Since my time now is consumed with completing assignments for school, I decided to share some of my work. Feel free to critique!
Psychopathology, through a Christian or Biblical worldview
requires complex understanding based on a simple principle. Jesus is our savior
and the answer to all that is wrong. Per the Bible, God provides all of our
needs and is available to us unconditionally in any circumstance at any time. In
the book of Joshua, the Lord tells us, “Have I
not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do
not be discouraged, for the Lord your
God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NIV) Through this
explanation, we are assured that God is present and that we can rely on Him. As
His children who are saved by His grace, we should be able to reconcile all
problems through our trust and faith in God. However, it seems that we often
face difficulties in which we need help from another human or even from
medications. To add to the complication, non-believers often equate religion
with abnormality. A prominent figure in the field of Psychology, Jung defines
the spiritual as “that which opposes instinct.” (Nicole, 1946, p. 154). How
then as Christian counselors, are we to approach the field of Psychopathology
from a Biblical worldview? First and foremost, it is important to take a clear
stance on our beliefs. Our views should be outlined that we as Christian
counselors do represent Jesus and all of His teachings. However, we also
recognize that God provides in many ways. God-breathed scripture references
mental illness in several places throughout the Bible such as Fetus accusing
Paul of being insane in Acts, chapter 26. We also read about King
Nebuchadnezzer’s request to have David interpret his dreams. We cannot compare
the interpretation to today’s definition because David was receiving his
revelations from God. A Christian
definition of Psychopathology would be the weakness of the mind that produces
abnormalities as related to the relationship between God, man and the world
that prevents a person from carrying out tasks necessary to live and for
maintaining a self-determined level of contentment and peace. This definition
is similar to that of a secular world but takes into account a standard for
normal. The standard here is the relationship with God and the achievement of
living in peace. That is not to imply that a Christian who is normal will not
experience trials and suffering. However, there is a general peace in day to
day living. The secular definition may go as far as to say that those who
believe in God should be considered psychopathic. The variance is the
intangible. Although the secular view of psychopathology expects that normal is
in correlation with peace, it does not allow for anything more than what can be
measured empirically.
Our relationship with God
cannot be measured by the world’s standards. Just as Festus believed that Paul
was insane for speaking truth about the Messiah, secular minds speak out
against believers today. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul says, “But he [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
”Therefore I will
boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest
on me.” (NIV).
Reference
Nicole, J. Ernest. (1946). Psychopathology: a survey of modern approaches. 4th
ed. Baltimore,
MD:
Williams & Wilkins.
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