence of this in Romans 7:15-17, which reads, 

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." 

As you may already know, these very words were penned by the Apostle Paul himself. I know that there is some debate concerning whether or not Paul was speaking pre-conversion or post-conversion, but I think it is very clear that he was speaking about himself post-conversion. Theologians say that this text is describing the indwelling sin that affects all believers. Some theologians even say that this is evidence of Total Depravity, according to the TULIP acronym. Regardless of how you view this text, it is obvious that all humankind deals with sin. Biblical Counselors see texts like this and how these sin issues can manifest themselves in people who would be diagnosed with mental illnesses. This does not mean that they see all mental illnesses as sin issues. As a matter of fact, they distinguish between organic illnesses and inorganic illnesses. Organic illnesses are illnesses that stem from chemical imbalances in the mind. An example of this would be Schizophrenia or Bipolar disorders. Inorganic illnesses would be illnesses that are not chemical imbalances in the mind. An example of this would be alcoholism or gender dysphoria. These are very important concepts to keep in mind when listening to Biblical Counselors because if you do not keep these in mind, their rhetoric can get confusing. 

High View Of Scripture 

If we turn to 1 Timothy 3:16, we read the following, 

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" 

Biblical Counselors use this text to justify their methodology when it comes to counseling their clients. They believe that everything they need when dealing with someone is found directly in the Scriptures. This text does indeed say that too. When dealing with clients who have a certain organic or inorganic illness, it is always helpful to point them back to the Holy Scriptures. If we fail to do this, then all we will accomplish is putting a band-aid on an open wound. It is only through the Scriptures that one can receive the real hope that they need to cope with life's daily struggles. This does not mean that psychology cannot be of any hope whatsoever. Psychology can help tremendously, but it should always take a backseat to Biblical Counseling. I believe that in cases of Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder, one must address the matters of the heart alongside mental health treatment. In the case of alcoholism, the only thing that will help is direct confrontation of one's sin. As counselors, we must always keep this in mind if we are to be of any kind of help. The Scriptures indeed have everything we need to know for life and godliness. 

God Cares 

In 1 Peter 5:6-7, we read the following, 

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties upon him because he cares for you" 

In this text, we are commanded to cast all of our anxieties upon God. It is important to keep in mind that this is not a suggestion. No, this is a direct command from the apostle Peter. He follows this up by reminding us that God cares for us. This is remarkable to think about. The infinitely holy and just God of the universe takes the time to care for us. Biblical Counselors are really good at reminding us of this very fact. As a matter of fact, I think that Biblical Counselors are better at reminding us of this than even Integrationists are. The reason for this is that Biblical Counselors are always drawing their clients back to what the Scriptures say. Integrationists tend to first use psychology to comfort their clients, and then they take them to the Scriptures. This is a sad indictment against the Integrationist movement. The bottom line is that God does indeed care for all of the little details in our lives, and it is for this very reason that we can always turn to Him. 

Helping People 

When we turn to Romans 12:15, we read the following, 

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" 

As you can see from this text, we are commanded to be in such close communion with one another that we can know when to rejoice with one another and when to weep with one another. This means that we need to understand one another, and that is no simple task. In today's culture, everyone is so individualistic that we usually are not close enough to other people to be able to fulfill this command. I am not just talking about people outside of the church, but inside the church as well. Biblical Counselors do a supreme job at reminding people that we are created to be in communion with one another. Integrationists are good at reminding people of this, too, but Biblical Counselors really stress this fact to their clients. Another Scripture that really highlights this concept is found in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. This says the following, 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" 

As you can see from this text, we are comforted by God in ALL of our affliction. This does not mean that God only comforts us in some of what troubles us. No, God promises to comfort us in everything that troubles us. Think about this for a moment. The infinite Creator of all of the cosmos loves us so much that He is willing to take time to comfort us in all of our affliction. Why does He do this? It is because once we are comforted, then we will be able to comfort those who are being afflicted with the comfort we receive from God. Biblical Counselors are very helpful in this regard because we need to be reminded of God's comfort and how we can comfort others. This falls in alignment with the idea of being in communion with other people. If we fail to be in communion with others, then we will not be able to know when the right time is to comfort others. 

I hope that this blog has given you some insight in knowing how Biblical Counseling is indeed a Biblical methodology in counseling other people. Does this mean it is the only methodology that should be used? Of course not! I still believe that there is a place for psychology, which is why I consider myself to be a Biblical Integrationist. I know that I still have a lot to learn concerning Biblical Counseling, and so I look forward to my future lessons in the courses to follow, and I am excited to one day say that I am a certified Biblical Counselor, but this does not mean that I'll ever let go of my convictions for psychology. I see immense value in both Biblical Counseling and psychology. I thank you 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 CCMH Ministry Website

What Does It Mean To Have The Joy Of The Lord?

 

It has been a while since I wrote a blog, so I decided to write one today because the Lord laid an important topic on my heart. I would like to write about what exactly it means to experience the joy of the Lord. The reason for this topic is that there are many Christians who either do not or have difficulty experiencing the joy of God in their lives. As Christians, we have ample reason to experience this joy. I remember years ago, as a baby Christian, I too had this same difficulty. As a matter of fact, I used to look at my brothers and sisters in the Lord with envy because they seemed to be at more peace than I was. It is for this reason why I feel the message in this blog is so vitally important in this day and age. Some of you may already be familiar with Question 1 in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, but for those who are not familiar with what it says, I will quote here:

Q. What is the chief end of man? 
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever 

It is an unfortunate thing that a lot of Christians seem to agree with the first part of this Q&A (glorify God), but they have no understanding of the second part (enjoy Him forever). So many professing Christians seem to think that glorifying God and enjoying Him are completely antithetical to one another. I am here to tell you that that cannot be further from the truth. God does not want us to be mere robots who blindly follow Him. God desires for us to glorify Him while at the same time finding our ultimate fulfillment in Him. We may think material things will fill us, but as St. Augustine wisely put it, "our hearts are restless until we rest in Him." No material thing can ultimately satisfy us because we were made for a more eternal purpose. But, I digress. As I read the Scriptures, I have found three reasons why we can find joy in the Lord. I will list these three reasons under the categories of Never Abandon, All Spiritual Blessings, and Our Belonging. I know that we have many more reasons to find joy in the Lord, but these are the most pertinent ones. If you can think of any other reasons, please comment on them below. I will not elaborate more on these reasons. 

Never Abandon 

Most of you may be familiar with Hebrews 13:5, but I will quote it here for your remembrance. It says, 

"Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave nor forsake you'." 

This is such an amazing verse! The Writer to the Hebrews is essentially reminding us that since God will never leave nor forsake us, we have no reason to worry about how to take care of our needs. Do you understand the gravity of what this Writer is saying? If not, please take a moment to meditate on this truth. The omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God of the universe is always on our side, and He refuses to let us go. Elsewhere in Scripture, Jesus reminds us that nothing can separate us from His Father's care. If this were the only reason we have, this would be sufficient for us to have joy. However, there are more reasons, but this is probably the most important reason, in my opinion. The reason I say this is because in my life, I have experienced homelessness, jail, and much more. It was because of the fact that God never left me that I got myself through the most horrific events in my life. 

All Spiritual Blessings 

As we turn to Ephesians 1:3-6, we read the following, 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." 

As you can see that God has blessed us in Christ with "every spiritual blessing the the heavenly places". What exactly does this mean, though? Obviously, it does not mean that God will bless you by winning the lottery any time soon. While that could happen, it is not a promise from God. As I read this text, I see a few applications as to what it means to be blessed with every spiritual blessing. First, God has predestined us to salvation since before the foundation of the world. This means that before God created anything, He had you and me and all of His individual elect members of the Body of Christ in mind. Secondly, when God predestined us, He made sure that we stood holy and blameless in His sight. This means that no matter what we do or say, we are always and forever covered by His grace found in Jesus Christ. This is no excuse to live in sin, but it does mean that even when we do sin, we are still seen as blameless in God's eyes. Finally, the last piece of evidence is the fact that God elected us because He loves us. Think about that for a second. The most infinite and holy, and majestic God truly loves His children. This means we can trust that He will be there for us no matter what because of His forever abounding and steadfast love. As the Apostle Peter tells us to cast all our anxieties upon God because He cares for us. 

Our Belonging 

Ok, this truth has honestly been the most impactful in my life, and I trust it will be for you as well. You may or may not be familiar with the Heidelberg Catechism, but I will quote it here for your remembrance: 

"Q. What is your only comfort in life and death? 
  A. That I am not my own but belong with body and soul, both in life and death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my Heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now to live for Him." 

As you can see from this text, we do not belong to ourselves, but instead, we belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. He purchased us with His precious blood. Elsewhere, the Apostle Paul tells us that we were purchased for a reason. When someone goes to the store to buy a new television, that television no longer belongs to that store. The TV now belongs to its new owner. I know that this is a silly comparison because we are worth more than a new TV. However, the analogy does suffice because just like that, television now belongs to its new owner, in the same way we belong to God. Since He paid the ultimate price by shedding His blood upon the cross, we now are His people. We are no longer slaves to sin and the devil. We are now slaves to righteousness who are called His sons and daughters. Since God is a most holy King, this by default makes us royal heirs to God's rich inheritance forever and always. It is for this reason that we must not go on living in sin. How can we go on living in sin when He has set us free from sin? I am not saying that we will never struggle with sin, so please do not misconstrue my words. There is a difference between intentionally living in sin and struggling with sin. We will always struggle with sin on this side of eternity, but when we do sin, we can boldly come to God and ask for His forgiveness. God is always ready to forgive us because of what His Son has accomplished on our behalf. However, when one lives in sin, this means that they do not care if their sins offend the holy God, and they show no remorse when they do sin. Actually, these people revel in their sin. This type of attitude should never be found in a professing Christian's life, and if it is, that is pretty good evidence that they were never saved to begin with. God loves His elect people with such an undying love that He promises to take care of our needs, and He promises to work out everything for our good. He is fully able to do this because of His omnipotence. 

I hope that this blog helps you better understand how we can enjoy God forever. Like I said above, I know how hard this is because the world, the flesh, and the devil are always looking for ways to bring us down. I hope that when this happens, you will remind yourself of the truths found in this blog because they come straight from Scripture. I thank you very much for taking the time to read this, and may the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the CCMH Ministry Website

A Biblical Perspective On The 8 Dimensions Of Wellness

 

As some of you may already know, I am coming to the end of my class at the Thomas Wernert Center. The class is called "8 Dimensions of Wellness". I have learned a lot about the 8 different ways one can be mentally healthy. As a mental health advocate, I have enjoyed learning how to encourage others to live a mentally healthy life. As a Christian, I have enjoyed seeing how these "8 Dimensions" actually coincide with Scripture. In this blog, I will share what each of these 8 Dimensions are, and then I will share how each of these Dimensions ties into the Biblical text. This blog aims to show you how you can live a mentally healthy life as a Christian. It is important to keep in mind that the way one operates in each of these dimensions will look different for each person. This does not mean that these 8 dimensions do not apply to everyone because they most certainly do. It just means that there is no "one-size-fits-all" for each of these dimensions. The book that I will be referencing in this blog is called "Creating A Healthier Life: A Step-By-Step Guide To Wellness". Now, it is time for me to discuss each of these categories. 

Physical Wellness
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The definition for this category is the following, 

"A healthy body. Good physical health habits. Nutrition, exercise, and appropriate health care. These make up the physical dimension of wellness. A few ways that we can get there might be choosing things that make our body feel good and trimming back the things that bring us down. We can also feel better by creating a routine that balances activity with inactivity, and that is manageable within our obligations and needs. Our body is intelligent, and learning to listen to it more may be very important and empowering." 

I really love this definition because it perfectly says what physical wellness looks like. Pay close attention to some of the words and phrases in this definition. "Nutrition". "Exercise". "Choosing things that make our body feel good". "Trimming back the things that bring us down". What is it that you think of when you read these words and phrases? Take a moment to really ruminate on these thoughts. Now, how does this correlate with the Bible? I would like to draw your attention to 1 Timothy 4:7-8, which says the following, 

"Rather train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." 

I know that this text is usually used to show how godliness is much more valuable than physical training, and
I do not have any dispute with that interpretation because that does seem to be the point that the Apostle Paul was getting at. However, notice what Paul does not do. He does not say that there is no value in physical training at all. This would mean that even Paul acknowledged that there is some value to physical exercise. I know that this might sound like a trite point, but I have heard godly men and women abuse this text by making it seem as if, as long as you are "godly," then it does not matter if you physically exercise. That is a gross misapplication of this text. 

Here are some ways that I try to fulfill this dimension: 

1) Going for walks
2) Exercising on the bike at the Thomas Wernert Center
3) Walking in place inside my apartment 



Intellectual Wellness 
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The definition for this category is the following, 

"...involves many things that keep our brains active and intellect expanding. In a broad sense, this dimension can involve looking at different perspectives of an issue and taking them into consideration. Through several activities-- from learning about current events to organizing game nights in your home og community center-- you can broaden your perspective and understand diverse points of view." 

I absolutely love this definition so very much! Pay close attention to some of the phrases in this definition. "Keep our brains active and intellect expanding". "Looking at different perspectives". "Broaden your perspective". What do you think of when you read these phrases? What does the Bible have to say about this? If we turn to Matthew 22:37, we read the words of our Lord saying, 

"...You should love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind"

As you can see, the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to love God with OUR MINDS. This does not mean we have an excuse to be intellectually lazy. As a matter of fact, the way we love the Lord with our minds to the best of our abilities is by keeping them active. We should never give up stimulating our minds. Christians do not get brownie points for being ignorant. Now, does this mean that we will always love the Lord perfectly with our minds? Heaven's no. As sinful, imperfect people, we will always struggle. But that is no excuse to just throw in the towel and give up. 

Here are some ways that I fulfill this category: 

1) Reading Theology, Psychology, and Philosophy Books 
2) Researching other perspectives different from my own 
3) Studying the Bible 
4) Having intellectually stimulating conversations 

Financial Wellness
________________

The definition for this category is the following, 

"...involves things such as income, debt and savings, as well as a person's understanding of financial processes and resources. A person's satisfaction with their current financial situation and future prospects also comes into play." 

Pay close attention to the words and phrases in this definition. "Debt and savings". "Person's understanding of financial processes". "Person's satisfaction with their current financial situation". What comes to your mind when you think of these words and phrases? What does the Bible say about this category? If we turn to 1 Timothy 6:10, we read the following, 

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." 

Notice what the Apostle Paul does not say. He does not say that money is the root of all evil. He merely says that the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil. We must really take the time to understand that because many Christians read this verse and automatically think it is sinful to be rich. It is only sinful to be rich when you idolize your money above God. When someone does that, they will fall into "all kinds of evils". Another Scripture I'd like to draw your attention to is Proverbs 3:9-10, which says the following, 

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine." 

As you can see from this text, the wisest man to have ever lived commands us to use our wealth to honor God. As a matter of fact, Solomon promises us that if we honor God with our money, then God will bless us. I know that there is some disagreement amongst Christians concerning how one is to honor God with our money, but I think the Scripture is clear when it says our "first fruits". This means that when we get paid, we are to give our dues to the Lord before we buy or spend money on anything else. When we do this, then God will honor us. As a matter of fact, when we turn to Malachi 3:10, we read the following, 

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you and pour down a blessing until there is no more need."

As you can see from this text, the Lord commands us to bring our tithe into our churches. What exactly constitutes a tithe? Biblically speaking, a tithe is 10% of all your income. Basically, we are commanded to give 10% of our income to our churches. That should be the bare minimum of what we give. God not only commands us to give our full tithe, but He tells us to test Him to see if He will not bless us for giving Him our full tithe. Usually, the Lord tells us not to test Him, but in this portion of Scripture, He gives us the right to test Him. 

Here is how I fulfill this category: 

1) I may not always give my full tithe, but I do make sure to tithe at least $15 at the beginning of each month
2) I do not spend any of my money before I give my tithe
3) I make sure I follow a budget to the best of my ability

Environment Wellness 
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The definition for this category is the following: 

"...involves being able to be safe and feel safe. This can include: Accessing clean air, food, and water. Preserving the areas where we live, learn, and work. Occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support our wellbeing, Promoting learning, contemplation, and relaxation in natural places and spaces." 

Pay close attention to some of these words and phrases. "Feel safe and be safe". "Clean air, food, and water". "Preserving the areas where we live". What do you think of when you think of these phrases? What does the Bible say? When we turn to chapter 2 of Genesis, we see a remarkable scene. We see that the Lord created the Garden of Eden, and it was very lush and beautiful, but it had no one to tend it. Then, eventually, God created the first man out of the dust of the ground and breathed His breath into the man so that the man would become a living being. Then, in verse 15, we read the following, 

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and keep it." 

As you can see from this text, God commanded Adam to take care of his environment. This would mean that he had a job to do. And this was before he and Eve fell into sin. Basically, work is not sinful nor is it evil. As a matter of fact, we are commanded to work. Laziness is a sin that is forbidden throughout the Scriptures. Christians are not only commanded to work, but we are expected to work. And we are commanded to take care of our immediate environment. This means we are to make sure our living spaces are liveable. As Dr. Michael Horton has once said, "Christians should be the best environmentalists". 

Here are some ways I fulfil this category: 

1) Doing the chores around the house that my wife cannot do
2) Cleaning up after myself 
3) Making sure I do not litter, trash goes into the trash bin

Spiritual Wellness 
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The definition for this category is the following:

"...is a broad concept that represents one's personal beliefs and values and involves having meaning, purpose, and a sense of balance and peace." 

Pay close attention to these words and phrases. "personal beliefs and values,". "meaning, purpose, and sense of balance". What comes to your mind when you think of these phrases? What does the Bible say concerning this? If we turn to 1 Peter 2:9, we read the following, 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 

As you can see from this scripture, Peter wants us to know a couple of things. First, he wants us to know who we are in Christ. He says things like we are "a chosen race", a "royal priesthood", and a "people for his own possession". In other words, we belong to the Great King of the universe, and that fact makes us holy and royal. We may as well think of ourselves as princes and princesses in His grand kingdom. Secondly, Peter wants us to know our purpose. He says our purpose is to "proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light". Basically, we are to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as we can while we are alive on this earth. Spreading the Gospel message is not only our duty, but it is also our privilege. 

Here are some ways I fulfill this category: 

1) Pray daily
2) Read my Bible 
3) Conduct Family Worship 
4) Give people Bibles when they ask 
5) Talk to people about Christ 
6) Read theology books 

Social Wellness
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The definition for this category is the following, 

"...Involves having health relationships with friends, family, and community, and having an interest in and concern for the needs of others and humankind" 

What do you think of when you read this definition? What does the Bible say? When we turn to Philippians 2:3-4, we read the following, 

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." 

As you can clearly see from this text, we are not to be selfish by only caring for our needs, but we are commanded to think of other people as more important than ourselves. This means we should be thinking of meeting other people's needs before our own. Are we going to do this perfectly? No! As long as we are stuck in these sinful bodies, we will never do this perfectly because we are always prone to selfishness. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will make progress in fulfilling this command. Another text that I would like to draw your attention to is 1 Corinthians 12:22-24, which says the following, 

"On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are used with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it." 

The context of these verses is that Paul is comparing the Body of Christ to being like a human body. Each individual Christian makes up a part of the Body of Christ. Paul tells us that the weaker or less honorable member of the body of Christ should be treated with even more honor. This is the polar opposite of what the world teaches. The world wants attractive people, have lots of money and have a lot of charisma to be treated with all the honor and respect. The world will mistreat someone who is not attractive, who does not have a lot of money, and who does not have a lot of charisma. However, the Lord flips things upside-down by telling us to give more honor and respect to the outcasts and misfits of the world. 

Here are some ways I fulfill this category: 

1) I treat everyone I meet the same as I would treat anyone else 
2) I do my best to help out others 
3) I do not hold grudges 
4) I am always forgiving 

Occupational Wellness
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The definition for this category is the following, 

"involves participating in activities that provide meaning and purpose and reflect personal values, interests, and beliefs, including employment." 

This is a pretty straightforward definition, and as you can see, this has an overlap with the environmental wellness category. I will turn your attention to Genesis 2:15 again, which says, 

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and keep it." 

If you remember correctly, God creates the Garden of Eden, but there is no one to tend this very lush and beautiful land. As a result, God creates Adam and gives him the job of tending the garden. As I have pointed out before, God gave Adam this job before the Fall. This means that work is not inherently sinful. As a matter of fact, we are called and commanded to work. I know that this may sound convincing to those of us with mental illness who cannot work. But the command is still the same for us. However, the Lord understands if we are not able to work a traditional 9-5 job. If you are like me, then you may have to figure out what your own personal niche is. What are some things you're good at, and how can you utilize your gifts? You may have to talk to those who are close to you to figure out what God's calling for your life is. 

How I fulfill this category: 

1) Being the best mental health advocate that I can be
2) Doing my best to take care of my wife 
3) Doing my best to represent Christ in the world

Emotional Wellness 
_________________

The definition for this category is the following, 

"...involves the ability to express feelings, adjust to emotional challenges, cope with life stressors, and enjoy life. It includes knowing our strengths as well as what we want to get better at, and living and working on our own but letting others help us from time to time." 

Pay attention to some key words and phrases. "Express feelings". "Adjust to emotional challenges". "Knowing our strengths". What comes to your mind when you think of these words? What does the Bible say? If we turn to Proverbs 4:23, which says the following, 

"Keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flows the springs of life" 

In this text, King Solomon is wisely commanding us to guard our hearts. In biblical times, the heart was considered to be our soul. In other words, it was the core of our being. So, when we are commanded to guard our hearts, Solomon was telling us to protect the core of our being. We do this by not allowing toxic people into our lives, by fighting negative thoughts that may arise in our minds, and by filling our thoughts with good things, as Philippians 4:8 tells us to do. When we can successfully do this, we will find that we are more at peace. 

I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read my blog, and I hope that you find this to be a blessing in your life. I know that learning the "8 Dimensions of Wellness" has greatly benefitted me, and I know that it will greatly benefit you as well. Please feel free to let me know how these wellness tips have helped you in the comments below. 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

Can Someone With Chronic Mental Illness Live A Fulfilling Life?

 

As some of you may know, I attend classes at The Thomas Wernert Center in Toledo, Ohio. The Thomas Wernert Center is a mental health peer support and advocacy clubhouse. I am currently enrolled in a class called "8 Dimensions of Wellness" in this center, where I learn about the many different forms of mental health wellness, as the name of the class would suggest. In today's class, we went over "Occupational Wellness," and I decided that the topic is so good that I need to address it from a biblical perspective. The reason for this is that so many of us Christians with mental illness seem to feel like God does not have a purpose for us and that we are destined to live sad and pathetic, and lonely lives. I personally believe that the Lord has a purpose for all of His children, and in this blog, I will discuss some of what that purpose would seem to be. First off, what exactly is "Occupational Wellness"? My class gave the perfect definition for it, and so I won't add to the definition because my words will not do it justice. The Thomas Wernert Center defines "Occupational Wellness" as the following, 

"The Occupational Wellness Dimension involves participating in activities that provide meaning and purpose and reflect personal values, interests, and beliefs, including employment." 

Did you notice some key words in this definition? Words such as "meaning" and "purpose"? Also, notice how this definition says that Occupational Wellness is about "personal values, interests, and beliefs"? Basically, when you are experiencing proper Occupational Wellness, you should feel like your activity is causing you to feel like your work has meaning and that you are meeting some purpose in your life. For example, before I began my career as a mental health advocate, my most enjoyable "job" I ever had was when I volunteered at the Canon City Pregnancy Center. I know it may sound odd, but it really did fulfill a void inside of me. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had found my life purpose. To this day, I am still a very staunch pro-life advocate because this is an issue I hold close to my heart. As a matter of fact, when I finally go to be with the Lord, I would like to be remembered as a faithful husband, a great mental health advocate, and a great defender of the unborn. 

You may be feeling a little discouraged by what I am saying, but let me assure you that if I can discover God's purpose for my life, so can you. I am nothing special. I am just clay in the Divine Potter's Hands. I will discuss how you can find God's plan for your life, but I will tell you that you most likely will not discover it right away. Sometimes the Lord reveals one's purpose right away, but most of the time it will take a while because He wants to properly prepare you for your task. I've only discovered my purpose about four years ago, and I have been a Christian for more than a decade! So, it requires a lot of patience on your part, as it did for me. I know this may sound discouraging, if you are anything like me, because you want to jump right into your calling quickly. However, some of the greatest people took the long route of being prepared for their calling. You and I are no different. 

The first Scripture that I'd like to draw your attention to is 1 Peter 2:9-10, which says the following, 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 


Do you notice the "sandwich technique" that Peter pulls off here? He starts by telling us who we are as God's people, then he tells us our purpose, and then he closes by reminding us of who we are as God's people. According to the Apostle Peter, we are a "chosen race" (meaning we are unique amongst all people), a "royal priesthood", and a "holy nation". Please allow this to sink in for a minute. Peter is telling us that we are royal and holy. Holy means we are set apart for God, and royal means "having the status of a king or queen or a member of their family". When you belong to Christ, you are His family, and since He is a king, this would mean we are princes and princesses in His kingdom. This truth should have a profound impact on you, and if it does not, then I would suggest you take some time to personally meditate on these verses. 

The next thing the Apostle Peter does is remind us of our purpose. Notice how after he reminds us of who we are in Christ, the next thing he says is "who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light"? Basically, He is telling us that one of the reasons why God chose us is so we can proclaim the Gospel to a lost and dying world. This should be our primary focus as members of God's kingdom. As John says elsewhere concerning Jesus: "He must increase while I must decrease". This should be all of our motives. We should so desire to make His name known instead of looking for our own glory. Ironically, when we do serve His agenda, instead of our own, that is when we will be more satisfied with our lives. Peter then wraps up by once again telling us who we are when he says, "Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people..." I believe he does this so that we will not forget who we belong to. The reason why this is so important is that it is very easy to allow your success to get in your head. Once this happens, we will begin to think it was our own hard work that got us where we are, and that we do not need God. What Peter is doing here by reminding us of who we belong to is basically telling us that we depend on Him and we should never forget that.

The final verse that I'd like to draw your attention to is Romans 12:1-2, which says the following, 

"I appeal to you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable before God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." 

Do you notice what the Apostle Paul is saying here? He says we should offer ourselves to God as "living sacrifices". In the Old Testament times, God required the saints to offer sacrifices of dead animals for the remission of their sins. After Christ had been hung on the cross, He had already borne our punishment upon Himself for all eternity. We no longer need to sacrifice animals for forgiveness. So, why is there this talk of offering ourselves as "living sacrifices"? In the words of the late Dr. R.C. Sproul, 

"The sacrifice that remains is that of a thankful response... Paul will use this sacrificial imagery in verses 15:16 to portray his 'priestly ministry' as an apostle, bringing believing Gentiles as offerings in worship of his Lord." 

As you can see, we offer our bodies in sacrifice as a way of thanking the Lord for our salvation. However, it should be evident that a living sacrifice is far different than a dead sacrifice. The difference is the fact that a live sacrifice can move off the altar. This is something we all have to deal with because we are all prone to leaving the altar of sacrifice to pursue our own agendas. This is why Paul tells us that we need to constantly "renew our minds" because even he was aware of this sinful tendency to want to do things our way. So, how do we renew our minds? We do this by staying in His word daily and by participating in the act of corporate and family worship. We are to fill our minds with His word. We will not always be successful at doing this, but if we are faithful in always going to God for everything, then in time, Paul tells us that we will be able to figure out what His good and perfect, and acceptable will is for us. 

In closing, I would like to make sure you understand that God may not always have some grand purpose for you. I say this because when I was young in the faith, I wanted to do monumental things for God. I did not realize that God sometimes has us do little things for His kingdom. So, do not get discouraged if you find yourself doing simple things like handing out church bulletins every Sunday.  As a matter of fact, Paul tells us that those who have less honor should be treated with greater honor (1 Corinthians 12:23-24). This means that even though you may not have a worldwide ministry, your work is still far more valuable in the eyes of God. So, keep this in mind as you do the work He has planned for you, and it should cause you to do His work with more joy, and then you will find contentment and satisfaction with your life. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and I hope that this has been a blessing in your life. 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

 

Significant Scripture Essay

 

As some of you may know, I have been working towards my certificate in the CCEF (Christian Counseling Education Forum) Biblical Counseling Course. I have really been enjoying what I have been learning recently in the class. I know that in the past I have been very vocal against the Biblical Counseling Movement, but lately I have grown to really appreciate this movement. Do not get me wrong, though. I will always love and cherish Psychology, but I do see the value in Biblical Counseling. In the second week of the class, we were assigned to write about a certain Scripture or Scriptures  that has been very impactful in our lives. After reading my essay, my Instructor told me that I should share this publicly. I thought that was a good idea, and so I will be sharing with you all exactly what I shared in my class. The purpose of this blog is not to get you to look at me and see how great I am. No, the purpose is to point you to how great God is. If it were not for His word, I would be either dead or in prison today. So, as you read this blog, please keep in mind that there is nothing good about me. I am merely a potter in the hands of The Potter. I hope that after you finish reading this that you will be edified and willing to also share your story concerning how Scripture has significantly impacted your life with me. Well, here is my story: 

As I ponder what to write concerning the topic of this paper, I cannot help but think back to my childhood. I have spoken many times on my ministry’s YouTube channel about my life experience in foster care and juvenile detention. My years as a “ward of the state” have taught me many things about God, and quite a few biblical Scriptures have been very significant to me. Before I get into that, however, I’d like to tell you a little bit about my younger years. As I have stated earlier in this course, I suffer from Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type. This means that I have the typical extreme mood swings from mania to depression and back to mania again. Also, in between my extreme mood fluctuations, I can have periods of psychosis too. I have dealt with this for my entire adult life. What I did not explain earlier is how I have dealt with a mother who also had Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type. The difference between her and me is the fact that I am currently treating my illness. Whereas my mother refused to treat her illness her entire life. As a result, I have witnessed my mom’s illness gradually get worse to the point where it destroyed her life. 

 

The first time I ever heard of Schizophrenia was after Social Services took me away from my mother when I was merely 13 years old. The night they took me away was a night I will never forget. My mom was on the phone with the 911 police dispatcher, and I was secretly listening to her conversation on my phone downstairs (I had a habit of doing this at the time). My mom was asking for an officer to come give me and her a lethal injection. I had no idea what that meant, but I knew it had something to do with death, and I was ready to die with my mother. As a result, I unmuted my end and told the dispatcher that I wanted to die with her. To make a long story short, they sent an officer to our house to take us away to put us in mental hospitals. After this whole fiasco, I was eventually put into a foster home. I remember I had a therapist who first told me about my mom’s condition. Immediately, I felt angry and depressed. Angry at God for giving me a mentally ill mother and depressed over the fact that I will never have a normal life. 

 

I was in foster care until I was 16 years old, when I was locked up in juvenile detention because I set my foster home on fire. At the time, I was feeling unloved, and I thought if I did something heroic, then maybe people would love me. To my surprise, that is not what happened. As a result of being in juvenile detention, I became very suicidal, but I did not want to kill myself because I was afraid of going to hell. I decided to cut my thighs instead. While I was in detention, I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 2, which was a misdiagnosis. I was immediately put on mood stabilizers and antidepressants, which merely caused me to have more manic episodes. No one there ever figured out how to treat me. 

 

When I got into my late adult years, I was diagnosed with the correct diagnosis, but I was put on the wrong medication. As a result of being on the wrong medication, I ended up in the hospital for three months because I almost died due to a perforated colon and septic shock. This happened during the first year of my marriage. Afterwards, I was put on the correct combination of antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. As a result, I have been doing much better both mentally and physically. Now that I have shared this story, I will explain some of the Scriptures that have made the most impact on me. 

 

 

Fatherhood 

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One verse that comes to mind as I think about my life is Psalm 68:5, which says the following, 

 

“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.”^[1] This Scripture holds special significance to me because even though I never had an earthly father, I know I can always trust my Heavenly Father. I am not saying that my life since being a Christian has gotten any easier. No, in a lot of ways the Lord has had to chasten me as Proverbs 3:11-12 says, 

 

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights”^[2]

 

What I like about this text is the fact that God disciplines those whom He loves. As a result of this, I know that when I am being humbled (and this has happened many times), I have the favor of the Lord. If God never humbles me, then that would be a sign that I do not belong to Him. I would just have a very strong delusion of the flesh, as one pastor famously put it^[3]. I have learned through my life to rejoice when God disciplines me. Does this mean that I always feel this way as I am being disciplined? Not at all! During the time of my humbling, I still initially feel angry, but then I think of Proverbs 3:11-12, and I usually calm down. 

 

 

God’s Sovereignty Works Everything Out For My Good 

______________________________________________

 

Another Scripture that means a lot to me is Romans 8:28, which says the following, 

 

“…and we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”^[4]. I love this verse so much that I have dubbed this verse my life verse. Someday when I go to be with the Lord, I want my wife to put this verse on my tombstone. The reason I love this verse so much is that it perfectly describes my life. Afterall,

 

When I look back on my life, I can see how everything did work out for good in my life. For example, going into foster care introduced me to the Gospel at such a young age because both of my foster parents were godly people who always treated me with respect, despite how much hassle I caused them. Another thing that worked out for my good was all the times I’ve been homeless in my adult years. Homelessness has made me a very humble man, and it has taught me to trust God with my whole heart, mind, and soul. When you are experiencing homelessness, the only place you can look is up, as they say. Also, the three months I was in the hospital, I learned not to trust in my perception, but instead to trust in God’s sovereignty. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells me the following, 

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path”^[5].  This Scripture has taught me a lot about God’s sovereignty. As I was younger, I thought I had to manipulate people to get what I wanted in life. However, all that did was cause me a lot of heartache and destruction. As I begin to lean on God’s sovereignty, I find myself being more at peace. Also, it is because of my psychosis that I have learned that I can no longer trust my senses and perceptions. I know that God’s word is always truthful, and so anything that contradicts His word must be a lie. Thus, whenever I hear voices telling me that I am God, I know not to listen because there is only one God and it is not me. As Isaiah 42:8 says, 

 

“I am the Lord; that is my name, and my glory I give to no other; nor my praise to carved idols”^[6]

I really hope that you enjoyed reading my story, and I hope that it was a blessing to you too. I hope you can see how these Scriptures hold significant importance to me. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and may the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. Please tell me which Scripture, or Scriptures, have made a significant change in your life. 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

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[1] Psalm 68:5  

[2] Proverbs 3:11-12  

[3] Pastor Paul Washer

[4] Romans 8:28

[5] Proverbs 3:5-6

[6] Isaiah 42:8