Mental Health
Posted on 1st March 2025 by Joshua Eden No comments
The UK and North America are one of the most affluent places of all time – yet they are riddled with most cases of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicide and a plethora of other mental health issues. 40 million Americans and 15 million people in the UK have mental health issues. That is roughly 20% of the population. 40 percent of all cases are said to be a result of anxiety and depression, which have led to an increase of suicide. Ruth Sutherland, writer for the NHS, reports that “the latest UK suicide figures show that on average just under 6,000 people take their own lives every year. Three-quarters of them are men. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. You can quote the statistics about suicide, but it is hard to convey the devastation with just numbers. A suicide is like a rock thrown into the water with the ripples spreading outwards, covering family, friends, soaking work colleagues, acquaintances, the wider community.” As a result, in our nation, it is now more important than ever for Christians to be equipped to help and support those who need help with their mental health. The help needed can only be found in the Word of God and through the healing that can only come from Christ Jesus.
We cannot go through the Bible and not look at the topic of mental illness. Can we act like Daniel chapter 4 is not there and not think about sanity and the human mind? Can we act like Job is not there and that a righteous man went through what is commonly called depression? What about the Apostle Paul and the murders that he oversaw that he struggles to let go of, which the modern world will call ‘Post Traumatic Stress Disorder’. What about the stress that Jesus went through in the garden of Gethsemane. Or better yet, the “bereavement” Jesus had as he wept over Lazarus. What about the psalms – where you find a roller coaster of emotions, which are used as a common expression of a believer in worship.
You have to face mental health somewhere. You have to ask the question; What do we do as Christians? Do we ignore it and say, we don’t understand it, but there are other professionals who do so let’s pass it off to them? Do we call it a demonic influence and exorcise the demons out of individuals? There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that we do any of those things. Still, the Bible also doesn’t suggest that we bury our head in the sand and hope it will all go away.
Rather, if we love our neighbour then we ought to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15), to seek wisdom from a multitude of counsellors (Proverbs 11:14) and encourage one another and build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
The Bible is not designed to be a mental health textbook. However, what it does show us is what it means to be born again and to live our Christian life as a tripartite human being, having the physical, emotional and spiritual abiding simultaneously together. The Bible addresses the fallen nature of the flesh and how it needs to be disciplined and put to death. The Bible addresses the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and how we are to walk in the Spirit. The Bible addresses the appropriate emotional response to sin and righteousness. The Bible addresses the need of God’s Word; the love of the Father; the power of Christ; the comfort of the Holy Spirit; the grace in prayer; impact of preaching; the care of the pastors; and the love of the church family to help us physically, emotionally and spiritually walk this Christian Walk, in faith.
For that reason alone, let us begin to support each other and be mindful of the impact of sin and worldliness on the mind. Give a listening ear to your neighbour. Pray for them and encourage them through God’s Word.