The Church and Mental Health: Common Myths

Our nation is facing a mental health crisis that is more challenging than at any time in our history. There’s really no need to go into a lot of statistics, but know this: over 20% of Americans, 1 in every 5, are suffering with a mental illness. That means that we all are either dealing with some mental health issues ourselves, or someone dear to us is. In spite of all our knowledge, our technology, our medical expertise, we need help beyond ourselves. Humanity can’t get to the place where we have it all under control, where we don’t need God. 

Though the Bible doesn’t talk directly about mental illness in the terms we use today, I can assure you that it contains principles that can help us in any human predicament. The Bible is not a textbook with a chapter on PTSD or bipolar disorder, but It’s full of accounts of people who faced the same emotional and mental challenges that we face today. And it’s full of hope that applies to us in any situation.

Today I’d like to dispel some myths related to mental illness. The church has not always been a safe place to bring struggles with mental health, despite the fact that one third of the Psalms are lamentations, and we see even heroes of the faith feeling overwhelmed by grief, pain, and despair. The story we’re starting with is the story of Bartimaeus in Mark 10. Bartimaeus was blind, not necessarily mentally ill. The judgment he faced in his culture for his blindness, however, has some similarities to the judgment that we sometimes face when we struggle with our mental health. 

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” ⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10:46–52 (NIV)

Bartimaeus’ crying out was a bother to the “church,” or the people around Jesus. People in need are still often considered a bother. Church hasn’t always done well with people with mental health concerns. 

Myth #1: If we will just pray and read the Bible, we won’t have any mental health struggles. 

Truth: God can do miracles in our mental health. God can do and still does miracles of physical healing. But in this time between the initial coming of the Kingdom of God and its fulfillment at the return of Jesus, we are just not in full control. We don’t know why we don’t always receive a miracle, but it’s probably not because you just aren’t Christian enough! We don’t condemn one another as not Christian enough, or as not having enough faith, when we face physical challenges. Neither should we do so when someone faces mental health challenges. 

Myth #2: Psychiatric medications are bad.

Truth: They should not be looked down upon just because they help in the realm of emotions. The Word of God can separate between soul and spirit, but the more predominant biblical truth is that we are integrated, spirit, soul, and body. The fact that it takes something as powerful as the word of God to separate between soul and spirit speaks to their unity. So medication that affects our minds should not be looked down upon any more than medication that addresses a physical need. Sometimes you need a little help. 

Myth #3: Mental health struggles are shameful. 

No! Whatever the reason for it, our culture is plagued by mental health issues which have only worsened in the past few years. Fortunately, people are becoming more willing to talk about mental health issues. The church should be a safe place for such discussions, and we should not be guilty of compounding the shame many people still feel. 

Myth #4: Mental health struggles are demonic. 

The enemy can take advantage of our weaknesses, no doubt. I have a good friend who works in the mental health field who has had significant experience with people who are demonized. He shared with me recently that in his experience, most of the time people are dealing with mental health issues, not demons. Sometimes we want a quick fix–just to cast out a demon and be done with the situation or the person. So we should be very reluctant to always put the blame on a demon. 

Myth #5: Mental health struggles are a result of our sin. 

We are always looking to blame somebody. Part of this is motivated by an attempt to put God in a box. “God always does things this way, and only this way.” This was the problem with Job’s friends, who wanted to explain Job’s problems as a result of Job’s sins. The Bible clearly says that satan attacked Job because of how righteous Job was. But Job’s friends thought they had it all figured out.

It’s rarely, if ever, legitimate to ask, “What sin caused this?” In John 9, Jesus’ own disciples wanted to know whose sin caused the man to be born blind. Jesus’ response: Neither this man’s sin nor his parents’ sin is the reason for his blindness. The blindness was an opportunity for God to display his work. Jesus didn’t point to Bartimaeus’ sin, did he? He just healed. 

It’s true for any struggle we face: God has an opportunity to receive glory as we rely on him to work through it, to overcome it, to heal it, or however God is going to deal with it.

Check out the rest of this sermon and others here!