Mental health is a very important part of our lives. Why? Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste! God gave us our minds for a purpose. And since our bodies are temples meant to be occupied by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) that mean we must take care of it; our minds included.
What I have noticed in the church culture, is that mental health and things that deal with it such as disorders, emotions, etc., are often bashed or disregarded in the church. Some people have been taught to believe that if a person feels depressed or suicidal, that there is something wrong with them and that talking about this stuff in the church or even mentioning isn't fair to God. There are some that believe if you see a therapist, that you have no faith in God to heal your mind. Can I tell you that this is the most TOXIC mindset a person can have?! There is nothing wrong with getting treatment for mental health disorders. At the end of the day, mental health is not unbiblical!
First of all, mental health deals with issues of the mind. It deals with emotions and thoughts that are so distressing that they do more harm than good. And while the Bible does not go into details about mental health issues, there are some that can be found in the Bible! Take suicide for example; After Judas betrayed Jesus, he killed himself. It wasn't the right thing to do, but clearly Judas felt an incredible amount of guilt over what he did. (Matthew 27:3-5). Suicide is a common outcome for people dealing with mental health issues. People often say that they contemplated suicide and others cringe at the thought...however looks at Judas! One of the disciples did that very thing. And while it shouldn't be condoned, we should not turn a blind eye to it either. Mental health MATTERS. A person dealing with depression or a mental disorder of some sort should pray. However, they should also seek help as well. Judas was a person who knew how to pray, and yet his overwhelming remorse led him to hanging himself. Prayer is essential, but there is no shame in taking other precautions when it comes to mental health issues.
Secondly, God cares about our minds! Otherwise, why would he give them to us? Philippians 4:7 says "His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus". [NLT] The Bible also talks about how the heart is wicked and deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9) meaning that when we often "follow our hearts" we are being led by emotions and fleeting thoughts that can cause us to make unsound decisions. My point is that even God himself knows that our minds and hearts are subject to some negative thoughts and emotions, and he cares about that...so why don't we?!
We have to start caring more about mental health and not turning a blind eye to it. If you know someone in the church or a friend or family member that is struggling with depression, anxiety or any other issue...it's perfectly fine to pray for them. You SHOULD pray for them! But also, don't be afraid to embrace them. If you know a therapist or want to help them find one, do that! But remember that God loves the person who is struggling with suicidal thoughts just as much as he loves the person who isn't. Because he cares about mental health, we should care about mental health too!
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