Communication for Spiritual Health

Philippians 2:25-30

Depression was a problem for several of my dad’s family. Several of them just withdrew from society, almost to the point of becoming a hermit. It seems to be a major factor in most of the drug and alcohol use in our day. It is definitely a factor in the suicide rate, in prostitution, school shootings, and several other forms of crime.

Doctors tell us that it is a result of chemical imbalances in our bodies, causing us to feel worthless, powerless, and unloved. Psychologists and counselors make millions dealing with depressed people. Drug companies get rich selling prescriptions that temporarily counteract the feelings. Unfortunately, while the prescription drugs are slightly more effective than the illegal drugs and alcohol, they loose their effectiveness over time, requiring more, and more powerful forms, just as the illegal drugs do.

The chemicals which prevent depression in the body are produced by various glands in the body. The lack of them can be caused by a bad diet, making the body unable to produce them because of a lack of material to use. It cam be caused by stress, or lack of sleep, which exhaust the glands in efforts to produce other, more obviously essential secretions.

Probably the most common cause is underproduction by the glands. This is usually a result of the triggering factors not sending the message to produce. Interpersonal interaction is the primary trigger factor. Quite simply, communication is the most important factor in preventing depression. With so many means of communication, how can depression increase in our society?

Marriage counselors have long recognized the lack of communication as a problem in modern marriages, but just like most of society, they failed to realize that talk is not synonymous with communication. In fact communication can be established many times without talk. We communicate visually with our expressions, gestures, and body language at least as much as with our words. Emotions such as happiness, anger and fear cause our bodies to emit different smells that those around us sense as well. Touch also plays a major part in communication.

Modern society discourages most of these elements of communication. Touching is usually portrayed as sexual in nature, and is avoided in as a result, distorting and severely hampering this form of communication. The use of deodorants and perfumes prevent people detecting feelings of concern, hurt, fear, happiness, or anger by their nose. People are taught to conceal their emotions, or to over emphasize them for various reasons, resulting in miscommunication of visual cues. Telephones, even with pictures, deprive one of most of the forms of communication, and may distort verbal cues such as pitch changes as well, limiting one just to the words spoken, and actually preventing valid communication.

Nearly everyone is aware of cyber stalkers today. It works because people have a sensation of communication, when in fact there has only been words. Video games, music videos, and texting all give sensations of communication, but do not provide the necessary stimulus to cause the body to produce the various hormones, endorphins and other chemical products to prevent depression. As a result, depression is an increasing problem.

Just as lack of communication can cause depression in our lives, it can cause discouragement and depression in the church. While Paul knew the church needed additional teaching, and desired to send Timothy to help strengthen them, but he realized that it was necessary to send Epaphroditus communicate with them immediately. Because communication is a two way street, his coming would be beneficial to them, to paul, and to Epaphroditus himself. . A letter could never adequately communicate the concern and love.

“Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.” (Philippians 2:25-30)

Because this is such a critical area, the Galatians were instructed to be sure to communicate with their teachers. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things,” (Galatians 6:6). The instruction in Hebrews is more general. “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased,” (Hebrews 13:16). Paul is teaching by example, showing his reasons. Without that communication we will never be able to fulfill the command in the first part of Philippians 2

“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” (Philippians 2:1-4)