Mental Health Through the Pandemic and the Church

I saw this article this morning on the Washington Times site. 44% of weekly churchgoers had better mental health than the rest of those tracked.

Here’s the thing, the last few years have been brutal. Absolutely brutal. No matter what side of everything you fall, at this point, I think we all should just agree to disagree on everything and find a way to bridge the ever-increasing divide. But I digress on that.

My point is, there’s a reason churchgoers’ mental health has been better. Here’s why:

The pandemic has isolated. Commitment to the right church creates safe, healthy community. (I’m not talking about toxic churches here. I’m talking about pressing into community — even when they aren’t perfect — and receiving the benefits of community that God designed in the blueprints of The Church.) In a season of major isolation, 44% didn’t feel super lonely. That’s huge!
This is a given…but true relationship with Jesus Christ brings health and healing to a hurting heart and mind. It takes time and tools, but I know I can personally testify that it is because of my relationship with Jesus that I’m still standing here today. Through my desire to end it all as a teenager, to deep in the trenches of a gut-wrenching pandemic. It wasn’t even just the pandemic that broke my heart…it was watching humans find every reason to divide instead of unify. It has been open season for the enemy and he’s having a field day. So I’ve stayed closer to Jesus than ever before in order to stay okay inside. He’s guided me through all of this and even taught me how to love those that think and believe differently than I do. He has taught me how to pick and choose my battles and how to love the person standing in front of me that’s disagreeing with me. (And let’s be honest, even those that agree with me that are jumping off the edge the other direction.) In a world going a thousand different directions, He is my True North.
Physically going to church gives us a chance to change our atmosphere. If we stay in our homes and only live in the atmosphere we have created, we miss a chance for a fresh perspective…a fresh outpouring. A chance to sit in the company of Heavenly Hosts. When 2 or more are gathered in His name HE IS THERE. Yes, He can be with us in our homes while we watch online. But it can never ever replace the gathering together of the saints. It is a counterfeit version in most cases. Now, many only have the option to have community online so I’m not talking about them. I’m simply saying that we are all better together and we all need to be in a different, Heavenly atmosphere in order to have that change in mindset. Online serves a purpose, but it cannot replace.
Hugs release oxytocin. I don’t care if it’s a masked hug, unmasked hug, or even an air hug (which I’m convinced we are so touch-starved right now that even an AIR HUG could jumpstart that oxytocin flow!)…it creates a feeling of connection. Of feeling seen. Shoot, I think oxytocin releases now just when we see someone we know at Church or out and about and they know us. But seeing someone regularly…being able to say hello and smile…just being near people…it releases those happy hormones and we leave wondering why we don’t do this more!
Serving at church gets us out of our head and helps us focus on someone else. It is better to give than to receive. But when you serve at church and you’re truly serving the Lord, not just trying to please man, a curious thing happens. You actually RECEIVE in the giving. It’s so fulfilling. It enriches our lives. It reminds us that sometimes our problems are not quite as big as they feel sometimes. And other times it gives us a place to exchange the heaviness of our problems with the lightness of Jesus.
Iron sharpens iron. Church gives us a place to safely be convicted of our garbage…our unrighteous living. God loves us just the way we are, but He’s not content to leave us in that state. Church should feel like a mirror sometimes…because reading the Bible should feel like a mirror. The Lord lovingly points out what He is ready to work on with us, and He often uses our Pastor to do it. It’s our choice to be offended and cancel our Pastor, or to receive the conviction/invitation to explore in love and take it to the Father and ask Him what He has for us in this place. If you’re offended, don’t take it to your Pastor first. Take it to the Father first and ask Him WHY you’re offended. This is true maturity.

I don’t know where you stand with Jesus…the church…Lord knows we all have a reason to be offended if we want to be. But it is clear that part of living a healthy life is finding a local church community that you can press into and attend regularly. No church is perfect. People will hurt you. But if it’s a healthy church, they will pursue reconciliation and help you heal. Don’t look for perfection. Look for their willingness to walk through life with you in a healthy, Spirit-filled way!

Blessings,

~Nikki