Mental health is a topic many Christians avoid. For years, struggles like anxiety, depression, or trauma have been met with silence – or worse, shame. But the Bible doesn’t ignore human suffering, and neither should the Church.

David, a man after God’s heart, often cried out in anguish: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalm 42:5). Elijah, after great victories, sank into despair and asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:4). These aren’t signs of weak faith – they’re evidence of real human experience.

Faith doesn’t immunize us against mental illness. Rather, it provides hope, support, and perspective in the struggle. Romans 8:38–39 assures us that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God.” That includes our darkest emotional valleys.

Christians need to normalize conversations around mental health. We can’t pretend everything is “fine” when people are silently suffering. The Church must be a refuge, not a place of pressure. Galatians 6:2 tells us to “carry each other’s burdens” – including mental and emotional ones.

There is no shame in seeking professional help. Therapists, counsellors, and medication can be gifts from God for healing, just as doctors are for physical illness. Spiritual growth and emotional wellness are not enemies – they work together.

Prayer, Scripture, and worship are powerful, but they are not formulas. God sometimes heals instantly; other times, He walks with us through the long journey. Either way, His presence is constant. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Psalm 23:4).

Let us build a church culture where vulnerability is strength, where silence is broken, and where struggling believers are embraced – not judged. Mental health matters to God, and it should matter to us.