Five Ways God Cares for Our Mental Health
Although mental health is gaining more acceptance and less stigma, it is still less addressed than physical, emotional, or spiritual health. However, it is just as important as our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Our mental health is not separate from any other part of us. And just as God cares for our heart and body, so He cares for our mind as well.
Mental Health
Mental health still carries a “fear” factor thwarting people from discussing it. For instance, Pew Research Center (2024) reports that only 31% (three in ten) adults feel comfortable talking with a close friend, family member, or therapist about their mental health struggles. Yet, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports 57.8 million people experience mental illness (1 in 5 adults) showing people are still resisting finding help. Additionally, the National Mental Health Report (2023) found that 55% of adults with mental illness received no treatment (over 28 million people), and 60% of youth with major depression received no treatment. One of the top reasons individuals did not receive care was the stigma they felt they would receive (Etactics).
Now let’s add in another factor: the Church. Stephen Grcevich in his book Mental Health and the Church observes that mental health still carries a stigma in the church that other disabilities do not. Additionally, a 2013 Lifeway Report also found that 55% of people interviewed did not believe the church would welcome them if they had a mental health condition. Additionally, in 2017, it was reported that the topic of suicide is still taboo in the church (Lifeway). Oh, Church this should not be!
God cares not only for our spiritual well-being, but also for all parts of us including our mental health. There is no part of His children that are hidden from Him including their mental pain. And He offers support for our mental health inasmuch as He offers support for other areas of health.
Five ways God supports our mental Health
1) “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” – John 16:33
Jesus does not sugar coat what this world offers. This world crucified Him. He knew then and knows now that this world has troubles. There is nothing that is hidden from Him. The troubles we experience may come for a variety of reasons (i.e. our own sin, someone else’s behaviors, etc.) and sometimes they happen for no other reason than we live in a fallen world. Regardless of why the troubles exist, God is for you. His death on the cross and resurrection allows us to experience the abundant life John 10 conveys even in the midst of the trouble we are facing.
Yes, we will have trouble, but we also can trust in the one who can overcome the trouble. Finding our hope and strength in Christ can enable us to face the troubles we are experiencing knowing no matter the outcome, Christ is with us through the trouble.
2) “He restores my soul” – Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is probably one of the most famous of the Psalms. It follows the crisis of faith discussed in Psalm 22. The message is clear: God is with us no matter where we are. We can trust him to restore us, even in the face of our enemies. (Note that within this passage, He does not say that we will not have enemies, but an opportunity to overcome them.)
We live in a fallen world full of enemies. An “enemy” may be a person, place, or thing. However, it may also be struggles with mental health. And whether it is something physical or mental, God is still our Shepherd who will refresh our souls.
3) “Come to me all who are weary, and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28
Again, Jesus is clear that we will experience weariness in this world. He does not specify a certain type of weariness from which we can find rest in Him. He covers all things that make us weary including our struggles even with mental health.
No matter the weariness we endure, no matter the reason for our weariness, what we can have is rest. Jesus knew the toll this world would take on us and, even He would withdraw at times for rest. He offers us the same rest. The same rest that allowed Him to face the cross is also available to us.
4) “Cast your anxieties on him because he cares for you” – 1 Peter 5:7
In a previous blog, I wrote that nowhere in scripture is anxiety referred to as a sin. It is a natural emotion that we are given instruction on how to handle. And nowhere are we condemned for having it.
God designed every part of our being (Psalm 139). I cannot give an answer as to why you may struggle with anxiety, I struggle with depression, or the next person struggles with eating disorders. What I can write confidently is that God cares about it all. And He is with us on the journey of healing (Psalm 23).
5) “The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” – Psalm 24:17
We may read this verse and think, “I have been crying out my whole life and, yet, I am still facing troubles.” Yes, this may be very real for many of us. Paul, one of the greatest writers of the New Testament, experienced this as well (2 Corinthians 12:6-10). He prayed three times for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed; although it was not removed, he reached a place of acceptance and understood the purpose of the thorn. In this way he was delivered from the “trouble” of it.
Sometimes the troubles we experience will not be removed. Rather, God will give us what we need to overcome them. For instance, my depression was not removed. However, God provided me tools to manage my depression and overcome its daily toll on my life. He heard my cries and provided me what I needed to experience the abundant life He offers (John 10:10).
Final Thoughts
Our mental health matters to God. It is not a separate part of us He dismisses. He is clear that He is for us, all parts of us. He created our inmost being, knit us together (Psalm 139). There is no part of us of which He is ashamed, including our mental health. So why should we be? Why should the Church be? As we rest in God’s care for us and our mental health, may we find the peace, hope, joy, truth, love, and compassion we long for no matter what troubles we face because we know He is for us (Romans 8:31).
References
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/05/02/who-do-americans-feel-comfortable-talking-to-about-their-mental-health/
https://etactics.com/blog/statistics-on-mental-health-stigma