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Articles

3 lessons about mental illness for the sufferer and caregiver

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January 31, 2019

Mental health issues have been part of my family’s life, as well as my own life, for decades. As a public health professor, but also as someone with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, I have had to assume the role of caregiver and patient. I understand the many challenges associated with loving a family member with mental illness. It comes with serious pain and heartache, trepidation, frustration, and anger.

Nevertheless, loving someone with mental illness has taught me to show grace, compassion, empathy, and patience, giving me the opportunity to be a reflection of the character of Christ in the midst of difficult life circumstances. As the sole believer in my family, ensuring that I reflect Christ’s character in the midst of hardship has provided a unique opportunity to live out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20).

Conversely, as an anxiety sufferer, I can attest gratefully that there are tangible ways in which our trusted confidants can provide us with the support and encouragement that we need. Most of all, in the midst of our own trials and tribulations, it is essential that we love our Christian brothers and sisters well (John 13:34-35).

Although my professional training is in public health and behavioral science, I am not an expert on the treatment and diagnosis of those with mental illness. My knowledge is mostly an outcome of life experience. I genuinely hope that some of the lessons learned are a blessing to those embodying the body of Christ. While I still have much to understand, here are a few lessons that have been realized over the years:  

1. The struggle between what we know and how we feel

As a Christian, I know that it is possible to wrestle between head knowledge, or what we know as gospel-centered truth, and heart knowledge. Oftentimes, in the midst of great pain and sorrow, there is a disconnect between the head and the heart. My hometown pastor, Matt Mason, said it best when preaching a sermon on Psalm 88: “No amount of good theology can take away the pain of longsuffering.”

While this can be true, we must still continue to hold steadfastly to God’s Word as our primary source of hope. It is important to remember that our Savior is not put off by our desperation. He longs for us to seek him in all things. Most importantly, in times of despair, one must remember that crying out to the Lord in total devastation is a demonstration of faith.  

2. There is always hope

Many of those who are suffering from or caring for those with mental illness are in the midst of a spiritual war to rediscover hope. When those suffering feel cut off from God’s promises, they need to be consistently reminded that our Savior loves us with an everlasting and unfailing love (Jer. 31:3). Caregivers of those suffering from mental illness must recognize that the retelling of truth will not be a one-time occurrence. Those who are struggling require these reminders time and time again.

As believers, it is our Christian responsibility to continue to spur on others in Christ (Heb. 10:24). If one is caring for an individual in the midst of their struggle with anxiety or depression, faithfulness is needed more than anything else. Be faithful to pray for your loved ones and continue to serve them well even when things seem like they are not changing.  

3. Biblical community is a divine gift, not an idol

Biblical community is a God-given gift. We know, and are reassured, that all good gifts come from above (James 1:17). I am abundantly blessed to be in the presence of a wonderful community of Christian believers that have walked alongside me as I wrestle with my own anxiety and depression. With that being said, it is imperative that sufferers of mental illness cling to the cross of Christ prior to depending on others for needed affirmation or reassurance. We must bear in mind that our trusted friends and family can never fill the void in our lives.

Of course, our loved ones can offer us a great deal of joy and support as they strive to meet our needs. However, we must remember that they are not the source of our ultimate joy. Christ is the only one that satisfies. Unintentionally placing our Christian brothers and sisters in an unattainable role is not demonstrative of loving them well. Furthermore, it is turning our God-given friendships into an idol. Like every follower of Christ, sufferers of mental illness must recognize the value of these relationships as on outlet of God’s loving care, not as a replacement of him.

I have come to realize that having the privilege to care for those with mental illness is an incredible opportunity to not only live out the Great Commission, but also apply the Great Commandment to our lives. It is imperative that we love one another just as Christ has loved us (John 13:34-35).

As a sufferer of mental illness, I have learned to reflect upon a simple truth: God uses brokenness and longsuffering to write his children a beautiful story. While struggling with mental illness is not easy, I know that anything and everything can and will be used for his glory. Christians do not experience affliction in vain. By his strength, we are able to handle great difficulty in a way that consistently displays the sovereignty and reliance upon our incredible Savior.   

Supriya G. Reddy

Supriya G. Reddy currently serves as a children's ministry volunteer at Creekstone Church and was an active member at The Church at Brook Hills for many years. She currently resides in Cumming, Georgia, and is an assistant professor of Public Health at The University of North Georgia. She has used her vocation and … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24