“Bipolar” men of God….and God’s messengers….

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Read through the bible, the prayers and the cries of God’s men and God’s messengers – one thing stands out – they were “bipolar” - not that they had a “Psychiatric illness” but their mind and emotions would oscillate between “ecstasy” in the goodness and greatness of God on one hand at the same time cry out in despair and desperation due to various issues which were affecting their heart and mind…

Jeremiah – one who was called and kept to bring Gods word to Israel in the book of Jeremiah 20 – says -  “God, you deceived me….your word brought be insult and reproach all day long….cursed be the day I was born….cursed be the man who brought by father the news of my birth…..why did I ever come out of the womb – as to end my days in shame…..the phase of depression……even to the point of giving up on life or cursing his own existence…

Sandwiched between these cries of desperation and confusion in the same chapter you also see – Sing to the Lord, give praise to the Lord, for he rescues the life of needy…A cry of worship, praise and exaltation in a God who does change…..

This oscillation was not unusual even in David’s life – look at Psalm 69 – waters up to my neck….sinking in miry depths….my eyes fail looking for God…I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother's children….goes on with various laments like these….but then he bursts out – I will praise God’s name in song….glorify his name in thanksgiving.....let heaven and earth praise him..the seas and all that is in them….

Can one live with this bi-polar oscillation – this seems to have been the pattern of many “Men of God’ …and God blessed them and made them a blessing….

What did God see in them…that he should accept and bless them…

Three things stand out – An inner passion and uncontrollable over flow of the same – David would say – “the zeal for your house consumes me” – Jeremiah would say “”his word is in my heart like fire…I am weary if holding it in..Indeed I cannot….”

Two – a confidence in an unchanging God – though the context around was “unstable and changing all the time” – “the Lord with me is like a mighty warrior….the Lord who hears the cry of the needy and does not despise His own"….

And – a complete handing over of their lives and context into the hands of this unchanging God…”for to you have I committed my cause”….and an assurance that His salvation will protect and keep them….!

Bipolarity in Mental health is treated by "drugs" and keeping the"drug levels" above a certain levels in the blood always (e.g Lithium) -  The drug of "Word" and keeping the "indwelling of the word" at the right level always may be the only answer for "Spiritual Bi-polarity"....!Or should one live the whole life as a "Spiritual Bipolar?"

Comments

  1. C.B.SAMUELAugust 7, 2011 at 6:26 PM

    Any help from John, Paul and Peter? Is it an Old Testament phenomenon. CB

    ReplyDelete
  2. Santhosh's RamblingsAugust 8, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Paul - what a wretched man I am - but the grace of God enables me...Peter - after the Pentecost seems to have become a new man - John we do not hear much about him....The Holy Spirit indwelling see to have made the difference - from bi polarity to singular vision and direction....treatment for bipolarity - Holy Spirit?

    ReplyDelete

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