Where Is God When I'm Struggling With My Mental Health?
What does mental health mean to you? How might you define it? Or have you ever considered that God values your emotional well-being just as much as your physical well-being? You may have given these questions some thought before. Or maybe this is something you have never considered at all. In some churches, mental health can be seen as a taboo topic. However, I think there are some stories in the Bible that would say otherwise. In Biblical times, mental health was not defined or discussed as we do in our modern world. But does this necessarily mean that God only cares about our physical bodies and not our emotions? Let’s unpack this question.
Anxiety Doesn't Mean Your Faith Has Failed
In the Bible, there are approximately 365 passages that call on the reader not to be afraid. About 30 of these verses use the words anxiety and worry in the translation to refer to fear.
Philippians 4:6-7 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Another commonly referenced verse is 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”With all this instruction in the Bible not to be afraid, some people can find comfort in these verses and trust that God will supply all they need.
For other people, however, their stress, worry, and anxiety feel so debilitating. This is where aid from a trained professional can come in to help those struggling with crippling anxiety. Through processing deeper emotions as well as maladaptive thought patterns, the counselor and client can work on improving the client’s battle with anxiety. Furthermore, if God is brought into the counseling room, the counselor can help guide the client through their faith, using what they know to be true about God to battle irrational fears.
Close to the Brokenhearted: What the Psalms Say About Despair
In the Bible, the Psalms are a poetic book that describes a variety of powerful emotions. Commonly, the Psalmist will write about how devastated he feels in his soul. A lot of his mournful words sound like depression and can resonate with those who struggle in this way. The author, David, does not shy away from describing how incredibly broken and hopeless he feels.
Psalm 88:5 describes a raw expression of complete despair: “I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on; I suffer your tremors; I am overcome.”As gut-wrenching as these cries of pain sound,
the truth is that God wants to hear from us when we are at our lowest points. He does not shy away from us when we are at our breaking point. If anything, he tends to show up the most then.
In a different part of the book of Psalms, the author writes in chapter 34, verse 18, “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Jesus himself knows what complete despair and terror feel like. He experienced it when he was in the garden just before his crucifixion. He set the example for us and cried out to God when he was at his breaking point.
Knowing that God not only knows about our mental health issues but also wants to sit with us in our pain shows just how loving and caring he really is. He is our good, good father who always looks out for his people.
Take the Next Step With a Christian Counselor
If you are feeling you need the additional support of a trained professional and want to bring Jesus into your pain and fear, reach out to connect with a counselor who provides therapy through a Biblically-focused lens. Counselors at Hope Healing are ready to provide Christian counseling, and we would love to connect with you today.
