I am continuing to share verses for people with Bipolar Disorder (see also this post for more information about Bipolar Disorder diagnosis). Today we turn to a specific set of symptoms people with Bipolar Disorder may suffer from.
While people are manic it is common for them to exhibit excessive self assurance, over-confidence and increased rate of speech. This can be very disturbing to those around them. While these verses are unlikely to help the individual in the middle of a manic episode (medication is usually required), but as insight returns they may be of use. They are also great triggers for prayer for friends and family. In fact family members of those with Bipolar Disorder would do well to consider these carefully themselves as sometimes due to genetic factors they will also have evidence of a milder degree excessive self-confidence. In fact we all have tendencies towards being what the Bible calls proud at times, while at others we fall the other way and experienced reduced self-esteem. A manic patient often has excessive self-esteem. Lets see what the Bible says to all of us about these matters:
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you . . . Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:6-16).
Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19–21).
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.. Galatians 6:3).
Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:17–18).
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned (Romans 12:2–3).
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all (Romans 12:14–18).
You save a humble people,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
For you are my lamp, O LORD,
and my God lightens my darkness.
For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
(2 Samuel 22:28–30).Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
(1 Corinthians 13:4–8).
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