You’ve probably noticed conversations about mental and emotional health happening more often on social media and in the news. With coverage increasing, awareness about mental health is at an all-time high. And it just so happens that more and more people are grappling with mental health challenges themselves.
As Christians, how do we address this topic? More importantly, how can we help?
What is mental health?
Mental health involves our emotional, psychological and social well-being. The state of our mental health (good or poor) affects how we think, feel and act, and it plays a big role in how we deal with stress, connect with others and make decisions.
It’s likely that someone in your life has faced a mental health crisis. That person may even be you. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five people will experience a mental illness in their lifetimes. Another statistic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows a spike in the number of people around the world diagnosed with anxiety and depression, both classified as mental health disorders, since the COVID-19 pandemic.
These statistics are why it’s crucial for us, as followers of Jesus, to be open about discussing mental health and to support those who may be struggling. A great place for us to start is God’s Word.
What the Bible says
Scripture tells us that God cares deeply about our mental health. We see this in verses like Isaiah 41:10, in which God tells the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (New International Version).
We find a similar message in Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation… present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV). And 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (NIV).
During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed countless people suffering from various illnesses. He also freed people from demonic oppression and restored their minds. In John 14:27, we find one of Jesus’ final messages to His followers where He says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (NIV).
Jesus did not hesitate to draw near to the sick and troubled—those who needed His healing touch. As followers and imitators of Christ, the same should be said of us. Following Jesus’ example means turning our face toward the suffering, the lonely, the heartbroken and those in need of healing. It means embracing them, as our Savior did, and meeting their needs as we are able.
As the global body of Christ, the Church has generally taken up the collective responsibility to serve the poor, the sick, the hungry and the needy. Many churches and Christian organizations have outreach teams that provide food and clothing to the homeless, visit and pray over the sick or hospitalized and cook meals for families who are grieving the death of a loved one. And many would agree that those who call themselves Christians also have a responsibility to serve those battling with their mental health.
Scripture shows us that Jesus didn’t stop at practically healing the sick. He spoke with them and treated them with kindness. Many of the people He healed were outcasts because of their conditions, yet Jesus got on their level, looked on them with compassion, healed them and treated them like friends. In doing so, He set the example for us to follow.
For us, this might look like showing love to those we know who are struggling with their mental health by connecting with them, praying with them and learning about how we can support them.
It might mean reaching out to the woman in your congregation who is grieving the death of her loved one to invite her for coffee. It might mean checking in on your friend who deals with anxiety or depression simply to remind him that he’s not alone. It may look like visiting your relative who has a mental health diagnosis and serving her in a practical way, such as cleaning or making her a meal. Most importantly, it means sharing the hope we have in Jesus by praying with them, telling them about how Jesus has changed your life and by sharing the gospel with them if they don’t follow Jesus.
Jesus Film Project resources
As a ministry, Jesus Film ProjectⓇ actively partners with the body of Christ through heart language media so everyone, everywhere, can encounter Jesus. We equip believers with media resources available in multiple languages to help them reach the world with the healing, life-giving message of Christ. That includes giving believers tools to supplement their road to better mental health, and to help them minister to others on that journey.
Below is a list of some of our resources addressing mental health. If you know someone who is experiencing a struggle with their mental health, or if you’re facing this yourself, we hope these tools can point you in the right direction.
We invite you to explore these resources and consider how you might use them to share the hope of Jesus with others.
Blogs:
The Jesus Film Project blog covers many relevant topics for believers. The following blog posts specifically address topics of mental and emotional health.
- Understanding and Dealing with Anxiety for Christians
- What to Do When You Feel Alone
- Four Steps for Dealing with Depression
- Five Tips for When You’re Losing Hope
- Four Tips for When You Feel Directionless
If you find these helpful and would like to explore more of our blogs, you can do so at the Jesus Film Project blog homepage.
Short film collections:
The following links feature a collection of short films from the Jesus Film Project media library. These films are designed to spark conversations around various themes, ultimately pointing those who watch to the message of the gospel. Each video includes discussion questions in its description to help guide intentional conversations.
We suggest watching this brief introductory video to our short films before you begin using them as ministry tools.
- Collection: Hope Collection
- This collection of eight short films deals with themes of acceptance, hope and love. If using this collection as a ministry resource, we recommend you choose six of the films to show and discuss.
- Collection: Dealing With Loss
- This four-part film collection follows U.S. Olympic athlete Annette Echikunwoke as she reflects on what she has learned through her joys and disappointments on the road to the Olympics. The series covers themes of disappointment, trusting God and hope.
- Collection: Dealing With Self-Doubt
- Covering topics of depression, hiding, acceptance, loneliness and doubt, this collection follows Olympic gold medal athlete Olivia Lundman. In this three-part series, Olivia discusses her background leading up to the Olympics and opens up about the mental health struggles she has experienced along the way.
- Collection: True Purpose in Life
- As its name suggests, this four-part series addresses the topic of life’s purpose. The collection also covers themes of love and guides viewers toward discovering life’s greatest purpose: a relationship with Jesus Christ.
We have many more videos, many of which are available in multiple languages, in our media library. You can access all of our media anywhere, at any time, on the Jesus Film Project app.
We pray that these resources equip you to better engage in conversations about mental health. But even more than that, we hope they will help you share Jesus with someone waiting to encounter Him.
