Does the Bible Say Anything About Mental Health?
Many Christians will struggle with a mental health condition at some point in their lives. Whether they have anxiety or depression or a more severe type of mental health disorder, they need to seek out help to ensure they can get through the condition and feel better. But many Christians wonder what the Bible says about mental health.
The Bible does not specifically refer back t the topic of mental health. However, it does talk quite a bit about the emotions of a person, their mind, their heart, and their soul. And it does talk about some topics of mental health, like how to handle anxiety and depression. There are many verses in the Bible that can be used to help those with mental health, even if those verses do not list out mental health specifically.
Using the Bible to help you deal with your mental health can be a great way to help you have a source of assistance during this tough time. There are many encouraging verses out there that you can choose to work with based on what you are underging at the time. Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible says about mental health.
Mental Health and the Bible
Some of the common ailments that can be attached with mental health will include depression and anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, there are currently 264 million people struggling with depression and 40 million people struggling with anxiety.
The background of the patient does not matter. They can be young or old or they can be a Christian or not. If you struggle with some issue in your mental health, it is important to know that you are not alone. The causes of the mental illness can come from a variety of different places, which is why it is so important for the individual to get the care and assistance they need.
As a Christian, the Bible does tell us to not judge, condemn, or belittle those who are struggling with a mental illness. According to John 13: 34035, Christians are to help, show kindness, and love them. We don’t know the whole story that comes with the mental illness of the person and we need to be there to support them, not hold them down.
Finding Mental Illness in the Bible
There are even times in the Bible where we can find mental illness present. Looking to these can help us see whre other Biblical figures stood at the time and what they had to do to get through the mental illness. One famous example is the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings. During this time, Elijah sat down and prayed to the Lord that he might die. God did not take is life, but instead gave him more strength to keep going, providing him with a good meal and a nap as well.
This is just one example of a biblical figure struggling with thoughts of suicide or mental health conditions. It is a powerful example that shows us that we can seek out help when we feel hopeless and God will hear us. There is nothing wrong with praying for the help and taking assistance from medical professionals to ensure that we get the help we need.
The Bible and Anxiety
The Bible does take some time to talk about anxiety and how you can turn to the Lord when you are feeling anxious about anything. It encourages us to seek out help, often in the form of praying, to make sure that we are seeking out God to help us through. Whenever you are fearful or dealing with anxiety, you can pray to God that he will help you let go of the anxiety and will give you more strength too.
The Bible and Depression
Since there are so many individuals suffering from depression in America, it is important to take a look at what the Bible says about depression. One famous verse comes to us from Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” This helps to show us that even in our darkest hour, God is with us and there to make sure that we can get through it all.
Using the Bible to Help with Mental Health
When you decide to work with a Christian counselor, you will be able to read through many of the verses in the Bible that discuss anxiety and depression and can use these as tools to work through your mental health condition. A good counselor will be there to provide assistance and ensure that you fully understand what the Bible is telling you and walking you through the different steps too.
