The Church during the days of Corona Virus: Reach out to someone struggling with mental health

Our “This Sunday” series will be another a Corona Virus edition.  For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Reach out to someone struggling with mental health.

 

The pandemic has impacted people worldwide not just in terms of physical health with the virus but also mental health.  According to the Center for Disease Control “Overall, 40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), symptoms of a trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic† (26.3%), and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%).”  Of the demographics youth is a concern: “The toll was particularly striking among adults ages 18 to 24. In this group, about 63% reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, 25% reported starting or increasing use of substances, and 25% reported seriously considering suicide in the past 30 days.”  This isn’t just in the United States; over at United Kingdom we read on the news that “Depression in British adults may have doubled during coronavirus pandemic.”  I can imagine in many other country there’s similar problems.

With all this Ephesians 4:32 tells us “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  If we love others and are kind to others we should reach out to them.

So part of that means we should as a church ask of each other how they are doing.  Reach out to someone struggling with mental health.

Reach out to your youths.  Ask them how are they doing.  Find out what they miss the most during this virus situation.  Let them know you care for them.

Reach out to your the elderly.  They might not be at church because of risks; they might not be online streaming because they can’t handle technology well.  Call them.  Say “How are you?” and let them talk to you for a couple of minutes before your next question.

For my own church these statistics really made some members concern about their kids.  But I’m happy to report as their pastor that we have been shepherding their kids during this time.  Every Youth online Bible study we begin with the questions about how are they.  I have someone else host the meeting so we two adults also share from our life (its good that I’m not just the same guy talking all the time!).  We pray for prayer requests before the teaching and discussion.  That’s on the weekday; how much more we should reach out to people on the Lord’s Day!

Or maybe you feel led to also go beyond asking someone how they are doing and also offer something biblical that’s appropriate for the moment.  Or the other person is willing to also hear God’s Word about dealing with their stress and anxiety at this time.  Do you need biblical resources?  Check out our biblical counseling outline: Spiritual Distancing from Anxiety.