Recently I have been earning a lot of Christian leaders who fell away (from Grace) or who committed suicide and many people felt shocked when these things happened.
If you never have been in a position of leadership where people suddenly placed you in the limelight, especially in Christianity, it is very hard to digest and fathom how could "goldly people" ended up in such a situation.
These are real cases and including me, that even before the pandemic I had a few moments of
"jump, just jump, it will solve your problems easily"
or
"try this med. You'll just slip away in your sleep, and your problems will be solved"
Yes. Mental breakdowns are real. Burnouts are real.
It is real whenever a person has unwanted "all eyes on" him / her and "expected" them to move clean and perfect like a well oiled engine.
They have Christ in them, isn't it? They are capable to deal things much better, don't worry, they can handle it.
But hardly any people would say, "how are you today?" and "may I pray with you?"
Because most of the time when a leader hits a roadblock and wanted to share their troubles, most of this peers or those "seemed to have worship their leadership" often turn away because "I have more problems than this man / woman of God who God can take care of him / her. I need more help than he / she needs help from me."
And when these leaders slip, or when they tried to ask for help...
They are often pretty much be put on the pedestal and be judged.
Judged by their peers, judged by their "idoling followers", worse, judged by their relatives who are not even close to them.
Particularly (prideful) Asian families have this tendency to "tell you what you think how you should be behaving."
Christian or non Christian, they have that mouth to do so.
And the sad part is, these judgmental people, just like bullies, they have an underlying history that pushed them into this state, especially when they become successful.
That is how human flesh and knowledge in the mind can drive people become.
And that is why, this advise has been given by the apostle Peter, who himself many times would have been challenged in his mind, with this:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
But how to be sober minded?
Being excited with BCH price hike won't help, because when it dips and you don't have enough money you might feel even more depressed.
Being updated with world news doesn't help either; let's face it, isn't the world news filled with loads of anger these days?
Self help books? Sometimes it can only go so far
Follow the rules of the Law with every t crossed, and every i dotted, that could even be worse because one small step you know if you slip, you will condemn yourself further
My only solution that I know for any Christian is with the Truth daily; which is with the Helmet of Salvation along with the rest of the full Armour of God as the only sanity sustainer, especially when a Christian needs to walk away from the human limelight and deny "I deserve the praise"
The affirmation and adoration from humans can only bring one person limited distance, either a leader / influencer, relying of human needs to stay alive and keep going will only go as far as the need still exists.
Just 24 hours ago I was tempted to just write off a goodbye note, but then I realised that I can't do so until I am certain I leave no debt behind; hence, I won't do that.
And that still small voice snapped in
"Where have your heart and brain been listening?"
Thus this YouTube (that was recommended to my feed) today could have reminded my heart more truth that I have forgotten.
Enjoy.