This question rang in my mind like a persistent gong throughout my journey as a new believer and I think it’s a question that plagues every believer who suffers with mental health disorders. I think there is a misconception that once we enter into a relationship with God, we are suppose to “have it together”. Or at least I did. I was and still do get frustrated and discouraged when I have depressive episodes. My mind still struggles with suicidal ideologies, days where I’m physically too exhausted to find the motivation to peel myself from my bed, or days where numb is all I feel as I autopilot through the day. I mean come on, Christians aren’t suppose to deal with this anymore right? We literally have access to the greatest hope, why do I feel so hopeless? Growing up in the church community, mental health was and I think still is a taboo subject. It was always, “Have you prayed about it?” or “Have you read your bible?” or  “This must be a result of something you aren’t doing. You need to have more faith.” While some of these may have some slivers of truth to them, they are really just serve to be a Band-Aid over the festering wound no one wants to look at.

First, disclaimer, I am NOT a counselor of any kind and I do not claim to be one. I speak purely from my experiences, the things God has taught me, and my own journey through biblical counseling. That being said, I’d like to say, if you deal with depression or any mental health issues, you are not a “bad” Christian. Please reach out to a biblical counselor if you are struggling with any of these things. The Association of Biblical Counselors is a wonderful resource to find a sound counselor. It is incredibly important that any counselor you find, counsels you from the Word of God. The last thing you need, as a Christian, is feel good, self-help. Don’t get me wrong, it can be helpful, but it doesn’t last. We must be looking at our world through the lenses of God and speaking truth to ourselves until our emotions and thoughts reflect the things of God. It is the only kind of help that lasts.

Debunking The Myths

Alright, let’s confront some of these myths around being a Christian and mental health. One that I have seen is that mental health is a sign of unrepentant sin. Another is that depression is a result of a lack of faith. These are huge myths pushed by the American Church. Specifically, the Word of Faith movement. This, unfortunately, was a big influence in my Christian walk. As a former Word of Faith attendee, if you were struggling with anything from depression to paralysis to a paper cut, it was all chalked up to a lack of faith. What a horrendous burden to place on someone! I would like to say, if you have ever been hurt or lead astray by these churches, I am so sorry. It’s unbelievably heartbreaking how much damage these lies can spread in the name of Christ. The reality is mental health is simply a result of living in a fallen world and as much as we don’t want to admit it, Christ never promises that we will never struggle. In fact, we will face many trials in this life. God’s goal is for us to grow in dependence on Him. He’s not interested in our own ability to put ourselves together. We wouldn’t need Jesus if we could be perfect. We are not promised perfection in Him until after He comes again, so until then, it’s completely common to continue to wrestle with depression and other mental ailments. You are not a bad Christian. You are no worse than someone who does not openly deal with these ailments.

Now, with that being said, your salvation is never based on circumstances. If that were the case, every believer from the beginning of time would lose their salvation because we all have trials that we walk through. Depression specifically, can be a trial for many reasons. Perhaps, depression is something that runs in your family. There have been studies that show that if a family deals with depression, you may be more likely to develop the disorder yourself. This is simply a product of the fallen world. Before sin entered the world, our minds were perfectly created. However, after the fall, our minds are no longer perfect. Our genetics can be faulty, our chemical make ups are no longer held in perfect balance. This is not to a fault of yours, its just the way the fall has effected you and guess what? God knows that and He will use it for His glory. He is not disappointed or fed up with it. You are not a burden on Him. In fact, He is still compassionate and eager to sanctify you. There is much joy in Psalm 103:14-17: “For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust […] But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear Him and His righteousness with their children’s children…”

So, what if depression isn’t a result of genetics? What if you deal with depression due to traumatic events? Am I still saved? Of course! Speaking as someone who has been marred with trauma whether it be emotional neglect, verbal abuse or sexual abuse, trauma is mind altering. We, just as we are not free from the effects of a fallen world, are not free from the effects of sin. If you are a victim of abuse, you may deal with the effects of someone else’s sin. Sin that you otherwise had nothing to do with except act as the receptor of someone else’s evil. It is not your fault. Your brain and body are not broken and it is incredibly common to deal with things like depression or other mental health issues. Again, please reach out if you have dealt with any of these issues. God never intended for us to face any of this alone. Even though we may be marred with the scars of sin, we can take heart that again, there will be a day when Christ will come and we will be healed. We will be made new, but until then, God sees you. He will redeem you in your brokenness and He will use your depression as a tool to work for your good. He is near to the broken hearted and is actively bandaging His children’s wounds, you need only be still.

How Can A Christian Cope With Depression?

Again, I only speak from personal experience, I am not a bibllical counselor nor do I claim to be one. please reach out to one for a more personal approach to your healing. Depression can be coped with through:

Being in God’s Word

The renewing of our mind is a huge factor in healing or coping with depression, whether it be trauma induced or biological, there truly is power in the reading of scripture. Our minds are easily impressionable and it takes in what we put into it. If you focus in on things that make you sad, guess what? You are going to be sad. However, if you take the time to guard your heart and focus on things that fix your eyes to Christ, your mind will be renewed by His Word. Find passages to memorize that speak to truths of God, or perhaps truths that speak to truths about who you are in God. Find songs that reiterate these truths. I love hymns like Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus or songs like Satisfied in You by The Sing Team. There is something powerful in the deep reflections and meditations of God, that begin to renew and lift your thoughts.

Prayer

Being in constant communication with our Father can also be beneficial. There is something relieving about coming to God and leaving our cares at His feet. Knowing that we can sit before God incredibly vulnerable, knowing that He sees every nook and cranny of who we are, and rest in knowing that we are seen and loved. It also, again can lift our eyes off of drowning in our circumstances and place our focus on the relationship we have with our Father. He loved us so much, He gave His only Son so that we can have the freedom to come before Him in prayer, how much more is He willing to lavish on us.

Get Connected to a Local Church

This is one of the incredible benefits of being plugged into the local church. God is a relational God and therefore, He created His children to thrive in community. Depression lies, it is hard, it is exhausting. It is so helpful to have a local church to link arms with as you take your depression and surrender it God. They can help spiritually by praying, reading Psalms with you, encourage you to keep pushing. They can also help with practical needs such as cleaning your home, making meals, and watching your kids while you rest or go to a counseling appointment. There are also incredible benefits in serving others when going through seasons of deep depression. That may seem impossible but even something as little as writing someone a card of encouragement to someone else. The goal is to get your mind off your circumstances and onto serving God.

Seek a Doctor’s Counsel

Now this may seem, perhaps maybe a little secular depending on your convictions, but there are real things that you can prioritize when it comes to your health. This is really just stewarding your body well. Setting up a regular exercises routine, diet changes, getting sun and fresh air when you are able can make a big difference in coping with mental health. Getting your vitamins and minerals tested as well as a full hormone test can be super helpful to see where your body may be physically lacking.

When Is Depression Sinful?

Yes, depression can become sinful. Again, it doesn’t mean you are unsaved, but it can be a sin that needs to be surrendered to God. Depression can become a sin when you begin to identify with it, when you allow it to enslave you. It’s when you feel like your worth and ideas about yourself stem from depression instead of God. I know that I dealt with this. I use to be incredibly offended when someone would try and empathize with my depression. They could never understand. I felt my depression was what made me stand out and I clung to it. It was where I found my sense of worth, to allow someone to empathize meant I had to face that I wasn’t special and that depression was not just mine to keep. I was idolizing my trauma and my depression. When your depression becomes the only thing about you, you may be idolizing your depression. Your depression does not define you, God does. This is why it is so important to be in the Word because God is the only one who gets to define you. He did create you after all. If you have fallen into the temptation of sitting in your depression instead of running to God, don’t worry! God is eager to forgive you and lavish you with His graces. Your sins and shame, past, future, and present are covered under the blood of Christ and there is nothing, NOTHING, that will ever separate you from His love for you.

Take heart sweet friend, you are held. You are cherished. You are loved. Get plugged in and run the race. You can do this, in His grace!