When the Church Gets It Wrong: Confronting Mental Health Myths For a complete list of sources, see the References section at the end of this post. Sadly, the church can sometimes mirror culture by veering toward extremes. On one end, we dismiss mental‑health struggles as a lack of faith or prayer. Ed Stetzer warns that some leaders assume mental illness is caused by spiritual deficiency, leading to spiritual abuse when sufferers are told to “just pray it away.” Steve Austin shares that in his evangelical congregation, if you couldn’t “shake off” depression, you were told you weren’t praying enough; he even hid his medication because he feared judgment. Research shows that most pastors rarely talk about mental health, and many congregations have no plans to help families affected by it. In this environment, medication and counseling can be viewed with suspicion or outright hostility. On the other side, some in our culture glorify mental illness, treating it as an identity badge. Neither extreme helps. The truth lies somewhere in between: mental‑health challenges are real and complex, but they’re not a sign of weak faith. The brain is an organ like any other; factors such as nutrition, exercise, and sleep affect its health. Competent therapy and appropriate medication can be gifts from God. Trusting God doesn’t rule out doctors or medicine. Prayer, worship, and Bible study remain invaluable , but they’re enhanced—not negated—by counseling, medication, healthy eating, and rest. As the church, we must acknowledge mental illness without glorifying it, encourage spiritual practices without dismissing medical ones, and offer compassion and support to those who struggle. Myth 1 – “Christians shouldn’t struggle with mental health.” Truth: You can love Jesus and still battle anxiety, depression, trauma, or burnout. God cares about your mind and is committed to your wholeness. Elijah’s story shatters this myth. After defeating the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), he ran for his life when Jezebel threatened him. Exhausted, frightened, and discouraged, he begged God to take his life (1 Kings 19:4). God didn’t rebuke him or tell him to “just pray more.” Instead, He met Elijah in his depression with compassion: an angel brought him food and water, then let him sleep. Later, God spoke not in earthquakes or fire but in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11‑13), reminding Elijah that He was still with him in the quiet moments of despair. Elijah’s experience shows that even faithful heroes can face mental‑health lows—and God doesn’t shame us for it. He meets us there and restores us. Verses to remember: 1 Thessalonians 5:23‑24, Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 42:11, 1 Kings 19:4‑8. Myth 2 – “Anxiety means you don’t trust God.” Truth: Anxiety is a signal, not a sin. It invites you to bring your worries to God and trust Him to carry them. One of the godliest people I know—someone whose life radiates grace—has fought depression for years. His love for Jesus is unmistakable: he prays faithfully, studies Scripture deeply, and lives out his faith in acts of service. Yet his struggle with anxiety and depression hasn’t gone away. Rather than undermining his faith, it’s refined it. His prayers are more honest, his empathy deeper, and his dependence on God more evident. He clings to passages like Philippians 4:6‑7—casting his anxiety on Christ and receiving a peace that surpasses understanding—and 1 Peter 5:7, trusting that God cares for him. Instead of viewing depression as a sign of spiritual failure, Let’s see it as a place where Christ meets us and continues to shape our lives. His testimony is a living rebuttal to this myth, showing that genuine faith can flourish through mental‑health struggles. Verses to remember: Philippians 4:6‑7, 1 Peter 5:7, 2 Chronicles 20:3‑12, Psalm 55:22. Myth 3 – “Depression means there’s something wrong with your faith.” Truth: Depression doesn’t disqualify you from God’s love. Your feelings are valid but not permanent; God’s compassion is new every morning. This myth often springs from a well‑intentioned but ultimately misleading message: “If you just live right, pray more, and trust God, everything will be perfect.” Scripture never says that. Sometimes we sell Jesus like a quick fix or an escape from all troubles. Well‑meaning pastors or friends might promise that Jesus will make every problem disappear. But when depression, anxiety, or hardship inevitably arise, believers can feel confused, ashamed, or abandoned—thinking their faith must be deficient. The Bible never promises an absence of suffering. Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Following Him doesn’t shield us from pain; it means we never face pain alone. God did not promise days without pain or laughter without sorrow; He promised strength for the day and comfort in our tears. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that God is with us and will uphold us, while 2 Corinthians 1:3‑4 calls Him “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.” So the idea that “if I do everything right, my mental health will be perfect” isn’t just unrealistic—it’s unbiblical. Faith doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing; it guarantees a faithful Captain in the storm. Verses to remember: Lamentations 3:21‑23, Psalm 34:18, Romans 8:38‑39, 1 Samuel 1:10. Myth 4 – “If you worry, you lack faith.” Truth: Jesus acknowledged our tendency to worry and offered a better way: trust your heavenly Father. Worry reveals where we need to grow, not how much faith we have. We often equate faith with flawless certainty—believing without doubts or anxieties. That misunderstanding leads some to condemn any hint of worry as evidence of weak faith or divine displeasure. Yet Scripture and experience show the opposite. Emotions aren’t switches we flip on and off; they’re part of how God made us. Fr. Jim Van Vurst addresses this concern head‑on: it is not a sign of weak faith when we worry. True faith is rooted not in our shifting feelings but in a heart that chooses to trust God. Even Jesus, facing the cross, prayed in agony and fear. To pray and trust in God while feeling afraid or worried is, in fact, **a sign of great faith.** Everyone worries about something—that doesn’t make us faithless; it makes us human. The key is how we respond. Instead of letting anxiety drive us to despair, we can see worry as an invitation to lean harder on Christ. The Bible repeatedly calls us to cast our cares on Him (Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7) and to trust God with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5‑6). Jesus invites, “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Author Alicia Bruxvoort notes that when we bring our burdens to Jesus, He lightens our load. Sometimes that looks like daily rhythms of prayer, reciting Scripture to shift our focus, or simply admitting our needs. Worry doesn’t dismiss faith; it can deepen it. Verses to remember: Matthew 6:25‑34, Luke 12:22‑31, Psalm 46:10, Philippians 4:8. Myth 5 – “Your thoughts control you.” Truth: Thoughts are powerful, but they aren’t the boss of you. The Holy Spirit empowers you to renew your mind and take every thought captive. Our minds can feel like runaway trains—unwelcome thoughts appear out of nowhere, and it often feels like we’re passengers rather than drivers. This myth feeds the lie that we are powerless against our thought patterns. In reality, Scripture and research affirm that we can redirect our thoughts. Your life moves in the direction of your strongest thoughts. Left unchecked, consistent thoughts become actions, actions become habits, and habits shape our character. That’s why Paul calls us to “take every thought captive… to make it obedient to Christ.” Taking thoughts captive isn’t passive. It requires consistent, intentional direction and a steady diet of truth. A devotional on spiritual input uses the “garbage in, garbage out” concept from computer science to illustrate this. If we allow garbage to fill our hearts and minds, we reap anger, envy, and other destructive behaviors. But if we let God dwell in our hearts, follow His word, seek His help in prayer, and surround ourselves with Christ‑like people, our attitudes begin to display the fruit of the Spirit. Paul echoes this when he urges us to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy. Practically, that means feeding your mind with Scripture, prayer, and worship. Colossians 3:2, Philippians 4:8, and Romans 12:2 remind us to set our minds on things above and be transformed by renewing our minds. When we dwell on God’s truth—through daily reading, meditating on verses, singing worship songs—we gradually replace unhealthy thought loops with life‑giving ones. When negativity pops up, we can counter it with a verse or a prayer. Over time, the input of God’s Word and the practice of prayer and worship reshape our thought patterns. Our lives truly will move in the direction of our strongest thoughts—so let’s anchor those thoughts in God’s goodness. Verses to remember: Romans 8:5‑6, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8, Psalm 103:1‑5. Myth 6 – “Trauma means you’re broken beyond repair.” Truth: Trauma leaves scars, but it doesn’t define you—God does. Genesis teaches that humanity was created in God’s image and likeness. That identity isn’t erased by abuse, betrayal, or bad choices. **You are not defined by your past, your heredity, or your environment; you are a beloved child of God**. Jesus even reframed a man’s lifelong blindness as an opportunity “that the works of God might be displayed” (John 9:3). God doesn’t just call you—He qualifies you. One article notes that God “rarely calls the qualified but qualifies the called,” promising to equip us with everything needed to do His will. Our mistakes, failures, and traumas don’t disqualify us from His service; they often become the very places where God reveals His grace. The gospel offers sustaining hope and healing, teaching that our identity is **not in our past but in Christ who has redeemed us**. The Bible acknowledges trauma yet refuses to let it define us. Redemption also means God forgives completely. In several New Testament passages, the Greek verb *aphiēmi* (“forgive”) is in the perfect tense, indicating a past action with ongoing results. When Jesus says your sins are forgiven, it isn’t just for the past—it’s a once‑for‑all act that covers past, present, and future sins. Our failures no longer define us because God has decisively removed them. Finally, trauma can be a place of divine purpose. Paul wrote that intense affliction taught him “to rely not on ourselves but on God” and that his suffering produced “an eternal weight of glory”. The same article reminds us that our trauma doesn’t save us; Jesus does. God doesn’t cause abuse or tragedy, but He can redeem our wounds by using what we’ve learned to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3‑4). Your scars can become a source of compassion and testimony that furthers His kingdom. Trauma is real, but it isn’t your identity. God assigns your worth at creation, seals it through redemption, and continues to forgive and heal. Your story—even its painful chapters—can be part of a larger story of grace. Verses to remember: 2 Corinthians 1:3‑4, Romans 8:28, Isaiah 61:1‑3, Psalm 147:3. Myth 7 – “Burnout means failure—you just need to try harder.” Truth: Burnout is a warning light, not a badge of shame. It’s easy to think we’re failing when exhaustion hits. Experts emphasise that burnout is not a personal weakness but a reaction to chronic, unresolved stress . Psychologist Britt Slief puts it plainly: “Burnout is not a sign of weakness, but a warning signal from both body and mind that fundamental change is needed”. Treating burnout as laziness ignores the alarm our bodies are sounding. From my perspective, burnout rarely stems from having “too many things on our plate.” It occurs when we don’t complete enough tasks and don’t leave margin for rest. Unfinished work keeps our minds spinning, and a schedule packed too tightly wears us down. Research‑backed advice mirrors this: establishing routines, prioritising tasks, and breaking them into smaller steps can reduce overwhelm and increase satisfaction as you progress. Regular breaks and self‑care—sleep, exercise, mindfulness, joyful activities—replenish mental energy. Rest looks different for each person. For some, it’s a long run or a workout; for others, it’s reading a novel, spending time with family, gardening, or even playing video games. Whatever replenishes your mind and soul can be an act of worship and self‑care. Intentionally finish what’s necessary, say “no” to what isn’t, and carve out margin for true rest. Then burnout becomes what it was meant to be—a warning light leading you toward healthier rhythms rather than an indictment of your strength. Verses to remember: 1 Kings 19:3‑12, Matthew 11:28‑30, Psalm 127:2, Mark 6:31. Summary Mental‑health challenges are rising, but they’re not a failure of faith. As a church, we must resist both romanticizing mental illness and dismissing it. We honor God when we embrace spiritual practices and the common graces of counseling, medicine, healthy habits, good sleep, and supportive community. Christ calls us to walk in truth, compassion, and hope—bringing our whole selves, including our minds, before Him. With Love, Josh Tufte References ↴ 1. churchandmentalhealth.com 2. vox.com 3. gotquestions.org 4. leeanngtaylor.com 5. proverbs31.org 6. stanthony.org 7. wohbm.org 8. humbleddaily.com 9. thebiblespeakstoyou.com 10. biblicalcounseling.com 11. greekwordstudies.blogspot.com 12. kidscentralinc.org 13. speexx.com 14. openup.com