Pastor Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of the best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, returned to the pulpit on the weekend for the first time since the death of his son Matthew on 5th April.
Thanks staff, local pastors and their family for the love and support they had given over the past few months, Pastor Warren and his wife Kay shared a message entitled ‘How to Get Through What You”re Going Through’ at two Saturday evening services attended by more than 10,000 people while thousands more watched online.
The Warren’s son Matthew had struggled with mental illness for a long time prior to taking his own life in April. Pastor Warren told the congregation that for 27 years he had prayed for God to heal his son’s mental illness.
“(I)t didn’t make sense why this prayer wasn’t being answered,” he said. “When you go through a difficult time, you automatically start to try and find an answer. But explanations never comfort. You don’t need explanations; you need the presence of God.”
Kay Warren also shared about her struggle with continuing to choose joy even in grief. “What do you do when hope doesn’t turn out the way you think it will? You rebuild your hope.”
The Warrens said they are now committed to remove the stigma that is attached to mental illness.
“If you struggle with a broken brain, you should be no more ashamed than someone with a broken arm,” said Pastor Warren. “It’s not a sin to take meds. It’s not a sin to get help. You don’t need to be ashamed.”
~ For support and information about suicide prevention in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
