Post by Susan Peabody on Aug 3, 2020 18:40:04 GMT
Personally I think it is impossible to have to Holy Spirit, and be mentally ill or sin. If i had the spirit i would become like Jesus in every way but appearance. I think its amazing how someone can have the spirit but still struggle with sin, it makes no sense to me.
Mental illness and sin do not belong in the same sentence, in my opinion. Mental illness is not a sin.
I am mentally ill. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, OCD, BPD, anxiety and depression. When the Holy Spirit came into my life he did not heal me. He did heal my addictions which is how I handled my mental illness. I asked him once why he did not take this thorn our of my flesh and he said, "My grace is sufficient for you."
To understand how much Jesus suffered for us we must suffer also. We must have our own time on the cross. This cross is often mental illness. I refuse to believe that I did not experience the Holy Spirit just because I was not healed from all my wounds. My migraines [crown of thorns] are making me feel closer to Jesus.
If you were completely healed from everything when you were saved I am happy for you. What a gift from God that is. But my fate was different. I am consoled by the story of Mother Teresa who suffered from depression all of her life. She always accepted it with grace and we only found about it after she died. See the book, Come Be My Light. Depression is a form of mental illness. Mother Teresa was as Holy as they get so I know being healed has nothing to do with how much God loves us. In my opinion . . .
I do not mean to imply that mentally ill people do not sin. Of course they do. And mental illness is not an excuse. I just want to emphasize that mental illness is not a sin. Thanks.