Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health in Christian Communities

There’s a kind of silence in many churches. You can feel it, thick as fog, pressing down like an unspoken weight. It knows the truth but refuses to speak it. The kind of silence that tells you to keep walking, don’t ask, don’t say a word. When it comes to mental health in the Christian community, this silence has had its grip on us for far too long. We’ve let fear and shame twist our understanding of what it means to struggle, to be unwell in mind, as if it’s some kind of failure—some kind of weakness.

I’ve been in those pews, seen the faces, bright with Sunday smiles, and wondered how many were just barely holding on. But we don’t talk about it, do we? Mental health—it’s either a problem of faith or worse, a personal flaw. How many times have we heard it? *Pray harder. Trust God more. You’ll be fine.*

But I’ve read the scriptures. I see something different in them. David, crying out in the Psalms: *“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?”* (Psalm 42:11). This is a man after God’s own heart. A man who knew God deeply. And yet, he felt that darkness. He wasn’t ashamed to speak it out, to lay his despair bare before God. Even Jesus, in the garden, sweat falling like blood. His agony was not hidden, and there was no shame in it. It was honesty.

The truth we’ve been too afraid to face is this: mental illness isn’t a matter of weak faith. Struggling with anxiety, with depression, with any number of mental health battles—these things don’t mean you’ve lost your way with God. Just like our bodies can fail us, so can our minds. But the church? It’s been slow to see this. We’ve kept it all in the dark, preferring to ignore it, to pretend it’s not there.

But we can’t keep quiet any longer. We’ve got to start talking. We’ve got to make room in our churches for people to say, *I’m not okay.* That’s what the church should be—a place of healing, not a place to hide. Paul said it himself, *“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”* (Galatians 6:2). And that includes mental burdens. That includes the weight we can’t see but feel in our bones.

It starts with leadership. Pastors and elders, they’ve got to speak about it. From the pulpit. In small groups. In every corner of the church. They’ve got to make it clear—there’s no shame in struggling. Set up the support systems, bring in the counselors, create spaces where people can be real with their pain. The message is simple: you are not alone. Your struggles do not make you any less loved by God.

Silence isn’t an option anymore. If we believe in a God who heals, we have to believe in a God who sees every part of our pain—mental and physical. And it’s on us to be His hands and feet in this world. To offer compassion, not judgment. Understanding, not shame. Breaking the stigma isn’t just about talking. It’s about changing the way we love.

And love, real love, can’t leave room for silence.

If you’re searching for some light in those dark corners of life, maybe Embracing Gethsemane: Navigating Life’s Darkest Moments is for you. You can get it on Amazon, either as an eBook or a paperback. Grab an extra copy while you're at it—maybe someone you know needs it more than they realize. Here’s the link: https://amzn.to/4d13EDd

And if it speaks to you, I’d love for you to leave a review on Amazon. Your thoughts help Embracing Gethsemane find its way into the hands of more people who need it.

Let’s keep pushing through the hard times together.

Jim
The Chaplain Writer
www.thechaplainwriter.com