A common lie in Christianity today says this: “Just trust God and life will get better. If you love God, you won’t be depressed.”

To be honest, loving God doesn’t mean you won’t be depressed, just like loving God doesn’t mean you will be perfect. Instead, loving God provides a way out of the depression just like it provides a way out of the sin.

Jesus died on the cross, not that you might beat yourself up for having depression, but that you might continue to love God and love yourself even in that depression.

Self-love is not selfish behavior. Instead, it’s loving the body you were given, and that includes loving it when it is hurting and you feel like you want to die.

Jesus died so you might have freedom and know the God who loves you, not that you might suffer in depression alone.

A woman named Sarah Robinson wrote a book called I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die. I’m reading a devotional on it because I think it will provide clarity for myself (and for this post) that might help us better understand why Christians might go against ‘the Christian way’ in the case that they are suicidal.

In Sarah Robinson’s devotional, she writes: you are not disqualified from the abundant life Christ promised to all his followers.

She describes depression and suicide as a ‘stray dog I fed and couldn’t get rid of.’

This woman is a Christian, she loves Jesus, and yet…she wants to die.

So often in our world and generation, we throw away those who have called out that they are hurting. Even those in our communities like the Church, which is a horrible, absurd thing to do.

The Church—as a whole—is called to welcome those who are struggling with anything and everything. Porn, alcoholics, drug addicts, the abused and the abusers, murderers, the liars and mockers, those struggling with mental health.

Some things the Church will not support—such as addictions—but that does not mean the Church will not support, aid, and encourage the person and their growth away from that thing.

Christians can be pretty ignorant—or at least try to be. Saying things like, “I’m a Christian, so I’m not suicidal. I’m a Christian, so I won’t get depressed. I’m a Christian, so mental health issues aren’t real for me.”

Y’all, these are just plain old lies. We like to think that because we’re saved, we’re free from bad things. However, that’s…not true. There is nowhere in the Bible that says life will be ‘easy.’

That sentence might sound discouraging, but wait one second: many of the verses I’ve found that talk about life being hard have encouragement, saying that God is with us.

Jesus even says in John 16: “…in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

God is overcoming the world, even if it seems like he’s moving slowly, one bit at a time.

Or look at the book of Isaiah, chapter 43: “When you pass through waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.’ (Isaiah 43:2-4 NIV)

It doesn’t say, ‘if you pass through waters and rivers or walk through fire.” It says when. It’s going to happen at some point—but listen: he will be with you, the waters will not sweep over you, and you will not be burned or set ablaze by the flames.

Or even look at possibly one of the most popular passages: Psalm 23, verse four says this: ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ (Psalms 23:4 NIV)

The darkest valley—also referred to as the valley of the shadow of death—is something that can be mental, spiritual, and even physical. When the Church is so frequently using Psalm 23 as an example, I think that we should be using this as a way to reach the people—specifically Christians—and helping people better understand the reality of mental health.

When Christians suffer from depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm habits, they are often cast out. This is not the church.

We are not called to be casting out those who are a part of the Church and those who are not a part of the Church.

MAYBE: We try to put the church into the mentally unstable instead of the mentally unstable in the church.

Sarah writes, “When I’m drowning in the darkness, aching with indescribable pain, I don’t need to hear that if I just pray or read my Bible, God will heal me. I need to know, deep in my bones, that being a Christian doesn’t guarantee we won’t struggle—but God is ultimately present in my pain.”

I full-heartedly agree with Sarah’s statement. Being told, “Go to church, read your Bible, pray every morning and night” is not a solution to depression. Sometimes you need medications, counseling, rest, and even distractions.

You don’t need the preaching, you need the people and assurance that you are not alone in your struggle.

Ecclesiastes 4 says this: “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. but someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT)

When the Church is called to be there for the world, we need to actually be there. That means being there if we are uncomfortable, unsure, and even a bit unwilling. After all, love is patient, kind, not self-seeking or easily angered, and it always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, paraphrased.)

I want to use Sarah Robinson’s words to close us off: “You are not a bad Christian (or human) for toiling under the crushing weight of depression. Mental health is not a failure of faith or evidence of a flimsy prayer life. Jesus came to earth in the midst of suffering. There were many times Jesus didn’t heal, but simply gave hope for the future. And that hope reveals the same things about God’s care, power, and presence with us. Hope is no less powerful than miraculous healing.

In the midst of the ache, cling to this truth: You have nothing to be ashamed of. God is not disappointed in you. You are deeply, utterly loved. And even in the darkest night, there is hope.”

Thanks for reading, have a great day.
~Willow