Six Helpful Things to Do - Pt 3

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV).

We have been given an incredible arsenal of defensive and offensive weapons with which to deal with every circumstance of life. Prayer is one of those weapons that is both defensive and offensive. So, our third practical action toward those who are walking through mental illness is to simply pray with and for them. We pray when we are over our heads and only God can help, and we are comforted when our relationships take us to this place. Any quest for the perfect piece of advice will fail. Advice and counsel is good; however, without the component of prayer it leaves us unfulfilled. A great benefit of the Christian community is that believers in Christ pray for one another. Our reading today urges us to pray “on all occasions” and “for all the Lord’s people” always. This is important because amid all the activities and busyness we may face each day, we’re in a struggle against evil. The forces of evil do not want us to love one another. This principle is obvious but not always easy. Prayer connects our needs with God’s promises and plans, but we can be unclear about either one. That confusion leads us to at least two places. First, this is a natural time to ask for help from others. Who can give us a better understanding of the person’s struggles? Who can give us a better understanding of promises that we can pray? Second, as we continue to search Scripture together for passages that are meaningful to the struggling person, we can always pray, “Help us, Father.” Don’t neglect to pray with and for those who are walking through any illness in their journey. I have found that the effects of prayer are often both immediate and significant. This is not a “just pray about it” solution. It is the concern and compassion directed to an illness from a friend and brother in the face of a very difficult and real illness.