Mental Health (Anxiety/Depression)
August 4, 2024
Dave Stephens
(Statistics for the incline of mental health)
One in four American adults experiences a diagnosable mental disorder every year,
making mental disorders the leading cause of disability in this nation, according to
the National Institute of Mental Health. That means there are multitudes struggling in
church.
“Almost everybody in the pew has a broken heart for one reason or another,”
says Glen Ryswyk, a pioneering Assemblies of God U.S. Missions mental health
chaplain in Lawton, Oklahoma. “We all have our wounds, flaws, hurts, and bruises
and they bother us. The pain can be quite intense.”
The Bible begins by declaring that God created everything—including all humanity. As
we learn the characteristics of God in Scripture, we see that He did not create humans
because He needed us; rather, in His all-sufficiency He created us in love and
designed us for relationship. Genesis presents the three relationships that all humans
have: their relationship to God, to each other, and to their environment. We see this in
God’s creative acts of making humans in His image (Genesis 1:26–27), of giving them
each other as companions (1:27–28), and of giving them a mandate to steward the
earth (1:28–30).
Regarding mental health specifically, the Bible contains no one word for mental
illness. This is in part because Old Testament writers chose a variety of biblical
Hebrew words to express personhood. These words are used not just to describe the
condition of a person but also the means through which they interact with God. When
illness beset someone in the Old Testament, their whole person was affected, not just
their mind. If you think about it the Old Testament is a collection of texts shaped by
pain and trauma: struggles for survival, war, slavery, exile, and political oppression are
all there, and these scriptures weave together accounts of personal pain and trauma. .
. . The Old Testament, therefore, is both a story of trauma, and a theological and
spiritual response to it.
It’s an ongoing struggle woven throughout all its books, testifying to the complex
nature of human beings and painful experiences. Here are the themes that are
consistently seen in the Old Testament relating to mental health and wholeness:
WE NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH AND BE REALISTIC ABOUT OUR EXISTENCE:
HUMANS LIVE WITH HOPE AND FRAILTY.WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM EASY ANSWERS AND START ENGAGING WITH
ALL THE BIBLICAL BOOKS, NOT JUST VERSES THAT MAKE SENSE TO US.
Wholistic Scriptural approach…The entirety of scripture speaks to these things.
- “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
– Galatians 6:2
Some people believe we wouldn’t have mental health issues if our spiritual health
were robust…we need to understand that the two aren’t always interlinked.
You can have strong faith and weak mental health, just like you can have strong
faith and weak physical health.
- -Sometimes it’s a result of the circumstances of life
-Sometimes it’s our decisions
-Sometimes it’s biology
cause any of them.
Mental health is a highly complex issue, which might be the reason the church doesn’t
talk about it much, but the Bible does contain wisdom on the topic.
In fact, there are many verses that speak about mental health issues, such as
anxiety, depression, and suicide.
There are also several scriptures that offer hope and healing.
So…the question is: What Does the Bible Say About Mental Health Issues?
We will start with this:
- “For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the
Spirit is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6
health issues as we understand them today.
However, many Bible passages speak to the importance of a healthy mind and
maintaining a positive outlook.
For example Philippians 4:8 instructs believers to “fix their thoughts on what is true,
honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, to think on things that are excellent and
worthy of praise.”
This verse reminds us that our thoughts have a direct impact on our mental health,
and we should be intentional about what we allow into our minds.
Additionally, 1 Peter 5:7 says,
- “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
help us with our anxiety and worry.
So…while the Bible may not directly address mental health, scripture suggests
that God is fully aware of it and ever willing to help us get through it.
“My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.” –
Lamentations 3:17
Many people in the Bible likely had mental health issues.
Here are two examples in popular faith-filled Bible characters:
1. Elijah…was a great man in the Bible who executed incredible miracles as a
prophet of God.
- He stood up to 450 Prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah…
risked his life calling down fire from heaven to an altar (to prove
Jehovah was the true God)…he had great faith!!!
- During a great famine He prayed for rain and God produced a torrential
downpour. God was honoring His faithful prophet.
- “…while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down
under it, and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my
life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” 1 Kings 19:4
2. David…Known as the man after God’s own heart, even David struggled with
mental health issues which we would likely consider depression today.
In Psalm 55:4 he wrote,
- “My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me. Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me.”
some to be the greatest king in Israel’s history.
These are just two of several examples in the Bible that serve as proof that
mental health issues and faith in God can co-exist. These men loved God and had
great faith; still, they had mental health issues because they were human.
“Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.” – Colossians 3:2
There are many things that we can do to take care of our mental health.
Here are a few:
1 – Spend
- “God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. So I gaze on You in the sanctuary
to see Your strength and Your glory.” (Ps 63:1-2).
music, or just sitting in the presence of God—the best way you can take care of your
mental health is by spending time with God.
When we spend time with God, He has a way of bringing peace and calm in the midst
of life’s chaos.
Here’s an interesting fact…Science has shown that spending time with God helps
reduce stress and anxiety, promotes healing and well-being, and provides strength
and guidance in difficult times.
2 – Dissect Your Automatic
Our first reaction may be to push them away or try to ignore them.
However, if we take a step back and study our thoughts and feelings, we may find a
beneficial message inside them.
- 2 Cor 10:5 “…we take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
Turn them over to God and become who He sees you can be. It will take work to take
your thoughts captive each time they pop into your mind. But it is possible with the
help of the Holy Spirit.
A few things that might help:
1. Accept
You have the ability to exercise control over your thoughts. God warned Cain to
focus his mind on the right things, but Cain chose to think about the wrong things
-anger and jealousy - which led to his murderous actions. Are you willing to admit
that you can, with God’s help, regain control of your thoughts - and think enabling
thoughts instead of disabling ones?
2. Your
God calls us to change sinful behavior that does not honor Him. Instead of
focusing on your outward behavior, work on disciplining your mind - from which
the behaviors stem. Allow God to transform you by the renewing of your mind
(Rom. 12:2).
3. Choose to
Scripture encourages us to think about those things that are “true, noble, right,
pure, lovely, and admirable” (Phil. 4:8). When we think about those things, God
promises to give us His peace. What a contrast that is to the thoughts of millions of
people today. Don’t look to a movie, TV show, or how-to formula to accomplish
this for you. It takes personal discipline and commitment. One of the easiest ways
to take your thoughts captive is to fill your mind with the things of Christ.
Choose to investigate your thoughts as thoroughly as possible to prevent the unpleasant consequences of ineffective thinking.
4. Spend Time with
Spending time with supportive people is important for your mental
health.
These people can provide a listening ear, offer helpful advice, and be a shoulder to
cry on.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:7 “…encourage one another and build each other up as you
are already doing.”
be times you’ll need carried, and there will be times you’ll carry others.
Supportive people can be found in your family, friends, church, or co-workers.
It’s important to find the right people. At times we spend time with the wrong people,
and we wonder why we aren’t getting better.
There are those that struggle with fear, but watch horror movies. You can’t
expect to be delivered from fear while engaging in it.
If a person is to gain better mental health, it involves changing the way you think. The
way we think is important…
- “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2
The Bible contains verses that can help you deal with mental health issues. It provides
hope, direction, and comfort.
Remember, God doesn’t want you to conceal your brokenness.
He wants you to come clean. He wants you to seek His help and the help of other
Christians.
Go to Him in prayer, and He will give you the wisdom and strength to take the
next step.