By Christopher Luke, UK
This prayer was written by Christopher Luke in recognition of World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2014.
Eternal Heavenly Father and Creator & Sustainer of all life
We give you thanks that, on 10th October, individuals and organisations across the globe sought to increase knowledge and understanding of mental illness and personal well-being, in order to commemorate World Mental Health Day. Today, we pray that our own knowledge and understanding will be further enhanced, and that our eyes and ears may be opened to the needs of others, particularly those who suffer from mental illness in any way.
Heavenly Father, as we thank you for healing so many of your children, here and elsewhere, we pray for healing for all those who suffer mental illness, whether it be Acquired Brain Injury, Bipolar Disorder,Dementia, Depression, Gender Dysphoria, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Schizophrenia, or any other mental illnesses I may have omitted to mention – that all will feel your loving arms around and upholding them in their distress, and your healing hand upon their vexed minds and troubled souls.
Heavenly Father, we also pray for all those who crave addiction to material things for some form of security – be it alcohol, narcotics, pornography etc – rather than placing their trust in you. In doing so, we give you thanks for the various Self-Help Groups who seek to encourage folk to turn from their addiction, e.g., Al-Anon, Co-Dependents Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Overeaters Anonymous. We pray for a blessing on all who attend these groups and that you will keep them safe from self-harm and from harming others. Where their actions have damaged relationships with others, we pray too for peace and reconciliation with those they have hurt in any way, so that their broken lives can be mended and made new in your love.
Heavenly Father, provider of all things, we pray for central government and local authorities as they expend finite resources. Grant them wisdom as they allocate and spend money from the public purse to treat mental illness, and seek to assist all who suffer from it with an ability and willingness to manage their lives and their personal budgets too in accordance with your will and not their own.
We pray too for all involved in providing care and support for those with mental illness, in hospitals and in the community. We uplift in prayer before you today their friends and family members, as well as their General Practitioners, community psychiatric nurses, cognitive behavioural therapists, counsellors, psychotherapists, social and support workers, as we do all staff and volunteers from associated with statutory and charitable organisations, and service-users of both day and home care services, as well as residential homes or sheltered accommodation, who provide care and support for people with mental illness.
In the silence of your hearts I invite you now to name before God anyone you know who may be suffering from mental illness; for comfort and strength for them, and for God’s peace to rest upon them.
[PAUSE]
For all those named out loud and in our hearts – and lastly for ourselves – Heavenly Father, we pray for peace in both hearts and minds this day and always, as we remember and exhort the words of Paul to the Church in Philippi not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present our requests to you, knowing that if we do your peace will transcend our understanding, and will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
In Jesus’ name we pray, and for His sake, Amen.