To conclude part two of last week’s column, “Addressing Mental Health in the Church,” I want to share some final important and helpful takeaways from this Bible study series taught by my pastor, Bishop S.D. Carter.
The first is that mental illness is not the result of or a punishment for sin. Unfortunately, in some churches, a harmful belief persists that people who suffer from mental illness have done something serious that “displeases God.” In one of our final mental health sessions, Carter focused on the story of Jesus healing the blind man, found in the ninth chapter of the Gospel of John. The blind man encountered the Lord while traveling from the Mount of Olives, and the disciples asked him, “Lord, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus responded that it was neither the man nor his parents who sinned to bring about this disability. A footnote in the Amplified version of this verse states that it was a “common belief” at the time that “suffering is a punishment for certain personal sins.” Similarly, with regard to mental illness, Carter emphasized that God is with us through any emotional anguish we face. God does not punish us with mental pain.
In giving examples of people in the Bible who struggled with mental health, Carter used some of the lament psalms written by King David to explain how he was “going through,” as we often say today. This was an interesting interpretation for me because when I read the psalms, I had never thought of David’s trials as mental health issues in the context in which these issues are currently discussed. For example, in Psalm 25, which we looked at in our last session, David laments to God because he feels lonely, scared, and in pain. He asks God to “protect him.” [his] “Soul” and “Bring” [him] from [his] In Psalm 31, David details his feelings of sadness, despair, and stress as his enemies plot his death, but he also expresses his continuing trust in God, his “rock and fortress.”
David experienced bouts of severe depression that reflect the mental anguish many struggle with daily. One of the main themes Carter wants us to take away from discussing David is that “our souls are driven by emotions.” “We can’t see into our souls, but we act out what we feel within,” Carter says. “Pain, anger, and feelings of devastation arise from physical struggles that manifest as responses from our souls.”
Carter went on to tell me that with so many suffering Christians, more pastors must devote significant attention and resources to mental health. As I was researching further on mental health and the church, I came across the proposal of David Rosmarin, a Harvard scholar who advocates for reframing the soul as the focus of psychological research. In a 2023 interview with CBC/Radio-Canada’s Mary Hines, Rosmarin, who is also director of the Spirituality and Mental Health Program at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, said that non-religious therapists have had success applying spiritual concepts to their treatment of patients. Rosmarin called this “spiritually integrated psychotherapy.” If more researchers begin to implement this approach, it should serve as a catalyst for greater commitment to mental health ministry within faith communities.
I have been fortunate to never have a serious mental illness, and when the mental health series at my church ended, I felt even more grateful that I have a safe place to get help whenever I need it. I am also grateful that when I feel down, I can rely on God’s promises for recovery. One verse that comes to mind is 1 Peter 5:7, which encourages us to cast all our worries and anxieties on God. He cares deeply for us and watches over us. For those of you who are churchgoing and reading this article and are undergoing treatment for mental health issues such as anxiety, suicide, loneliness, and depression, please know that there is nothing to be ashamed of. And for those of you who are undergoing treatment but have never considered a spiritual perspective, I encourage you to give God a chance and find rest, comfort, and refuge for your soul.
Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English Department at The Ohio State University, Lima campus. [email protected]Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To learn more about Jessica Johnson and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Photo credit: Ben White on Unsplash
