Bipolar Faith

The word “bipolar” triggers thoughts of mental illness and stirs strong emotional responses for those who have been touched by it; either personally or in the circle of those they love. WebMD gives this basic definition, “Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior. You can think of the highs and the lows as two “poles” of mood, which is why it’s called “bipolar” disorder.”
 
It is a puzzling and potentially destructive illness that, as of yet, has not been traced to any central cause. If your emotions and energy levels follow a stable and predictable pattern, you can humbly thank God. If you know someone touched by this disorder, extend large measures of love, compassion and prayer.
 
I would also caution against judging the faith of a person who struggles with Bipolar disorder or any other form of mental illness. Research the life of the famous hymn writer William Cowper (1731-1800). His hymns are among some of my favorites for their beauty, theology and depth of insight. And yet … this man struggled his entire life with debilitating seasons of utter despair. He repeatedly tried to end his life, but by God’s hand was preserved. It is difficult to reconcile his hope in Christ and his despair in life, but perhaps that is the greatest legacy of his testimony. Once saved, “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” … not even our own tendencies toward despair.
 
In moments of deep honesty, most of us would probably admit to some level of bipolarity in our faith. We have known times of great confidence in and closeness to Christ … and we have known times when we despaired of our salvation or doubted the basic truths of our faith. As we progress through our study of Hebrews 11, you should feel increasingly less isolated. The “great cloud of witnesses” as they’re called in Chapter 12, all experienced highs and lows, triumphs and failures in their faith. No mere human can be the ultimate model for our faith. That’s why the author of Hebrews instructs us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” See also Isaiah 26:3.
 
 

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