Religious leaders are not exempt from the pain and challenges of life, and it is our responsibility to be there for them.
I felt gutted. I felt broken. I was shattered. How could I feel so strongly about someone I'd met only recently on social media? Because people who have struggled with addiction and depression immediately share a bond, much like cancer survivors or combat troops.
In retrospect, Jarrid's posts and blogs were not just about the desperate, hurting people he was helping. They were also about him. He was writing about his life, and I was so angry that we missed it. How could this happen to a pastor? Pastors do not get depressed. Pastors do not deal with self-harm or thoughts of ending their life. Pastors do not die by suicide. But I was wrong. They do—and one just did.
I challenge churches and bodies of faith to take an intentional pause and inventory their leaders, finding ways to offer mental health care to those who give it on a daily basis. Pastors bare the weight of the world on their shoulders, listening to dozens of people a week who are sharing their deepest secrets, pain and challenges. It is a tremendous task to carry those burdens.
Congregations, conventions and religious organizations must minister not just outwardly but inwardly as well. Designate a day on the calendar to intentionally strategize and formulate a plan for church staff to care for themselves and enhance their personal mental health, whether that be through outside counseling, therapy or group support. Implement a forcing mechanism to ensure your pastors are caring for themselves—make their struggles our struggles. It could end up saving their life.
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