Can Christians Be Depressed? A Faith Based Look at Mental Health
Mental Health
Audio By Carbonatix
By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com
It was a warm spring day, but all I felt was cold, damp, and empty inside. Nothing was inherently wrong, but everything within me shuddered. I couldn’t shake the negative thoughts. The overwhelming darkness. The exhaustion that seeped deeper than my bones. Have you been here? Fighting the darkness with light, but still feeling spiritually depleted?
For many Christians, depression is a silent battle. They wonder why they don’t possess “the joy of the Lord,” and feel misunderstood by many around them. Not only that, but we start to believe lies like:
- “If my faith were stronger, I wouldn’t feel this way.”
- “If I just stopped being lazy, I wouldn’t be depressed.”
- “I must not be trusting God enough.”
- “If I were really a Christian, I wouldn’t be suffering.”
- “I just need to suck it up; someone surely has it worse.”
The reality is that the shame you feel about depression is real, but God isn’t shaming you. Depression doesn’t mean weak faith, but it does mean you’re a human living in a fallen world.
When we’re feeling spiritually and emotionally weary, it can feel impossible to find the light. But knowing we’re not alone can help bring hope to these dark places.
Can Christians Be Depressed?
It might seem like an obvious question, but Christians can absolutely be depressed. From clinical depression to seasonal depression, we’re not imagining a world broken and flawed by physical and mental health disorders. Christians aren’t immune to suffering; in fact, Jesus told us we’d face plenty of it. However, in a world that often denies this reality, it can certainly feel like it.
When we look at the Scriptures, many ancestors of the faith struggled emotionally and mentally. David wrote many Psalms of despair, and though he was known as a man after God’s own heart, he often wished to give up on life altogether. Elijah was a great victor, but in 1 Kings 19, he was so tired that he wanted to die. Job lost everything, and though he never cursed God, he cursed the day he was born, wishing breath had never been given to his lungs.
Friends, depression isn’t new, and it’s not a spiritual failure, but it is a real, lonely, and painful battle many of us face here on this earth. For many, depression feels like emotional numbness, loss of joy, exhaustion, feeling distant from God, or having hopeless thoughts. For others, it’s overwhelming apathy and deep darkness, black clouds that follow you no matter where you go.
Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest pastors of the mid 18th century, described depression this way:
“The mind can descend far lower than the body, for in it there are bottomless pits. The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds and no more, but the soul can bleed in ten thousand ways, and die over and over again each hour” (Spurgeon’s Sorrows, 16).
Harmful Myths Christians Hear About Depression
As feelings grow, so do the beliefs and myths we hear about depression. “You just need to pray more,” is a common catchphrase, but it does nothing for someone who is truly suffering. Prayer is incredibly powerful, but it’s not a replacement for support.
When people say “real Christians should have joy,” that’s true in a sense. But when it’s aimed at those suffering from depression, are we really loving as Jesus would?
Furthermore, joy in Scripture is deeper than emotional happiness. Jesus tells us to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice. The God who created us made us with a full range of emotions—not just the positive or “happy” ones.
Finally, if you’ve been told “medication means you don’t trust God,” I want you to know that’s a lie straight from the Devil himself. If God used mud, spit, figs, and tears in the Bible, who are we to define how He uses modern-day medicine? Luke was a doctor, after all!
Sometimes, God heals miraculously, but other times, He invites us to use the abundant gifts and resources He’s already given us. Mental health is just as important as physical health, so if it’s okay to take medication for diabetes or your thyroid, it’s surely okay to take it for your mind.
The Bible shows us that when we’re suffering, depression included, God meets us in despair, not just after it’s passed. We’re invited to fully share those emotions with Him (as David did in the Psalms) and to know that our pain doesn’t make us “less than.”
Practical Ways to Find Support When You’re Depressed
If you’re battling depression today, I want you to know you’re not alone. Your feelings are valid, and I’m incredibly sorry this has been a thorn in your flesh. I also want to point you to hope. Here are 4 small ways to find support when you’re depressed:
- Talk to someone safe- Having people you trust is crucial to your recovery. This could be a friend, family member, counselor, or pastor. What matters is that you be honest and open with them about what you’re experiencing.
- Consider professional help- I know it’s scary. It took me years to go to counseling and then many more years to get on medication for my mental health. But you’ll never know unless you try. Instead of thinking, “What could go wrong?” think about “What could go right?” Get recommendations from those you trust, and use websites like Psychology Today or BetterHelp to filter for help based on your preferences.
- Take care of your body- It sounds simple, but we must not forget to care for our physical bodies. Just as caring for your mind is important, caring for your Temple is, too. Aim to eat healthy, colorful plates, drink lots of water, and remember to move in small, gentle ways. Even a five-minute walk can do wonders for the spirit and mind.
- Stay connected to small spiritual rhythms- Even if all you can read are a few Bible verses (or one), that counts. Talk to God throughout your day and remember that He sees you right where you are. You don’t need to spend X amount of time in the Scriptures, or beat yourself up over feeling low. Psalm 34:18 reminds us that God is near to the broken-hearted and He cares about you!
If you’re feeling far from God today, please know He never abandons His people in the dark. It might feel that way, but faith can and does exist even when feelings disappear. Healing is often slow, but when we seek the Lord, reach out to others, and learn to care for ourselves, it can come. Depression may make you feel alone, but God has never once stepped away from your story.
Friends, depression might be your present, but it won’t always be your future. Here on earth or in Heaven, healing can and will come.
If you need immediate assistance for depression or suicidal thoughts, please text 9-8-8, call 9-1-1, or visit the crisis hotline by texting HOME or HOLA to 741741 to reach a live volunteer Crisis Counselor. These resources are free, 24/7, and confidential.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/fizkes
Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
