Balanced, Mentally - Balance in a Certain Light (Focus 2 of 5)

Icebreaker question:
Would you rather have an extra hour of sleep or an extra hour of free time each day?

See what this Spotlight—and series— is focused on.
Tap on the words "Focus 2" in the image below to read this Spotlight's summary.

Let's talk about disorientation.
(And welcome, by the way! It’s great that you’re here!)

Here's a question: Can you point North, right now? Go for it… 3, 2, 1, go.

This week's Spotlight is about mental balance—which in many ways involves clarity and honesty about where you are, where you've come from, and where you're going. The good news is that even when you lack mental clarity, God has it for you. Look at these words from Psalm 139:


You have searched me,
Lord, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out
and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in
behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Explore some questions from Proverbs 23:29.

Meditate on inner peace by listening to this song by Jon Foreman.
(Note: the lyrics of the song that particularly bring out issues and thoughts of mental balance are italicized below the video player. While you listen, have in mind this prayer from the end of Psalm 139:)

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Lyrics
Inner peace is hard to find.
Peace of heart and peace of mind.
Feels like I'm running all the time,
like I'm at war inside.
I've been fighting all my life.

How can we be ourselves
if we don't know who we are?
I can't blame myself on anyone else this time.

There's gotta be a reason for the pain.
There's gotta be a reason why it rains when I'm alone.
There's gotta be a reason why I'm longing for a justice
I ain't ever seen;
A water that could make us clean.

How can we be ourselves
if we don't know who we are?
I can't blame myself on anyone else this time.
I can't blame myself on anyone else this time.
I can't blame myself on anyone else this time.

The window of my soul is so unclean—
shattered by the vices and the violence that I've seen. (This is trauma…)
Purity of heart is to will one thing
but I've got a lot on my mind.
Yeah, maybe I'm a mess inside.

How can we be ourselves
if we don't know who we are?
I'm looking for the One that made me,
that made me, that made me.
I'm looking for the One that made me, that made me.

Accept the complexity of life.

Be honest about what is true, stand firm in faith that goes beyond what you understand, and cast your anxiety about the rest of it on God. 

Pray through 1 Peter 5:5b–11 by having one person read the quoted verses below, and then giving 30 seconds for the group to pray silently about each prompt. 

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

• Prayer prompt: Humans have a tendency to over-simplify things as a coping mechanism. Instead of over-simplifying, pray that you would be vulnerable enough to "humble yourselves."

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

• Prayer prompt: Humans have a tendency to over-complicate things as a control mechanism. Instead of over-complicating, pray that you would feel safe to "cast anxiety on him."

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

• Prayer prompt: You'll need to find ways to be mentally balanced so you are ready for the attacks of the devil. Instead of running around, pray that God would lead you through his word and Christian community to "stand firm in the faith."

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

• Prayer prompt: Finally, ask God for his Spirit to make you "strong, firm, and steadfast."

Listen to Keep Us Steadfast by Cameron Schroeder

Cameron Schroeder is a brand new singer songwriter, and Illume is grateful that he allowed us to create a lyric video for this new song.

Consider how Martin Luther found mental balance in the fact of his baptism.
Read this excerpt from a paper about Luther's use of baptism in pastoral care: 



Discuss the following: It is said that Luther even wrote the words "I am baptized!" on his desk in chalk so that in moments of fear, depression, and anxiety he could be comforted. What are the pros and cons of using baptism to help keep emotional and mental balance? 

Find mental health's connection to one of Jesus' parables.
Review the parable of the sower with this video:

Read what happened after Jesus told the parable:
 
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Discuss: Starting at Jesus' explanation in verse 18, which mental/emotional factors do you see him bring out as he applies this parable?

Discuss: How have you seen mental/emotional realities affect your faith or that of those around you? What do you find Jesus recommending to help with this in this parable?

Learn about Child & Family Services.
Did you know you have access to Christian counseling through Illume?

There are dozens of counselors who work with WLCFS to provide mental health care to people around the country.

Compose an email to thank a counselor for their work and post it in the comments section below. Illume's team will make sure they get the message.

Feel free to submit a prayer request by filling out the below form.
(If you choose to make your request public, you'll see it display in the Current at the end of the Spotlight along with anyone else who did the same.)

Pray through your requests—together—as a group.
After submitting your requests in the above form, take some time to share with your group whatever requests the group might have for this week.

Serve Perspective

KENT DO THIS

Welcome God into your head with this song.

Listen to God, Be In My Head by John Rutter & The Cambridge Singers by pressing the play button on the video below.
(You can then scroll down to follow along with the lyrics in the frame below the video player.)

Let's wrap things up by taking a look at what's Current at Illume.
Tap on the buttons in the frame below to see what’s currently happening at Illume—information on everything from current and upcoming online content to live events and opportunities to serve in the community can all be found here.