Jars Of Clay
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada highlighting Mental Health Awareness.
And we sure do need to have our awareness raised a little, don’t we?, when it comes to things like psychiatric illnesses – whether chronic anxiety, schizophrenia, compulsive behaviors. I have a young friend in college; her name is Jessica, and she struggles so with bipolar disorder. Over the last few years, I’ve tried to encourage her with biblical counsel, especially when she becomes distracted, disoriented. Jessica has a hard time concentrating in class, and it’s even harder for her to follow through on assignments. She tries so very hard to keep her focus and emotional balance, but her brain chemistry can throw her curves that really get her sidetracked.
For instance, several months ago I sent Jessica a letter with some really good resources; and I also included a little gift to encourage her. Weeks went by, and I knew she had received my package. But I got no acknowledgement; no answer. Now, I could have written her off as totally irresponsible; as this self-centered kid that doesn’t know how to say thank you. In fact, some people consider Jessica to be negligent and lazy because she does forget assignments; she does turn papers in late; she fails to stay focused; and sometimes she lacks social graces like saying thank you. But I know this young woman. And I also know that she tries her best to manage her bipolar disorder well. In fact, finally, earlier this week I did receive a letter from Jessica, and this is what she wrote; listen to this; she says: “Oh, Joni, I am beyond sorry for this late thank you for your kind encouragement and blessed gifts that you sent me what feels like a year ago! Please forgive my late response. Since I am still in a state of psychosis ever since February of last year, it has been so hard for me to follow through with things because of my broken mentality, which takes a lot out of me and clouds my judgment with timing. But I am doing better, and I see improvement from last year, thankfully so. I believe by the grace of God I am on the right track toward recovery. I love the passage in 2 Corinthians that says that we are jars of clay. We are all so fragile and so able to be broken.”
I read that and I got tears, because, isn’t it the truth?! All of us, to one degree or another, struggle to find mental, emotional balance – and we’re not even mentally ill. But we are fallen creatures; we are broken jars living in a terribly broken world. And our frenetic culture certainly doesn’t help people like Jessica who are, in fact, mentally ill. Because I have something in common with her; we are all so very fragile, so cracked, so flawed; we are jars of clay in so many ways. So, when it comes to Jessica, my guiding grace is Ephesians 4:2, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Friend, that’s the best way to restore and renew those who struggle with psychiatric disorders; keep them on track; keep them stay focused; and for you – be an agent of grace and healing in their lives. So, when it comes to your friend – you might have a friend who’s trying his or her best to deal with mental illness in a responsible way, please remember the guiding grace of Ephesians chapter 4. Be patient; find ways to humbly help them live in a responsible way. Commend them for their successes; and help them achieve small goals; and best of all, just be a friend. If Jessica were sitting next to me at this microphone right now, she’d say the same. Hey, you know what? These are all good lessons for every one of us on this Mental Health Awareness Month.
