Christ, Counseling & Clarity: A Christian Mental Health Journey

Mental health is a subject, an issue, a phenomena that is often misunderstood within the Body of Christ. 

Many people think mental health is the absence of mental illness. But it goes deeper than that. 

Mental health is holistically a state of well-being in which a person can think clearly, manage emotions, relate to others, and cope with life’s challenges. 

According to the World Health Organization, mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his or her community.” 

Emotional health, a vital part of mental health, is the ability to be aware of and manage one’s emotions constructively, enhancing relationships and resilience.

In biblical times, King Saul suffered from intense mood swings, rage, paranoia, and depression. After being anointed king, Saul disobeyed God, lost favour, and soon spiraled into torment. 

Scripture records in 1 Samuel 16:14 (NLT) “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.”

For the record, this Saul is not to be confused with the Saul, persecutor of Christians, who later became the Apostle Paul. This is King Saul, the first King of Israel.

While interpretations vary, it is clear that this Saul experienced severe emotional and mental unrest. 

His behavior became erratic. He lashed out in anger, became suspicious of David, and attempted murder multiple times. 

Yet, Saul’s servants sought relief through music therapy. They recommended David play the harp.

1 Samuel 16:23 (NLT) “And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.”

This passage reveals that emotional relief can come through both spiritual and therapeutic interventions. 

Music, like counseling today, was used to bring calm and clarity. 

Saul's condition might today be identified as a form of clinical depression or bipolar disorder. While spiritual root causes were considered, practical solutions were employed.

I’m sure we have been in situations where, because of what we are faced with at times, even as we try to remain faithful to God, we get overwhelmed, sad, irritable. In these times, we struggle to pray and sometimes, we isolate ourselves from others.

Then someone may come up to you and offer what seems like well-meaning advice: “Just trust God more” or “You don’t need therapy, just read your Bible.” 

But like Saul’s servants, we must recognize that spiritual people sometimes need practical care. 

It is wise to seek a Christian counselor—someone trained to help untangle trauma, faulty thought patterns, and emotional wounds—while also pointing back to Christ.

Jesus Himself said: “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”—Mark 2:17 (NLT)

Jesus acknowledged the legitimacy of healing for the broken—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

So seeking help is not a lack of faith. It is a step toward wholeness. Someone had to convince me of that. And it’s interesting that some people who have the best advice refuse to take their own advice or listen to good advice from others.

Let’s for a moment consider the man possessed by a legion of demons in Mark 5. 

After Jesus set him free, Scripture says in verse 15: “A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.”

The restoration of the man included not only deliverance, but sanity. Jesus brought clarity to a confused and tormented mind. We see here that mental health restoration is part of Christ’s redemptive work.

We touched on this yesterday but it bears repeating: we must be careful not to call people with mental health struggles “crazy.” 

Psychosis, for instance, is a clinical condition involving a loss of contact with reality, often accompanied by hallucinations or delusions. It differs from anxiety, depression, or burnout, which are more common and manageable with support. 

Calling someone “crazy” is both inaccurate and unkind. God does not discard people based on their mental state—He restores them.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV): “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 

A sound mind includes clear thinking, emotional balance, and spiritual confidence. It is not always instantly attained, but often pursued through time, prayer, wise counsel, and therapy. Christians are not immune to mental challenges—but they are never alone in them. 

It is comforting to know that the Lord Jesus Christ journeys with us through these challenges too, using counselors, community, and clarity to bring healing.

Aren’t you glad about that? Each of us can testify, if we were bold enough, that if it were not for God on our side, we would have been in a mental institution, perhaps walking the streets, abandoned by our loved ones..

But for the grace of God. 

Let us take stock of ourselves Family, take care of our mental health, and not allow everyday challenges to overwhelm us. 

God is with us, to guide us through, if only we let Him.

aub - 24June25

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