WEBVTT

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 Thank you again so much for having me.

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 And if you weren't here last week, I spoke about the topic of hope.

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 And particularly, as Steve said, hope through my own story.

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 I'm not going to talk about myself so much today,

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 so you can have a break from that.

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 But my thesis of Christianity is that hope is actually found

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 very often through suffering,

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 which is an incredible reframe on this topic of mental illness.

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 That the gospel is not stoicism.

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 Our message is not, there's no pain here.

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 The message of the gospel is absolutely there is pain.

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 We have a whole category of lament in the Bible.

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 And in the midst of that pain,

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 you can find true hope that does not put you to shame.

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 And with that, one of my umbrella arguments, I suppose, to you last week

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 was that I don't believe in pitting psychology against theology.

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 But rather, if we try to do psychology without theology,

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 we're going to miss a vital part of what it is to be made in the image of God.

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 And so last week was broadly aimed at asking the question,

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 what if it's me who's suffering?

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 And as Steve said, this week's frame as we zoom out is,

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 what if it's somebody who I love?

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 What if it's somebody in this church?

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 What if it's somebody in my life?

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 How do church communities respond to this increasingly common issue?

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 And at the risk of just a little bit of shameless self-promotion about me for a moment,

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 this talk is in many ways the marriage of two books that I have written.

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 One on the topic of mental health called Down Not Out,

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 and the other one which is actually coming out in about six weeks

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 called Here to Love,

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 recapturing the centrality of Jesus' greatest command.

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 And I'll talk a little bit about that in a moment.

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 Now when I told people about Down Not Out in 2017,

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 finding a mainstream publisher,

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 the very common question you get is,

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 how did you get a book deal?

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 I've heard it's really hard, and it is.

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 I'd submitted many book proposals over the years,

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 and I knew what a rejection letter looked like.

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 But I knew that when I approached the good book company in the UK,

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 it wasn't an automatic yes, but it also wasn't a no.

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 And so I dove a little bit deeper and tried to just make my foot go through that door.

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 And of course, the God answer is that it was God's will that I got a book deal.

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 But the human answer is,

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 I refer to a lady by the name of Alison Mitchell.

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 Alison is one of the senior editors with the Good Book Company.

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 And the reason that she was intrigued by my proposition is that she, like me,

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 had endured a long-term mental health condition.

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 In fact, I would say hers was far worse than mine.

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 She had a medical resistance to any sort of medical intervention,

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 which meant that it was just such a long journey,

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 and it's still ongoing for her.

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 When my book got published in 2017,

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 Alison wrote a blog post that went with it called

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 When Depression Makes Church So Hard.

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 Now, Alison is a beautiful, beautiful woman of God.

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 She loves the Lord with all of her heart.

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 But she has this mental health condition,

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 and it gets very messy in terms of what church looks like for her.

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 Alison lives in London, and she takes the tube to church,

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 and she told me that sometimes she'll get in the tube,

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 she'll rise up the stairs to where her church is,

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 and she'll look at the church, and she'll shake her head,

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 turn around, go straight back down in the tube back home.

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 Some weeks, not every week.

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 And yet she loves Jesus.

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 And she tells this story about an Easter Sunday service

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 that I think is very, very profound.

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 What you hear in Alison is a wrestle.

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 She loves God, as I said.

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 She loves her community.

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 And yet, there's this other thing going on in her mind sometimes.

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 And this is what she says in the blog article.

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 She probably thought I was very rude.

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 She sat next to me on Easter Sunday morning,

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 smiled and asked how I was.

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 But I just nodded my head and looked away.

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 She didn't try again.

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 What she didn't know was how hard I'd battled to get to church.

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 Now, I was just barely managing to stay in my seat and not burst into tears.

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 Every muscle was straining, desperate to flee.

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 And yet part of me wanted to be there.

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 I was glad to be in my own church for Easter and to join with my church family in singing the Lord's praises.

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 This is what depression can do to a Christian.

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 Having struggled with severe depressive illness for over 12 years, which is now about 20 years,

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 I can tell you that I never, and she emphasizes the word again, never want to go to church on a Sunday morning.

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 It is an exhausting battle every single time, and I don't always make it.

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 Getting through the door is an achievement, but the battle isn't yet over.

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 Where can I sit?

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 Is there anyone safe to sit with?

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 Do I have an exit strategy so that I can leave, if needed, without climbing over people or causing a distraction?

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 Will I be able to sing, or would the words tumble out as sobs instead?

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 Am I able to lift my head high enough to see the words on the screen,

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 or will my depressed hunch mean my head stays resolutely down?

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 And what if the pastor says something like,

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 go and talk to the person next to you while the children are going out?

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 At that point, a shaft of dread strikes my heart.

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 Even the end of the service is hard.

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 How quickly can I leave without looking rude?

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 Will the noise of so many people talking at once trigger a panic attack?

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 Can I even lift my head high enough to smile at someone as I scuttle out?

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 And if not, will they think again how rude and abrupt I am?

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 I once described my own experience like this.

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 My church was like a colorful ocean liner,

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 sailing full steam ahead,

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 but I had fallen overboard,

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 and was drowning in a monochrome sea as they sailed away without me.

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 Thankfully, not every depressive finds church as hard as this.

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 It's not even true for me every Sunday.

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 Sometimes I manage a brief chat at the end,

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 or to pray with someone before I go.

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 When the depression is less severe,

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 I can lift my head and sing with enthusiasm.

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 I guess that's part of what makes it hard for my church family.

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 They don't know which Allison is going to turn up.

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 There's a lot there, but I don't know about you,

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 but when I read Allison's article,

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 and I'm someone who has always found church a refuge.

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 I'm an extrovert.

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 And so even if I've had a rough week,

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 church is actually good for my soul.

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 But for her, it's a very different story,

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 which makes it a deeply confusing situation

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 for a community of believers.

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 How do we respond?

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 It's confusing for Allison.

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 It's going to be confusing for those who are not Allison.

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 Which is why before we ask,

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 what do we do about this issue in our church?

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 And I will hopefully give you some thoughts on that towards the end.

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 I want to zoom above the what and look at the how.

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 Because before we respond to Allison,

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 or to Chris, or anybody else,

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 each room has a different manifestation

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 of certain mental dysfunction,

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 we need an umbrella principle.

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 And I believe that that umbrella principle is love.

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 Love is the principle,

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 not just of mental health care,

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 but of all of life.

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 In Matthew chapter 22,

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 Jesus famously says when he's asked

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 what the greatest commandment is,

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 to love the Lord your God with all your heart

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 and with all your soul and with all your mind.

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 This is the first and greatest commandment.

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 And the second is like it.

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 Love your neighbor as yourself.

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 Those are famous words.

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 When I ask Christians what the greatest commandment is,

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 very interestingly,

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 often they forget the as yourself bit at the end.

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 That's a different sermon,

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 but just I'll give you that little seed to think about.

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 But in my own journey,

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 and as I wrote this second book that's about to come out,

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 it was the next words that stopped me in my tracks.

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 Verse 40 of Matthew chapter 22.

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 All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.

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 All the law and all the prophets.

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 What I think Jesus is saying here

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 is that love is not the greatest commandment

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 because it's better than all of the others.

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 He's saying that love is the greatest commandment

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 because it is all of the others.

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 That is to say,

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 if you are doing your faith without love,

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 you're kind of missing the point.

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 And if you're like the Pharisee,

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 you know everything,

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 but you're doing it without love.

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 Love is crucial.

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 In fact,

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 it's indispensable.

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 But here's the challenge.

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 Loving a friend who has just gotten engaged

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 is very different to loving a friend

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 who has just lost a mother or a father.

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 What does love look like?

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 It might be the umbrella principle,

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 but how do we apply it?

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 And I want to say that we have to apply it

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 first by looking at God's love for us.

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 One of the things I said last week

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 is that in order to move forward,

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 and even to stay in the present

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 and to believe that God is still with us,

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 we have to look at his past faithfulness.

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 Grounding ourselves in everything God has already done

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 is a powerful mental and spiritual discipline.

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 And I said last week in Romans 5 verse 8

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 that God demonstrates his own love for us in this.

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 While we were still sinners,

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 Christ died for us.

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 And I am going to get to Psalm 103 and Romans 12 in a minute,

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 the readings that we had.

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 But before I do,

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 I just want to hone in on one other passage

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 that I just find some of the most beautiful words of Scripture.

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 What does it mean that Christ has died for us?

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 What does the response to that look like?

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 And Hebrews 4 says something very, very powerful to us.

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 Therefore, since we have a great high priest

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 who has ascended into heaven,

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 Jesus the Son of God,

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 let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

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 For we do not have a high priest

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 who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses.

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 What does it mean that God demonstrated his own love for us?

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 It means that when God sees our suffering,

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 he doesn't just say,

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 oh, I've read about that in a textbook.

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 I've heard that's hard.

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 He says, I know.

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 I know pain.

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 I died on a cross.

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 And a father says,

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 I know I turned my face away from my son.

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 He is able to empathize with our weaknesses.

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 I find those some of the most beautiful words of Scripture.

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 That when we cry out,

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 even sometimes without words,

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 he says, I know.

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 And so we may receive mercy

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 and find grace

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 to help us in our time of need.

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 And just as we receive mercy and grace from God,

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 the more we can reflect that same

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 mercy and grace to others,

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 we reflect God's love in our church communities.

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 And while there are many,

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 many passages I can use to point to God's love,

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 I want to go back to that Psalm 103,

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 that first reading.

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 Because King David,

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 as he opens,

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 begins by praising God.

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 And look what he does again.

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 What we saw last week.

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 He starts by looking at the past.

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 Praise the Lord,

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 my soul,

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 or my inmost being.

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 Praise his holy name.

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 Praise the Lord,

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 my soul,

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 and forget not all his benefits.

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 The reason we praise God,

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 the reason we love God,

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 the reason we love our neighbor,

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 is we remember the benefits

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 we have received from God.

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 That is our primary motivation.

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 And what I love in Psalm 103,

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 and if you don't have it open,

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 I'd really encourage you to have it,

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 because I'm going to move through it very quickly.

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 And I just want you to,

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 I guess,

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 test what I'm saying.

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 What we see in Psalm 103

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 is a God who is spectacularly powerful

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 and spectacularly loving.

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 And that's also what we see

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 in that moment of Christ on the cross.

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 Ultimate love on Good Friday.

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 Ultimate power on Easter Sunday.

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 And I love that,

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 because so often in the world,

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 we either have one or the other.

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 We have very powerful people

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 who seem to be lacking in love,

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 or we have very loving people

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 who seem to have no sort of platform

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 to show that love.

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 It's not always the case,

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 but rarely is it both in one person.

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 And in God,

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 we see the perfection of both,

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 love and power.

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 Psalm 103, verse 3.

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 He forgives sins.

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 He heals diseases.

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 He redeems life from the pit

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 in order to crown us

00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.580
 with love and compassion,

00:13:36.319 --> 00:13:38.139
 to satisfy desires,

00:13:38.139 --> 00:13:39.580
 to work justice,

00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.220
 and righteous for the oppressed.

00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:44.159
 In verse 19,

00:13:44.980 --> 00:13:46.699
 His kingdom rules over all.

00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:49.179
 A God who the angels

00:13:49.179 --> 00:13:50.980
 and even the stars themselves

00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:52.600
 would consider worthy

00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:53.580
 of their allegiance.

00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:55.019
 This is,

00:13:55.299 --> 00:13:56.860
 to use an overused word

00:13:56.860 --> 00:13:58.259
 in the English language,

00:13:58.620 --> 00:13:59.580
 an awesome God.

00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:02.779
 A God who demands our awe,

00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:03.860
 our fear,

00:14:04.059 --> 00:14:04.980
 our reverence,

00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:06.620
 our whole heart.

00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:09.200
 But here's the thing

00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:10.679
 that gets me about Psalm 103.

00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:14.560
 If we see that God is love,

00:14:15.340 --> 00:14:16.799
 and the greatest of the commands

00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:17.799
 is love,

00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.320
 Psalm 103 shows us

00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.740
 that it's not just God's quality,

00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.000
 it's not just who He is,

00:14:25.779 --> 00:14:27.659
 it's also a comment

00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:28.679
 about the quantity

00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:30.460
 of that love.

00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:33.160
 And I just want to pause there

00:14:33.160 --> 00:14:33.720
 for a moment

00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:35.240
 in our church communities.

00:14:35.780 --> 00:14:37.100
 Love is not just the quality,

00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:39.420
 but it's also about the quantity,

00:14:39.660 --> 00:14:40.860
 and I'll come to that in a moment.

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.700
 Verse 8,

00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:45.920
 King David in his poeticism

00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:47.320
 tells us that

00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:48.480
 not only David,

00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:49.500
 sorry,

00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:50.400
 not only that God

00:14:50.400 --> 00:14:52.000
 is compassionate and gracious,

00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:54.000
 but it's also that

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.100
 He's slow to anger.

00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:57.340
 He's abounding in love.

00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:59.120
 Verse 11,

00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:00.920
 not only does the Lord

00:15:00.920 --> 00:15:02.519
 love those who fear Him,

00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:04.259
 that's a qualitative statement,

00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:06.600
 He loves them as high

00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:08.340
 as the heavens are above the earth.

00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:09.519
 Quantity.

00:15:10.180 --> 00:15:10.840
 Verse 12,

00:15:11.220 --> 00:15:12.460
 not only has He removed

00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:14.280
 our transgressions from us,

00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:16.120
 He has removed them

00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:17.519
 as far as the east

00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.379
 is from the west.

00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:20.639
 Verse 17,

00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:22.660
 His love does not just last,

00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:24.579
 it lasts from everlasting

00:15:24.579 --> 00:15:25.399
 to everlasting.

00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:28.159
 Verse 22,

00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:30.039
 not only does the Lord work,

00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.959
 He works everywhere

00:15:31.959 --> 00:15:33.679
 in His dominion.

00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:36.679
 This is a God

00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:37.959
 of unending power

00:15:37.959 --> 00:15:40.199
 and abundant love.

00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:42.120
 And these are the benefits

00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:42.860
 that King David

00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:43.839
 is talking about

00:15:43.839 --> 00:15:45.059
 in verse 2,

00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:46.240
 that we are called

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.100
 not to forget.

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.259
 So what's all of this

00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:52.620
 got to do with mental health?

00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:55.279
 We'll come there in a moment.

00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.399
 But for now,

00:15:56.579 --> 00:15:57.299
 Romans 12,

00:15:58.059 --> 00:15:59.360
 we see in the New Testament

00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:01.120
 that God's love

00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:01.980
 is confirmed

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:03.279
 in Jesus Christ.

00:16:03.959 --> 00:16:04.579
 Verse 1,

00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:05.799
 I urge you,

00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:06.719
 brothers and sisters,

00:16:07.179 --> 00:16:07.860
 again, look,

00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:08.879
 He goes to the past

00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.519
 in view of God's mercy,

00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.860
 in view of the God

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.679
 of the Old Testament

00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:14.719
 and in view of the God

00:16:14.719 --> 00:16:15.519
 of the New Testament.

00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:17.720
 What do we do?

00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:19.600
 We offer our bodies

00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:21.000
 as a living sacrifice,

00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:23.220
 holy and pleasing to God.

00:16:23.419 --> 00:16:24.279
 This is your true

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:25.179
 and proper worship.

00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:26.279
 And so here,

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:27.059
 we begin to pivot

00:16:27.059 --> 00:16:27.779
 from the vertical.

00:16:28.419 --> 00:16:29.779
 What has God done for us

00:16:29.779 --> 00:16:31.340
 into the horizontal?

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.440
 How do we respond

00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:34.320
 to one another?

00:16:34.860 --> 00:16:35.460
 Paul begins

00:16:35.460 --> 00:16:36.980
 to give us the answer

00:16:36.980 --> 00:16:38.720
 that we offer our bodies

00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:39.899
 as a living sacrifice.

00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:40.539
 Why?

00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:42.600
 In view of God's mercy.

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:44.700
 As King David would put it,

00:16:44.700 --> 00:16:46.300
 to forget not

00:16:46.300 --> 00:16:47.300
 the Lord's benefits.

00:16:49.520 --> 00:16:50.900
 And so it's not only

00:16:50.900 --> 00:16:52.580
 the quality of God's love

00:16:52.580 --> 00:16:54.460
 that drives us to compassion.

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:55.840
 It's not just that

00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.700
 He loves us

00:16:56.700 --> 00:16:57.820
 so that we love others.

00:16:58.800 --> 00:16:59.860
 It's the extent,

00:16:59.980 --> 00:17:01.080
 it's the extra mile

00:17:01.080 --> 00:17:02.220
 that we will never fully

00:17:02.220 --> 00:17:03.000
 be able to replicate,

00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:03.580
 of course.

00:17:04.620 --> 00:17:05.920
 But the more we can think

00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:07.000
 about love in quality

00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:07.819
 and quantity,

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:09.200
 the more we reflect

00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:09.880
 the love of God

00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:10.600
 in our churches.

00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:12.360
 And why am I talking

00:17:12.360 --> 00:17:13.700
 about quantity so much?

00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:17.160
 I think quantity

00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:18.799
 is a key issue

00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:19.759
 we need to think about

00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.640
 because it's probably

00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:21.759
 the thing

00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.559
 in the mental health landscape

00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:25.000
 I think is missing the most.

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.259
 Not just in our churches

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:27.380
 but in our society.

00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:29.620
 What am I talking about?

00:17:31.340 --> 00:17:32.539
 I think very often

00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:33.299
 the way we talk

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.360
 about mental illness

00:17:34.360 --> 00:17:35.860
 is we describe it

00:17:35.860 --> 00:17:37.160
 as an acute illness

00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:38.880
 when actually

00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:40.160
 it's a chronic illness

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:41.500
 for the most part.

00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:43.400
 You probably have heard

00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:44.319
 this statement that

00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:45.559
 in an effort

00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:46.700
 to destigmatize

00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:47.519
 mental illness

00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:48.639
 we say to people

00:17:48.639 --> 00:17:50.000
 it's okay to get help

00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:50.599
 and it is.

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.919
 But the way we frame that

00:17:52.919 --> 00:17:53.500
 is we say

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.539
 well just like you'd go

00:17:54.539 --> 00:17:54.980
 to a doctor

00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:56.079
 for a broken leg

00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:57.960
 you should be okay

00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:58.679
 to go to a doctor

00:17:58.679 --> 00:17:59.379
 if you're struggling

00:17:59.379 --> 00:18:00.059
 with depression

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:00.720
 or anxiety.

00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:03.099
 It's a beautiful sentiment

00:18:03.099 --> 00:18:04.339
 but it's also flawed

00:18:04.339 --> 00:18:05.659
 and I gently want

00:18:05.659 --> 00:18:06.519
 to push back on it

00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:08.099
 because what we're doing

00:18:08.099 --> 00:18:09.000
 is we're comparing

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:10.700
 what is for the most part

00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:11.839
 an acute illness,

00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:12.720
 a broken leg

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.879
 that has a six

00:18:13.879 --> 00:18:14.799
 to eight week recovery

00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:15.319
 and you put it

00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:15.919
 in a plaster

00:18:15.919 --> 00:18:17.339
 and generally

00:18:17.339 --> 00:18:18.079
 it goes well

00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.799
 we are comparing that

00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:21.959
 to a vastly

00:18:21.959 --> 00:18:22.899
 different story

00:18:22.899 --> 00:18:25.279
 and if we subliminally

00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:26.639
 expect our loved ones

00:18:26.639 --> 00:18:27.619
 just to get better

00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:28.480
 with one tablet

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.279
 and a few

00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:30.339
 psychologist sessions

00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:31.779
 then we've probably

00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:32.519
 got mismatched

00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:33.339
 expectations

00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:35.279
 and if we have

00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:36.439
 mismatched expectations

00:18:36.439 --> 00:18:37.619
 then we're probably

00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:38.699
 not going to love

00:18:38.699 --> 00:18:39.299
 very well.

00:18:41.539 --> 00:18:42.519
 In 2012

00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:43.679
 Harvard University

00:18:43.679 --> 00:18:44.779
 developed a new

00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.739
 technology called

00:18:45.739 --> 00:18:47.179
 magnetic resonance

00:18:47.179 --> 00:18:47.799
 scanning.

00:18:47.959 --> 00:18:48.439
 This is what it

00:18:48.439 --> 00:18:48.859
 looked like.

00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:50.219
 This is a real brain

00:18:50.219 --> 00:18:52.179
 and it was designed

00:18:52.179 --> 00:18:53.079
 to show the different

00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:53.819
 neural pathways

00:18:53.819 --> 00:18:54.699
 that would go on

00:18:54.699 --> 00:18:57.439
 and just as an aside

00:18:57.439 --> 00:18:58.339
 I have to stand up

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.239
 for God for a moment

00:18:59.239 --> 00:18:59.739
 and say

00:18:59.739 --> 00:19:01.339
 I can't be an atheist

00:19:01.339 --> 00:19:02.339
 when I look at that

00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:06.059
 but that's not my point.

00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:07.859
 My point is this

00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:09.019
 that's more complicated

00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:09.960
 than a leg bone

00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:13.159
 and you don't have

00:19:13.159 --> 00:19:13.839
 to be a scientist

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.940
 to understand that.

00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:16.019
 It's complex.

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:17.299
 This is the biology

00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:19.000
 behind Alison's comments

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:20.700
 about church on Sunday.

00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:22.779
 When something

00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:24.240
 goes awry here

00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:25.799
 it's a very

00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:26.799
 very difficult journey

00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:27.419
 to work out

00:19:27.419 --> 00:19:28.299
 what's going on.

00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.720
 We may not

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.759
 actually fully know

00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:31.139
 why

00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:32.579
 with some people

00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:33.740
 this side of eternity.

00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:35.159
 Alison doesn't know

00:19:35.159 --> 00:19:36.039
 why she's medically

00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.599
 resistant.

00:19:37.139 --> 00:19:37.720
 She just knows

00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:38.359
 that she is

00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:39.259
 because she's tried.

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:42.440
 My point is

00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:43.079
 that the journey

00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:43.940
 of mental illness

00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:45.399
 is seldom short

00:19:45.399 --> 00:19:46.299
 and if you're not

00:19:46.299 --> 00:19:47.159
 a science person

00:19:47.159 --> 00:19:47.740
 let me show you

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:48.539
 one more diagram

00:19:48.539 --> 00:19:49.859
 that was shown to me.

00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:50.700
 This probably speaks

00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.559
 more my language.

00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:54.680
 This is a diagram

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.559
 I was shown

00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:56.579
 as I was beginning

00:19:56.579 --> 00:19:57.440
 to leave hospital

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.759
 as the outpatient program

00:19:58.759 --> 00:19:59.799
 and it was designed

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:00.279
 to show us

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:01.180
 what to expect

00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:02.259
 as we left.

00:20:03.779 --> 00:20:04.700
 This was shown

00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:05.700
 actually as the goal

00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:07.019
 of good mental health

00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:07.500
 recovery.

00:20:08.660 --> 00:20:09.400
 And as you can see

00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:10.100
 very clearly

00:20:10.100 --> 00:20:11.700
 it's still a journey

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.600
 of ups and downs.

00:20:13.779 --> 00:20:14.759
 And as a church

00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:15.779
 this is what

00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:16.860
 you should expect

00:20:16.860 --> 00:20:17.740
 from people

00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:18.740
 in your church.

00:20:19.940 --> 00:20:20.960
 And this is why

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.640
 it's important

00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:22.440
 to consider

00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:23.080
 the quantity

00:20:23.080 --> 00:20:23.819
 of love

00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:24.840
 and the chronic

00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:26.220
 nature of the illness.

00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.200
 Because it's very

00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:28.600
 tempting

00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:29.559
 to look at

00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:30.180
 just one of those

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:30.940
 peaks and troughs

00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:31.940
 and take that

00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:32.799
 sample size

00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:33.799
 and formulate

00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:34.860
 some sort of truth.

00:20:35.340 --> 00:20:36.360
 It's easy for us

00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:36.720
 to do it

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.500
 within ourselves.

00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.980
 It's very easy

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:40.500
 to use

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:41.460
 as what psychologists

00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:42.100
 would say

00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:43.000
 that we would

00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:44.000
 catastrophize

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.420
 certain situations.

00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:46.920
 We would look

00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:47.840
 at one of those valleys

00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:48.279
 and think

00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:48.980
 oh my goodness

00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:50.080
 I'm back at square one.

00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.200
 But what we want

00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:53.259
 to see within ourselves

00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:54.440
 and within our communities

00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:56.420
 is that upwards trajectory

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:57.400
 over a longer

00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:58.279
 period of time.

00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:00.379
 which is why

00:21:00.379 --> 00:21:01.299
 I'm talking so much

00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:02.039
 about quantity.

00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:04.619
 It's a long game.

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.099
 Slow and steady

00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:08.299
 in my experience

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.460
 really does win

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:10.019
 the race

00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:11.779
 in good mental health care.

00:21:12.819 --> 00:21:13.299
 Now granted

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:13.759
 there will be

00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:14.940
 some acute situations.

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.039
 Sometimes

00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:16.680
 when somebody

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.720
 is in desperate need

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:18.819
 it's a triple zero

00:21:18.819 --> 00:21:19.460
 phone call

00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:20.879
 to a hospital.

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.639
 But outside

00:21:22.639 --> 00:21:23.339
 of those very

00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:23.859
 immediate

00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:25.559
 pressing situations

00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:26.019
 where there is

00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:26.879
 danger at hand

00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.100
 the broad picture

00:21:29.100 --> 00:21:30.400
 of good mental health care

00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.280
 is a long game.

00:21:34.040 --> 00:21:35.040
 Romans 12

00:21:35.040 --> 00:21:36.180
 confirms this

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:36.800
 for us

00:21:36.800 --> 00:21:38.540
 because it asks us

00:21:38.540 --> 00:21:39.340
 how are we

00:21:39.340 --> 00:21:40.360
 to love one another

00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:41.160
 in view

00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:42.120
 of God's mercy?

00:21:43.840 --> 00:21:44.940
 In verse 12

00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:45.620
 we see it.

00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:47.180
 We are to be

00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:48.180
 joyful in hope

00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:49.820
 patient

00:21:49.820 --> 00:21:50.780
 in affliction

00:21:50.780 --> 00:21:52.180
 faithful

00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:52.920
 in prayer.

00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:54.860
 This is how

00:21:54.860 --> 00:21:55.560
 we are to use

00:21:55.560 --> 00:21:55.980
 our gifts

00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:56.720
 in the church.

00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:57.540
 that Paul

00:21:57.540 --> 00:21:58.260
 has been speaking

00:21:58.260 --> 00:21:58.940
 about earlier

00:21:58.940 --> 00:21:59.560
 in the chapter.

00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:01.320
 And

00:22:01.320 --> 00:22:02.600
 I can't think

00:22:02.600 --> 00:22:03.100
 of a better

00:22:03.100 --> 00:22:04.300
 model of care

00:22:04.300 --> 00:22:05.580
 for mental illness.

00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:07.160
 To be joyful

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:07.600
 in hope

00:22:07.600 --> 00:22:08.240
 to recognise

00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:09.120
 there is hope

00:22:09.120 --> 00:22:10.640
 to be patient

00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:12.940
 and to be

00:22:12.940 --> 00:22:13.460
 prayerful.

00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:16.440
 And in particular

00:22:16.440 --> 00:22:17.240
 I want to hone in

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:17.680
 on that word

00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:18.620
 patience again.

00:22:20.260 --> 00:22:21.000
 If you know

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:21.540
 your Bibles

00:22:21.540 --> 00:22:22.800
 1 Corinthians 13

00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:24.220
 love is

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:25.779
 patient.

00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:29.740
 I distinctly

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.299
 remember in

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:31.120
 hospital feeling

00:22:31.120 --> 00:22:31.920
 like I wasn't

00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:32.620
 worth being

00:22:32.620 --> 00:22:33.079
 loved.

00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:34.660
 Not only was

00:22:34.660 --> 00:22:35.500
 I unloved

00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:35.960
 but I was

00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:36.440
 unlovable.

00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:38.400
 And this is

00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:38.759
 one of the

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:39.259
 common

00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:41.140
 thoughts

00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:41.720
 or the

00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:42.160
 common

00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:43.380
 litmus

00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:43.960
 tests for

00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:44.660
 someone wrestling

00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:45.240
 with depression

00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:45.839
 this feeling

00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:47.079
 of unlovability.

00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:50.359
 what you crave

00:22:50.359 --> 00:22:51.319
 most of all

00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:52.740
 when the chips

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:53.220
 are down

00:22:53.220 --> 00:22:54.259
 is unconditional

00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:54.879
 love.

00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.359
 That someone

00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:57.339
 still values

00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:57.740
 you

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.720
 when you

00:22:58.720 --> 00:22:59.099
 find it

00:22:59.099 --> 00:22:59.740
 near impossible

00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:00.399
 to value

00:23:00.399 --> 00:23:01.059
 yourself.

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:03.759
 And the

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.559
 gospel is a

00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:05.379
 balm to that

00:23:05.379 --> 00:23:06.179
 crisis because

00:23:06.179 --> 00:23:07.039
 it reminds us

00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:07.799
 that God's

00:23:07.799 --> 00:23:08.599
 love for us

00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:09.799
 is patient.

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.559
 He stands

00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.199
 with us.

00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:13.939
 And the

00:23:13.939 --> 00:23:14.619
 flip side of

00:23:14.619 --> 00:23:15.139
 that is

00:23:15.139 --> 00:23:16.159
 the hurt of

00:23:16.159 --> 00:23:16.879
 condition.

00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:17.559
 love.

00:23:18.899 --> 00:23:19.619
 For someone

00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:20.339
 to come to

00:23:20.339 --> 00:23:21.179
 you and

00:23:21.179 --> 00:23:21.699
 for you to

00:23:21.699 --> 00:23:22.399
 think again

00:23:22.399 --> 00:23:22.879
 that they are

00:23:22.879 --> 00:23:23.579
 just six weeks

00:23:23.579 --> 00:23:24.079
 away from

00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:25.059
 recovery and

00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:25.460
 then when they

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:26.159
 don't recover

00:23:26.159 --> 00:23:27.259
 you put them

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:27.639
 in the too

00:23:27.639 --> 00:23:28.319
 hard basket.

00:23:28.939 --> 00:23:29.339
 I'm actually

00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:29.699
 going to say

00:23:29.699 --> 00:23:30.039
 something a

00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:30.299
 little bit

00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:30.960
 punchy here and

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.199
 you can

00:23:31.199 --> 00:23:31.779
 disagree with

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:32.139
 me if you

00:23:32.139 --> 00:23:32.359
 want.

00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:34.259
 But in my

00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:34.859
 experience I

00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:35.319
 would almost

00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:35.980
 prefer someone

00:23:35.980 --> 00:23:36.720
 not to enter

00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:37.559
 into my mess

00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:38.759
 at all

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:40.639
 than enter

00:23:40.639 --> 00:23:41.220
 into it and

00:23:41.220 --> 00:23:41.720
 then leave

00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:42.159
 when I get

00:23:42.159 --> 00:23:42.779
 too hard.

00:23:44.359 --> 00:23:45.059
 It just

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:46.179
 reinforces this

00:23:46.179 --> 00:23:46.919
 narrative of

00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:47.800
 unlovability.

00:23:48.600 --> 00:23:48.779
 And I

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.360
 would gently

00:23:49.360 --> 00:23:50.440
 but somewhat

00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:51.360
 firmly say

00:23:51.360 --> 00:23:53.039
 what if God

00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:53.480
 had treated

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:53.980
 you like

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.240
 that?

00:23:57.580 --> 00:23:58.100
 God's

00:23:58.100 --> 00:23:58.940
 impatience for

00:23:58.940 --> 00:23:59.340
 our sin

00:23:59.340 --> 00:23:59.840
 does not

00:23:59.840 --> 00:24:00.320
 end in

00:24:00.320 --> 00:24:01.080
 abandonment.

00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:02.640
 God's

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.400
 impatience for

00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:04.140
 sin ends in

00:24:04.140 --> 00:24:04.779
 the blood of

00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:05.400
 his son.

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.300
 Without

00:24:07.300 --> 00:24:08.240
 patience we

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:08.580
 would be

00:24:08.580 --> 00:24:09.000
 lost.

00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:10.920
 The Lord

00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:11.759
 is slow to

00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:12.140
 anger,

00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:14.240
 abounding in

00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:14.680
 love.

00:24:15.799 --> 00:24:16.220
 Again,

00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:16.859
 slow and

00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:17.519
 steady wins

00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.099
 the race.

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:20.700
 And so

00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:21.279
 as we wrap

00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:21.779
 up let me

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.779
 provide what

00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:23.180
 I hope to

00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:23.460
 be some

00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:24.240
 very practical

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:24.819
 and helpful

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:25.980
 steps as

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:26.420
 to what this

00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:26.819
 might look

00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:27.200
 like in

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:27.819
 practice for

00:24:27.819 --> 00:24:28.940
 you as a

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.579
 church community.

00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:30.059
 Here are

00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.440
 just three

00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:30.799
 thoughts.

00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:33.759
 Number one,

00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:35.120
 you need

00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:35.680
 love as

00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:35.940
 well.

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:38.440
 Carers need

00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:38.839
 care.

00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:40.959
 because if

00:24:40.959 --> 00:24:41.779
 this call

00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:42.839
 is true and

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:43.379
 if you agree

00:24:43.379 --> 00:24:43.819
 with it,

00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.500
 the challenge

00:24:45.500 --> 00:24:46.099
 is you realise

00:24:46.099 --> 00:24:46.539
 it's going to

00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:47.119
 cost something

00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:47.659
 of you as

00:24:47.659 --> 00:24:47.919
 well.

00:24:48.879 --> 00:24:49.599
 There is a

00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:50.459
 self-sacrifice

00:24:50.459 --> 00:24:51.139
 involved with

00:24:51.139 --> 00:24:51.659
 this picture.

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:53.899
 When I

00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:54.579
 left hospital

00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:55.019
 one of the

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:55.500
 first things

00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:55.980
 my wife

00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:56.539
 had to do

00:24:56.539 --> 00:24:57.240
 was go and

00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:57.519
 see a

00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:58.019
 psychologist

00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:59.220
 herself and

00:24:59.220 --> 00:24:59.639
 that was the

00:24:59.639 --> 00:25:00.259
 right thing

00:25:00.259 --> 00:25:01.099
 because it

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:01.699
 had taken a

00:25:01.699 --> 00:25:02.220
 toll on

00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:02.679
 her as

00:25:02.679 --> 00:25:02.939
 well.

00:25:05.159 --> 00:25:05.619
 Find

00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:05.899
 someone

00:25:05.899 --> 00:25:06.480
 external.

00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:06.579
 external.

00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:08.640
 Find

00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:08.860
 someone

00:25:08.860 --> 00:25:09.480
 external to

00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:10.140
 the situation

00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:10.799
 and preferably

00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:11.900
 someone external

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:12.559
 to the person

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.099
 you're caring

00:25:13.099 --> 00:25:14.059
 for if you

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:15.319
 can to

00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:15.720
 care for

00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:16.160
 you too.

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:16.839
 Again,

00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:17.360
 it can be a

00:25:17.360 --> 00:25:18.339
 professional or

00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:18.900
 it can be a

00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:19.740
 friend but

00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:20.660
 being needed,

00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:21.319
 I've learned

00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:21.940
 as a pastor,

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:22.420
 is a little

00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:22.900
 bit addictive

00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:23.579
 sometimes.

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.299
 Being the

00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:26.740
 carer carries

00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:27.220
 with it an

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:29.140
 identity but

00:25:29.140 --> 00:25:29.380
 again,

00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:29.880
 love your

00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:30.539
 neighbour as

00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:31.140
 yourself.

00:25:31.579 --> 00:25:32.319
 It's okay to

00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:33.140
 receive care as

00:25:33.140 --> 00:25:33.360
 well.

00:25:33.779 --> 00:25:34.079
 You're going

00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:34.700
 to need it if

00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:34.880
 you're going

00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:35.279
 to play the

00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:35.779
 long game.

00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:38.299
 And I

00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:38.720
 also just

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.160
 want to say

00:25:39.160 --> 00:25:39.799
 something very,

00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:40.360
 very important

00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:41.120
 about love.

00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:42.779
 And I want

00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:43.140
 you to hear

00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:43.640
 this very

00:25:43.640 --> 00:25:44.039
 clearly.

00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:46.099
 When Jesus

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:46.900
 calls us to

00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:47.480
 love our

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:47.880
 neighbour with

00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:48.500
 all of our

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.240
 heart and

00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:49.740
 with all of

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.400
 our soul and

00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:50.900
 with all of

00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:51.500
 our mind and

00:25:51.500 --> 00:25:51.920
 with all of

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.579
 our strength,

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.400
 I think he's

00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:53.900
 doing two

00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:54.039
 things.

00:25:55.620 --> 00:25:56.360
 The first

00:25:56.360 --> 00:25:56.799
 thing he's

00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.279
 doing and

00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:57.740
 the thing I'm

00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:58.599
 advocating for

00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:59.460
 here is he's

00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:00.000
 giving us the

00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:00.720
 goal for life

00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:01.220
 itself.

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:02.700
 To love

00:26:02.700 --> 00:26:03.299
 well because

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:03.779
 God has

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.460
 loved us.

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:06.920
 But I

00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:07.279
 think he's

00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:07.779
 doing something

00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:08.299
 else as

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:08.599
 well.

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:09.259
 He's

00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:09.799
 revealing a

00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:10.059
 gap.

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:12.599
 Because the

00:26:12.599 --> 00:26:13.339
 question becomes

00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:14.079
 who can

00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:14.539
 love with

00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:14.980
 all of their

00:26:14.980 --> 00:26:15.460
 heart and

00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:15.900
 with all of

00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:16.839
 their soul and

00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:17.299
 with all of

00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:17.900
 their mind and

00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:18.380
 with all of

00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:18.960
 their strength?

00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:21.500
 Only Christ.

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:23.900
 And so the

00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:24.319
 reason I'm

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:24.960
 saying this is

00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:25.519
 you are not

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.299
 going to love

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:27.740
 perfectly and

00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.339
 God knows

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:28.620
 that.

00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:29.839
 He makes up

00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:30.480
 for that gap

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:30.940
 in Jesus

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:31.900
 Christ and yet

00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:32.900
 we still hold

00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:33.340
 on to the

00:26:33.340 --> 00:26:33.620
 goal.

00:26:35.580 --> 00:26:36.040
 The

00:26:36.040 --> 00:26:37.680
 absoluteness of

00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:38.320
 the call to

00:26:38.320 --> 00:26:39.360
 love is the

00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:41.540
 aspiration and

00:26:41.540 --> 00:26:42.080
 the thing we

00:26:42.080 --> 00:26:43.100
 remember that we

00:26:43.100 --> 00:26:43.800
 run to Christ

00:26:43.800 --> 00:26:44.380
 when we get it

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:45.019
 wrong which we

00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:45.259
 will.

00:26:46.280 --> 00:26:46.900
 Again if I

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:47.380
 come back to

00:26:47.380 --> 00:26:47.860
 that Hebrews

00:26:47.860 --> 00:26:49.380
 4 passage even

00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:50.100
 though God can

00:26:50.100 --> 00:26:50.920
 empathize with

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.560
 our weaknesses

00:26:51.560 --> 00:26:53.420
 there is one

00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:54.180
 key difference.

00:26:54.180 --> 00:26:56.820
 we have one

00:26:56.820 --> 00:26:57.480
 who has been

00:26:57.480 --> 00:26:58.100
 tempted in

00:26:58.100 --> 00:26:58.860
 every way

00:26:58.860 --> 00:27:00.279
 just as we

00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:01.560
 are yet he

00:27:01.560 --> 00:27:02.340
 did not sin.

00:27:04.080 --> 00:27:04.640
 And so remember

00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:05.259
 that as you

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:06.200
 love you're

00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:06.480
 going to need

00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:07.160
 God's love for

00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:07.680
 you as well

00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:08.360
 because you're

00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:08.720
 not going to

00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:09.240
 perfect that

00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:09.600
 love in

00:27:09.600 --> 00:27:10.279
 somebody else.

00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:13.680
 And yet we

00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:14.400
 still hold on to

00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:15.080
 that aspiration.

00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:17.680
 There are

00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.299
 actually a number

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:19.000
 of services

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.500
 professional

00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:20.360
 services for

00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:21.100
 carers as well.

00:27:21.340 --> 00:27:21.920
 I only learned

00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:22.600
 this a few years

00:27:22.600 --> 00:27:23.960
 ago but Lifeline

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:24.440
 is actually

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.140
 available to

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.180
 call not just

00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:26.759
 if you're in a

00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:27.559
 bad way yourself

00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:28.740
 but you actually

00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.340
 need a bit of

00:27:29.340 --> 00:27:30.360
 support as you

00:27:30.360 --> 00:27:31.039
 care for someone

00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:31.680
 who's in a bad

00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:31.940
 way.

00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:33.519
 So you can call

00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:34.340
 Lifeline for

00:27:34.340 --> 00:27:34.660
 that.

00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:36.100
 There are online

00:27:36.100 --> 00:27:36.940
 resources like

00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:37.539
 Beyond Blue,

00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:38.759
 the Black Dog

00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:39.680
 Institute and of

00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:40.660
 course there is

00:27:40.660 --> 00:27:41.559
 professional help

00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:42.559
 if you need that

00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.259
 support too.

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.240
 So my point

00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:45.759
 number one is

00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:46.440
 you need love as

00:27:46.440 --> 00:27:47.180
 well please don't

00:27:47.180 --> 00:27:47.740
 forget that.

00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:49.640
 You need it in

00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:50.259
 order to play the

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:50.960
 long game that I'm

00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:51.779
 advocating for.

00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:54.059
 Number two,

00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:55.859
 there is a time to

00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:57.500
 listen and a time

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.059
 to speak.

00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:00.519
 I say this because

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.180
 I've seen both

00:28:01.180 --> 00:28:01.639
 ends of the

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:01.980
 pendulum.

00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:03.519
 Some people come

00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:04.200
 in like a bull in

00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:04.940
 a china shop and

00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:05.319
 just goes,

00:28:05.579 --> 00:28:06.079
 here's what I

00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:06.539
 think is going

00:28:06.539 --> 00:28:06.859
 on.

00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:07.500
 Have you thought

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:07.839
 about this?

00:28:07.899 --> 00:28:08.240
 Have you thought

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:08.799
 about this?

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:10.180
 Slow down.

00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:11.660
 Listen.

00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:14.180
 But also,

00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.599
 some of us tend

00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:16.700
 to listen and

00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:17.799
 nod and smile and

00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:18.440
 not say anything

00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:18.899
 at all.

00:28:18.900 --> 00:28:20.500
 And so I

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.019
 would ask you,

00:28:21.100 --> 00:28:21.540
 are you more

00:28:21.540 --> 00:28:22.240
 of a talker,

00:28:23.080 --> 00:28:23.800
 which in my

00:28:23.800 --> 00:28:24.500
 experience most

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.180
 of us probably

00:28:25.180 --> 00:28:27.120
 are, or are

00:28:27.120 --> 00:28:27.700
 you a listener?

00:28:28.900 --> 00:28:29.740
 Consider your own

00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:30.680
 starting point because

00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:31.800
 I'm saying there's a

00:28:31.800 --> 00:28:32.480
 time for both.

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:34.759
 We need to listen

00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.680
 quickly in order to

00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:36.620
 understand deeply,

00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:38.180
 but also if we

00:28:38.180 --> 00:28:38.880
 really do love

00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:39.620
 someone and we

00:28:39.620 --> 00:28:40.420
 see them going

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:41.500
 into destructive

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:43.060
 paths, love

00:28:43.060 --> 00:28:43.860
 actually does look

00:28:43.860 --> 00:28:44.360
 like saying

00:28:44.360 --> 00:28:45.420
 something sometimes,

00:28:46.060 --> 00:28:47.500
 but always with a

00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:48.279
 gracious tone.

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:49.619
 If we see someone

00:28:49.619 --> 00:28:50.279
 heading to self

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.339
 destruction and

00:28:51.339 --> 00:28:51.880
 all we do is

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.700
 nod and smile,

00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:54.299
 we've got to ask

00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:54.799
 whether that's

00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:55.420
 true love.

00:28:57.200 --> 00:28:57.920
 Sometimes a

00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:58.660
 gracious word is

00:28:58.660 --> 00:28:59.220
 what's needed,

00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:01.359
 but we have to

00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:02.039
 do it slowly,

00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:03.460
 grounded in

00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:03.920
 listening and

00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:04.500
 understanding.

00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:06.920
 And my third

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.619
 and final point,

00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:08.299
 somewhat related

00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:09.000
 to the first,

00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:10.240
 recognize your

00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:10.799
 limitations.

00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:12.019
 Know that our

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:12.599
 government has

00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:13.700
 put significant

00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.380
 funding into

00:29:14.380 --> 00:29:14.920
 mental health

00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:15.160
 care.

00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:16.500
 If you don't

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.519
 know, you

00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:18.160
 can access

00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:18.700
 through your

00:29:18.700 --> 00:29:19.779
 GP, very

00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.160
 often a

00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:20.660
 mental health

00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.279
 care plan,

00:29:21.819 --> 00:29:22.299
 which means

00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:22.920
 that you get

00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:23.680
 subsidized

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.460
 sessions and

00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:24.960
 therapies,

00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:26.160
 psychologists,

00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:27.900
 because no

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:28.559
 single one of

00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:29.059
 us can do

00:29:29.059 --> 00:29:29.579
 everything.

00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:30.480
 But here's

00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:30.980
 why churches

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:31.500
 are beautiful.

00:29:32.180 --> 00:29:32.779
 A church can

00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:33.220
 do what a

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:33.700
 psychologist

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:35.559
 can't, and

00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:36.140
 a psychologist

00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:36.920
 can do what a

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:37.660
 church can't.

00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:38.539
 And so the

00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:39.500
 more, as I

00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:40.099
 said last week,

00:29:40.119 --> 00:29:40.720
 we can handle

00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:41.359
 this from every

00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:42.299
 angle, the

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:42.819
 better our

00:29:42.819 --> 00:29:43.619
 recovery options

00:29:43.619 --> 00:29:44.140
 become.

00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:45.559
 Because churches

00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:45.980
 are here to

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.700
 love and walk

00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:47.640
 side by side

00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:48.579
 for the long

00:29:48.579 --> 00:29:48.920
 term.

00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:49.660
 That is a

00:29:49.660 --> 00:29:50.720
 beautiful piece

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.279
 of the puzzle

00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:52.120
 that is so

00:29:52.120 --> 00:29:52.620
 often missing

00:29:52.620 --> 00:29:52.940
 in our

00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:53.380
 society.

00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:56.099
 And it's

00:29:56.099 --> 00:29:57.039
 why we've

00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:57.579
 created Life

00:29:57.579 --> 00:29:58.019
 to the Full

00:29:58.019 --> 00:29:58.440
 that Steve

00:29:58.440 --> 00:29:58.980
 talked about.

00:29:59.180 --> 00:29:59.539
 I've been

00:29:59.539 --> 00:29:59.980
 doing these

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.480
 talks for

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.079
 many years,

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.680
 but I just

00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:03.220
 love that we're

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:03.759
 able to put it

00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:04.339
 into practice

00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:04.680
 now.

00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:05.680
 We have

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.559
 professionals who

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:07.019
 can help,

00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:08.579
 professionals who

00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:09.140
 are coming from

00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:09.579
 a Christian

00:30:09.579 --> 00:30:10.000
 worldview.

00:30:11.620 --> 00:30:12.579
 We have an

00:30:12.579 --> 00:30:13.400
 amazing team

00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:14.360
 that God has

00:30:14.360 --> 00:30:14.920
 raised up,

00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:15.500
 and this

00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:15.759
 has been

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.300
 part of the

00:30:16.300 --> 00:30:16.860
 evidence that

00:30:16.860 --> 00:30:17.400
 he has been

00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:18.240
 in this

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:18.720
 journey from

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.060
 the very

00:30:19.060 --> 00:30:19.519
 start.

00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:20.360
 And so if you

00:30:20.360 --> 00:30:20.980
 do need help,

00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:21.480
 whether you are

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:21.759
 the one

00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:23.000
 struggling or

00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:23.480
 you're the one

00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:25.080
 caring, we

00:30:25.080 --> 00:30:25.580
 would love to

00:30:25.580 --> 00:30:26.240
 support you in

00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:26.740
 that journey.

00:30:28.860 --> 00:30:29.560
 And so my

00:30:29.560 --> 00:30:30.180
 final point,

00:30:30.259 --> 00:30:30.920
 which I hope

00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:32.060
 and pray has

00:30:32.060 --> 00:30:32.560
 been helpful,

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:33.420
 is this, that

00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:33.800
 whether you're

00:30:33.800 --> 00:30:34.660
 living with

00:30:34.660 --> 00:30:35.420
 mental illness

00:30:35.420 --> 00:30:36.920
 or whether

00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:37.700
 you're caring for

00:30:37.700 --> 00:30:38.100
 someone with

00:30:38.100 --> 00:30:38.900
 mental illness,

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.700
 I would encourage

00:30:40.700 --> 00:30:41.300
 you to see that

00:30:41.300 --> 00:30:42.259
 your identity is

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:42.800
 not in the

00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:44.799
 illness, that

00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:45.299
 your identity

00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:45.799
 is not in

00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:46.440
 your performance,

00:30:47.379 --> 00:30:48.299
 but it's

00:30:48.299 --> 00:30:48.700
 actually the

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.399
 identity that

00:30:49.399 --> 00:30:49.919
 you have in

00:30:49.919 --> 00:30:51.379
 God, no

00:30:51.379 --> 00:30:51.720
 matter who

00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:53.019
 you are and

00:30:53.019 --> 00:30:53.299
 in whatever

00:30:53.299 --> 00:30:54.159
 circumstance you

00:30:54.159 --> 00:30:54.759
 find yourself

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.059
 in.

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:57.000
 From 1 John

00:30:57.000 --> 00:30:57.659
 chapter 3,

00:30:57.879 --> 00:30:58.419
 this is my

00:30:58.419 --> 00:30:59.000
 prayer for each

00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.379
 of us, that

00:30:59.379 --> 00:30:59.899
 we would know

00:30:59.899 --> 00:31:00.460
 this more and

00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:02.240
 more, that we

00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:02.960
 would see what

00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:03.740
 great love the

00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:04.220
 Father has

00:31:04.220 --> 00:31:05.039
 lavished on us,

00:31:05.579 --> 00:31:06.359
 that we should

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:06.879
 be called

00:31:06.879 --> 00:31:07.579
 children of

00:31:07.579 --> 00:31:08.919
 God, and

00:31:08.919 --> 00:31:09.379
 that is what

00:31:09.379 --> 00:31:09.740
 we are.

00:31:09.740 --> 00:31:12.799
 Father God, we

00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:13.299
 thank you that

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:14.140
 we are children.

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.039
 We're not

00:31:16.039 --> 00:31:18.480
 identified by our

00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:19.420
 illnesses, first

00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:20.019
 and foremost.

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:22.819
 We are

00:31:22.819 --> 00:31:23.920
 identified by

00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:24.720
 your love for

00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:25.380
 us, that we

00:31:25.380 --> 00:31:25.960
 saw in the

00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:27.400
 Psalms, is not

00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:28.200
 just a quality

00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:28.660
 that you

00:31:28.660 --> 00:31:30.299
 exhibit, but is

00:31:30.299 --> 00:31:31.019
 infinitely

00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:32.460
 quantitative as

00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:32.740
 well.

00:31:34.380 --> 00:31:35.180
 Lord, in our

00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:35.859
 own imperfect

00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:36.579
 ways, and we

00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:36.980
 pray that we

00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:37.480
 would run to

00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:38.019
 your throne of

00:31:38.019 --> 00:31:38.559
 grace when we

00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:38.980
 don't get it

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.240
 right.

00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:40.900
 But in our

00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:41.380
 own imperfect

00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:42.000
 ways, we

00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:43.059
 would pursue

00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:43.660
 this more and

00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.000
 more each

00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:44.240
 day.

00:31:44.339 --> 00:31:44.819
 I pray for

00:31:44.819 --> 00:31:45.480
 St. Paul's

00:31:45.480 --> 00:31:46.339
 that they

00:31:46.339 --> 00:31:47.059
 would continually

00:31:47.059 --> 00:31:47.839
 work out what

00:31:47.839 --> 00:31:48.460
 this looks like

00:31:48.460 --> 00:31:50.299
 in practice, that

00:31:50.299 --> 00:31:50.740
 they would be

00:31:50.740 --> 00:31:52.099
 willing to make

00:31:52.099 --> 00:31:52.839
 the sacrificial

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.579
 move to play

00:31:53.579 --> 00:31:54.240
 the long game

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:54.579
 with one

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:55.880
 another, knowing

00:31:55.880 --> 00:31:56.599
 that this does

00:31:56.599 --> 00:31:57.240
 cost something

00:31:57.240 --> 00:31:57.900
 of ourselves.

00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:00.620
 And as this

00:32:00.620 --> 00:32:01.339
 community works

00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:01.900
 out how to do

00:32:01.900 --> 00:32:02.799
 that sustainably,

00:32:04.140 --> 00:32:04.579
 and how to

00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:04.900
 love their

00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.420
 neighbour as

00:32:05.420 --> 00:32:07.220
 themself, help

00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:07.900
 each person in

00:32:07.900 --> 00:32:08.500
 this church to

00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:09.120
 get the support

00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:09.519
 that they

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:10.579
 need as they

00:32:10.579 --> 00:32:10.959
 walk with

00:32:10.959 --> 00:32:11.299
 others.

00:32:12.739 --> 00:32:13.619
 And ultimately,

00:32:13.819 --> 00:32:15.639
 Lord, we pray

00:32:15.639 --> 00:32:16.159
 that this would

00:32:16.159 --> 00:32:17.579
 be a community

00:32:17.579 --> 00:32:19.639
 that is

00:32:19.639 --> 00:32:21.279
 flourishing in

00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:21.819
 what our world

00:32:21.819 --> 00:32:22.759
 so often lacks,

00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:24.199
 which is love,

00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:26.439
 compassion, mercy,

00:32:26.659 --> 00:32:27.199
 tenderness.

00:32:28.959 --> 00:32:29.879
 May this be a

00:32:29.879 --> 00:32:30.759
 safe place for the

00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:31.000
 hurting.

00:32:32.339 --> 00:32:32.799
 And again,

00:32:32.899 --> 00:32:33.500
 Lord, may those

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:34.799
 who are caring for

00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:35.399
 the hurting get

00:32:35.399 --> 00:32:36.059
 care themselves.

00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:36.159
 ourselves.

00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:37.879
 Thank you that

00:32:37.879 --> 00:32:39.059
 in love, you

00:32:39.059 --> 00:32:39.539
 give us the

00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:41.079
 goal, and you

00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:41.879
 also reveal the

00:32:41.879 --> 00:32:42.500
 gap that only

00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:43.099
 Christ can

00:32:43.099 --> 00:32:44.960
 fulfil, that you

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.519
 are able to

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.419
 empathise with our

00:32:46.419 --> 00:32:47.220
 weaknesses, and

00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:47.919
 yet you are not

00:32:47.919 --> 00:32:48.839
 like us, because

00:32:48.839 --> 00:32:49.700
 even though you

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.419
 were tempted, you

00:32:50.419 --> 00:32:51.220
 did not sin.

00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:53.019
 And so thank you

00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:53.639
 that because of

00:32:53.639 --> 00:32:54.579
 that, we are

00:32:54.579 --> 00:32:55.379
 able to approach

00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:55.960
 your throne of

00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:56.379
 grace with

00:32:56.379 --> 00:32:58.599
 confidence, so

00:32:58.599 --> 00:32:59.279
 that we can find

00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:00.759
 mercy and receive

00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:01.659
 grace to help us

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.299
 in our time of

00:33:02.299 --> 00:33:02.539
 need.

00:33:02.539 --> 00:33:04.460
 So Father

00:33:04.460 --> 00:33:05.099
 God, hear our

00:33:05.099 --> 00:33:06.779
 prayers, see our

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:08.440
 hearts, and we

00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:08.879
 pray that you

00:33:08.879 --> 00:33:09.299
 would give us

00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:10.019
 wisdom to know

00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:10.659
 what to do with

00:33:10.659 --> 00:33:11.200
 our hands and

00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:11.399
 feet.

00:33:12.619 --> 00:33:12.920
 Amen.

00:33:19.859 --> 00:33:20.339
 Thank you,

00:33:20.399 --> 00:33:20.559
 Chris.

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.079
 I'm going to

00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:22.200
 continue to pray

00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:23.079
 and invite the

00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:24.000
 music team to

00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:24.920
 come on up and

00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:26.279
 be ready to

00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:26.539
 sing.

00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:28.599
 Gracious

00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:31.000
 God, you

00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:32.339
 created a good

00:33:32.339 --> 00:33:33.000
 and perfect

00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:35.440
 world, and how

00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:35.940
 much it must

00:33:35.940 --> 00:33:37.680
 grieve you, the

00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:38.759
 destruction of

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.259
 what you have

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:41.940
 made good has

00:33:41.940 --> 00:33:42.859
 been so destroyed

00:33:42.859 --> 00:33:44.359
 by human sin.

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:47.019
 As we live in

00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:48.220
 this world of

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:50.539
 suffering, the

00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:51.279
 grief that we

00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:52.579
 experience grieves

00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:52.940
 you.

00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:54.599
 Your heart is

00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:55.220
 bound to

00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:55.619
 ours.

00:33:56.740 --> 00:33:57.660
 You're a God

00:33:57.660 --> 00:33:58.500
 of infinite

00:33:58.500 --> 00:33:59.140
 compassion.

00:33:59.140 --> 00:34:00.820
 And as we've

00:34:00.820 --> 00:34:01.940
 heard right at

00:34:01.940 --> 00:34:02.300
 the beginning of

00:34:02.300 --> 00:34:03.380
 this service from

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:04.960
 Psalm 34, you

00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:05.580
 are the God who

00:34:05.580 --> 00:34:06.340
 is close to the

00:34:06.340 --> 00:34:06.960
 brokenhearted.

00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:08.519
 You are the one

00:34:08.519 --> 00:34:09.360
 who saves those

00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:09.880
 who are crushed

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.460
 in spirit.

00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.599
 You're a God

00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:12.360
 who's not distant

00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:12.900
 or absent.

00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:13.740
 You're not just a

00:34:13.740 --> 00:34:14.460
 mere force.

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.920
 You're not detached

00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:17.260
 or unaffected or

00:34:17.260 --> 00:34:19.240
 unmoved by our

00:34:19.240 --> 00:34:19.800
 condition.

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:20.760
 You draw near.

00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:21.420
 You came.

00:34:22.340 --> 00:34:23.200
 You, the author

00:34:23.200 --> 00:34:24.460
 of life, the author

00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:25.500
 of history, took on

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:26.220
 our nature and

00:34:26.220 --> 00:34:27.780
 entered right into

00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:28.840
 your very creation.

00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.860
 You came to us.

00:34:30.660 --> 00:34:31.480
 You came to the

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.360
 brokenhearted, the

00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:32.960
 crushed, the

00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:35.300
 lost, the weary, the

00:34:35.300 --> 00:34:35.920
 sinners, the

00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:36.500
 sufferers.

00:34:37.640 --> 00:34:38.680
 Thank you, Jesus.

00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:40.860
 Thank you for

00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:42.160
 leaving behind the

00:34:42.160 --> 00:34:42.940
 perfection and the

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:43.640
 wholeness and the

00:34:43.640 --> 00:34:47.160
 joy of life in

00:34:47.160 --> 00:34:48.180
 heaven with the

00:34:48.180 --> 00:34:49.420
 Father and the

00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:50.420
 Spirit and coming

00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:50.980
 to us.

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:53.240
 You descended not

00:34:53.240 --> 00:34:54.220
 just into human

00:34:54.220 --> 00:34:55.200
 form but even

00:34:55.200 --> 00:34:56.400
 further as you went

00:34:56.400 --> 00:34:57.500
 to death for us.

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:59.099
 the author of life

00:34:59.099 --> 00:35:01.000
 dying on a cross

00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:02.300
 so that we might

00:35:02.300 --> 00:35:02.699
 live.

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:03.659
 You were treated

00:35:03.659 --> 00:35:05.659
 as if you were a

00:35:05.659 --> 00:35:05.860
 sinner.

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:08.760
 You carried to the

00:35:08.760 --> 00:35:09.699
 cross all the evil

00:35:09.699 --> 00:35:10.559
 and the carnage and

00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:11.340
 the sin of human

00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:11.719
 history.

00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:12.559
 You, the innocent

00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:13.960
 one, suffered

00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:15.420
 condemnation for us.

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.880
 You chose for the

00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:20.719
 just wrath of God to

00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:21.840
 be poured out on

00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:22.140
 you.

00:35:23.720 --> 00:35:26.460
 And on the cross, you

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.980
 cried out the

00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:28.780
 scream of

00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:32.500
 dereliction, the

00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.079
 scream of

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:34.260
 abandonment, loss,

00:35:35.120 --> 00:35:36.200
 and isolation from

00:35:36.200 --> 00:35:37.079
 everything that is

00:35:37.079 --> 00:35:38.340
 good and lovely.

00:35:38.940 --> 00:35:40.220
 You descended into

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:41.539
 complete darkness of

00:35:41.539 --> 00:35:43.340
 death all alone

00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:44.960
 that we might be

00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:45.780
 brought into the

00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:46.860
 light of life of

00:35:46.860 --> 00:35:47.860
 eternal relationship

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.880
 with you, our God.

00:35:48.880 --> 00:35:51.680
 Lord Jesus, you

00:35:51.680 --> 00:35:52.460
 have gone deeper

00:35:52.460 --> 00:35:53.480
 into the depths of

00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:54.180
 darkness and

00:35:54.180 --> 00:35:54.960
 loneliness than

00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:56.119
 anyone could ever

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:56.599
 imagine.

00:35:58.220 --> 00:36:00.280
 Gracious God, you

00:36:00.280 --> 00:36:01.900
 journeyed into that

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:02.519
 together.

00:36:02.519 --> 00:36:08.980
 and so we ask

00:36:08.980 --> 00:36:13.000
 you on behalf of

00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:14.059
 sufferers and the

00:36:14.059 --> 00:36:14.820
 carers of

00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:17.960
 sufferers, we turn

00:36:17.960 --> 00:36:19.539
 to you that they

00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.440
 might find hope in

00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:22.860
 you and we commend

00:36:22.860 --> 00:36:24.559
 to your faithful

00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:25.659
 love those who are

00:36:25.659 --> 00:36:26.340
 crying from the

00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:27.119
 depths of darkness

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:27.619
 now.

00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:31.380
 Holy Spirit, when

00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:33.400
 scorn and shame

00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:34.300
 and despair,

00:36:34.860 --> 00:36:35.800
 besiege when the

00:36:35.800 --> 00:36:37.119
 clouds, the dark

00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:38.099
 clouds of depression

00:36:38.099 --> 00:36:39.220
 and anxiety and

00:36:39.220 --> 00:36:41.220
 shame descend, and

00:36:41.220 --> 00:36:42.680
 hope is veiled in

00:36:42.680 --> 00:36:44.880
 grief, bring

00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:45.740
 sufferers and

00:36:45.740 --> 00:36:46.539
 sinners to the

00:36:46.539 --> 00:36:47.360
 embrace of the

00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:48.220
 wounded hands of

00:36:48.220 --> 00:36:48.680
 Jesus.

00:36:50.660 --> 00:36:52.019
 Restless with grief

00:36:52.019 --> 00:36:53.019
 and fear and

00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:53.720
 distress and

00:36:53.720 --> 00:36:55.680
 hopelessness, Lord

00:36:55.680 --> 00:36:57.260
 Jesus, you call us

00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:57.720
 to come.

00:36:57.719 --> 00:36:59.899
 you are gentle

00:36:59.899 --> 00:37:01.379
 and lowly and

00:37:01.379 --> 00:37:02.480
 call all who are

00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:03.639
 weary and loaded

00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:04.599
 with burdens to

00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:05.899
 find rest in you

00:37:05.899 --> 00:37:08.279
 and be lifted to

00:37:08.279 --> 00:37:08.939
 the gospel of

00:37:08.939 --> 00:37:09.259
 hope.

00:37:10.379 --> 00:37:11.039
 And so Holy

00:37:11.039 --> 00:37:13.519
 Spirit, we would

00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:14.359
 ask that you would

00:37:14.359 --> 00:37:15.959
 free us from

00:37:15.959 --> 00:37:17.059
 everything that keeps

00:37:17.059 --> 00:37:17.859
 us from hearing that

00:37:17.859 --> 00:37:18.579
 call to come.

00:37:19.459 --> 00:37:20.779
 In the darkness of

00:37:20.779 --> 00:37:21.739
 unknowing, when all

00:37:21.739 --> 00:37:22.899
 else seems lost, when

00:37:22.899 --> 00:37:24.439
 your love seems so

00:37:24.439 --> 00:37:26.219
 absent, draw us into

00:37:26.219 --> 00:37:28.039
 the heart of God to

00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:29.159
 find refuge and

00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:30.659
 rest and the

00:37:30.659 --> 00:37:31.759
 certain hope of the

00:37:31.759 --> 00:37:32.579
 dawn of forgiveness

00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:33.619
 and redemption and

00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:34.059
 renewal.

00:37:35.779 --> 00:37:37.059
 How generous is your

00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:38.139
 goodness, how great is

00:37:38.139 --> 00:37:39.139
 your salvation, how

00:37:39.139 --> 00:37:40.099
 faithful is your

00:37:40.099 --> 00:37:40.539
 love.

00:37:41.379 --> 00:37:43.279
 It is this love that

00:37:43.279 --> 00:37:44.139
 you have called your

00:37:44.139 --> 00:37:45.259
 church to display to

00:37:45.259 --> 00:37:45.859
 all people.

00:37:46.619 --> 00:37:48.000
 As you have loved us,

00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:49.739
 so you called us to

00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.459
 love one another.

00:37:52.439 --> 00:37:54.679
 And so in a world of

00:37:54.679 --> 00:37:55.919
 rage and suffering and

00:37:55.920 --> 00:37:57.039
 pain, Holy Spirit,

00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:58.559
 empower us and shape

00:37:58.559 --> 00:37:59.940
 us and convict us to

00:37:59.940 --> 00:38:01.320
 be a church that

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:02.820
 displays the love of

00:38:02.820 --> 00:38:04.940
 Christ and especially

00:38:04.940 --> 00:38:06.099
 to descend to the

00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:07.320
 place of weeping with

00:38:07.320 --> 00:38:08.240
 those who are weeping.

00:38:09.460 --> 00:38:10.940
 Give us patience and

00:38:10.940 --> 00:38:12.500
 grace and steadfastness

00:38:12.500 --> 00:38:13.599
 to carry each other's

00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:15.639
 burdens, that we might

00:38:15.639 --> 00:38:16.740
 be a community of

00:38:16.740 --> 00:38:17.980
 refuge for sinners and

00:38:17.980 --> 00:38:19.860
 sufferers alike, a

00:38:19.860 --> 00:38:20.860
 community devoted to

00:38:20.860 --> 00:38:22.139
 one another in love,

00:38:22.940 --> 00:38:23.740
 joyful in hope,

00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:25.000
 patient in affliction,

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:26.119
 and faithful in prayer.

00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:28.440
 Gracious and most

00:38:28.440 --> 00:38:29.920
 merciful Father God,

00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:32.659
 we pray therefore as

00:38:32.659 --> 00:38:34.039
 well for those who

00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:36.059
 work in mental health

00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:37.179
 care in our city.

00:38:37.960 --> 00:38:39.340
 We ask that you provide

00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:40.420
 them with wisdom and

00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:41.760
 skill and compassion and

00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:43.000
 patience as they engage

00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:43.780
 with patience.

00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:46.519
 All individual lives

00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:48.079
 made in your image for

00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:48.699
 your glory.

00:38:49.699 --> 00:38:50.760
 May they treat each

00:38:50.760 --> 00:38:52.219
 individual as precious in

00:38:52.219 --> 00:38:56.019
 your sight, worthy of

00:38:56.019 --> 00:38:57.239
 respect and dignity.

00:38:58.259 --> 00:38:59.579
 Give them discernment and

00:38:59.579 --> 00:39:01.239
 clarity in diagnosing and

00:39:01.239 --> 00:39:01.539
 treating.

00:39:02.819 --> 00:39:04.099
 We ask God that you would

00:39:04.099 --> 00:39:05.319
 sustain them through the

00:39:05.319 --> 00:39:06.779
 secondary trauma that they

00:39:06.779 --> 00:39:08.239
 come from seeing others

00:39:08.239 --> 00:39:10.279
 suffer and the carrying of

00:39:10.279 --> 00:39:10.959
 those burdens.

00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:13.619
 Provide them with peace and

00:39:13.619 --> 00:39:14.759
 space to care for

00:39:14.759 --> 00:39:15.239
 themselves.

00:39:16.439 --> 00:39:17.799
 A medical system that

00:39:17.799 --> 00:39:19.159
 equips and supports them and

00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:19.939
 resources them.

00:39:19.940 --> 00:39:21.900
 a community to shoulder the

00:39:21.900 --> 00:39:23.039
 burdens in order that they

00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:24.519
 might have the healthy frame

00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:26.200
 of mind to care for

00:39:26.200 --> 00:39:26.659
 others.

00:39:28.300 --> 00:39:29.659
 We would ask that you would

00:39:29.659 --> 00:39:30.500
 use them to be

00:39:30.500 --> 00:39:32.159
 transformative agents in the

00:39:32.159 --> 00:39:33.300
 lives of the distressed and

00:39:33.300 --> 00:39:35.019
 the suffering to bring about

00:39:35.019 --> 00:39:36.220
 healing and hope to them and

00:39:36.220 --> 00:39:36.900
 their carers.

00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:39.599
 We pray for your intervention

00:39:39.599 --> 00:39:41.720
 as well, Lord, in the public

00:39:41.720 --> 00:39:43.500
 health system in this state

00:39:43.500 --> 00:39:45.679
 that have seen so many crucial

00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:47.119
 mental health care workers

00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:47.599
 leave.

00:39:48.739 --> 00:39:50.420
 We pray for these issues,

00:39:50.599 --> 00:39:51.819
 whatever they are, to be

00:39:51.819 --> 00:39:53.139
 resolved through adequate

00:39:53.139 --> 00:39:53.859
 resourcing.

00:39:55.179 --> 00:39:56.960
 We pray for your protection

00:39:56.960 --> 00:39:59.059
 over sufferers not able to

00:39:59.059 --> 00:40:00.859
 access the care that they had

00:40:00.859 --> 00:40:03.019
 even months ago when it is

00:40:03.019 --> 00:40:03.920
 particularly needed.

00:40:04.759 --> 00:40:06.400
 And so, Lord, we ask that you

00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:07.619
 would have mercy on us.

00:40:08.460 --> 00:40:09.980
 Mercy on all who are afflicted

00:40:09.980 --> 00:40:11.000
 in mind and heart.

00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:13.380
 Because your heart is bound to

00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:13.699
 ours.

00:40:14.639 --> 00:40:14.940
 Amen.

00:40:14.940 --> 00:40:15.039
 Amen.