There’s been a lot of talk about Mental Health & Spirituality recently. Last Wednesday in Canada it was #BellLetsTalk day. A phone company by the name of Bell brings awareness to mental health one day a year, it’s a way to start a discussion about mental health & they raise quite a bit of money towards this cause. I think this is great, but I’ve noticed in recent years that there’s a lot of conflict when it comes to Mental Health in the church. I saw this tweet recently & it really struck a chord with me & a few other people that saw it.
Now let me just say that I believe Mental Health can be linked to spiritual issues such as oppression & the enemy attacking our thought life, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes there’s a medical condition that needs to be treated. It’s not wrong to seek out professional help, it’s not wrong to take medication, God can absolutely heal you while on your medication, & lastly, it’s okay not to be okay. I’ve had friends who have struggled with mental health, I struggled with it as a young teen, & I want to say again it’s okay. I’ve heard that there are Christians who don’t believe in mental health because they have Jesus & they’re Christians, I’ve also heard the attitude that no matter how you’re feeling you should be at church because that’s where you need to be. Now, while I agree seeking God, being in His presence & interceding for your healing is something you should do, I believe there needs to be more of an understanding & compassion for those who struggle with mental health issues. It’s not easy & it may not be easy for you to understand but these things are very real. I was asked once if people in the Bible struggled with depression & the answer to that question is YES! The fact is that these people brought their issues to God & that they had hope that He would hear them. What I believe we as Christians should do is point people to God, but also encourage them to seek out medical advice. We shouldn’t be shaming or looking down on people if they decide to visit a healthcare professional. God has given us medicine I don’t believe it’s wrong to use it like I said I believe God is big enough to heal people while on medication. God is the one who will ultimately get the glory. God has given us our emotions & feelings, we are not to be ruled by these, but I believe God is right there with you & He understands what you’re going through. Don’t think for one second God isn’t there wanting to comfort you & help you. He is not looking down on you for struggling or even choosing to reach out for help. You are not weak if you reach out for help, it takes a lot of strength to ask for help so don’t be ashamed. We have hope because of Jesus, hope to live whole lives, hope for healing, & hope for joy. The one thing we as Christians have that the lost don’t is hope. So if you’re struggling with anything right now don’t forget that we have hope, that even when you feel terrible there’s still hope because of what Jesus did on that cross. He died on that cross for you & me & for all of the issues of life. Don’t ever forget that He loves you & He wants what’s best for you. God is still in the work of healing & He can heal you in any way you need.
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:2
She Laughs Mission 
Thank you for adding to the conversation about mental illness. It amazes me that people still say, “pray more.” I used to think people just needed to try harder until I got a close up look at mental illness through the eyes of a caregiver. I educated myself and strive to help others understand. The struggle is real and yes, God will help, but most times mental health challenges are going to need to be managed through many different avenues like meds, support, therapy, spiritual, nutrition and more. Thank you for writing on a topic that is dear to my heart. Sharing!
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So good. Thanks for shining a light on the truth of this serious subject! It’s dangerous to assume prayer is the only thing one needs to overcome mental illness. Blessings!
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Coming from PPD, those are the exact words that I keep passing on to my other friends as new moms (and what I’d wished others had said to me!): “It’s Ok, to not be OK”. I love what Bell does with this talk here in Canada… and I appreciate bringing this out more. ❤
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John 14:27 is one of my favorite verses! His peace is transforming. He is so good!
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This is great! I literally just said most of what you said in my blog post for today. Mine was about tips to help loving someone with depression, but I definitely mentioned almost all your big points. Thank you for saying this because it needs to be said, over and over again, until the church realizes that we shouldn’t treat mental illness any differently than we would physical illnesses.Thanks for this!!
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I have written transparently on my blog about depression. And actually my blog that I posted today was about depression and the struggle with knowing all the scriptures and still struggling with the depression. People are horrified to find out that a person who had been saved for 40 years committed suicide, but that is me. And even after that there’s been other issues that I don’t get the help from church. And seriously I ought to be able to get help at church. So I tried to be an ambassador for Hope in Christ and help others to get the help they need. Your blog, I’m going to repost it, and share it, and pin it, because it is needed today. We are the church, we are Jesus’s hands and feet, and if we aren’t helping those who struggle with mental illness, which I think is a result of the fall and this broken world, then who will give them the Hope in Jesus? Thank you for stating a very balanced position!
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A great perspective balancing God’s power to heal and the importance of getting medical help.
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