Hi friend,
If you have spent any time in the Church you have probably heard the verses,
Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 4:6-7)
These beautiful Bible verses have brought me comfort, in fact, I have them memorized so that I can remember them when I am feeling anxious. However, these verses have also brought me a lot of pain.
Christians often cite Phillipians 4:6-7 when someone is struggling with anxiety. They use this message to tell those struggling that it is important to bring our anxieties to the Lord. While this is a great message and one I truly believe, it lacks compassion and understanding for the different anxieties we all will face.
In my darkest times with anxiety, I have turned to the Lord over and over to give him my burdens. When it didn’t work, I didn’t know what to do. Am I sinning because I cannot stop worrying? Friend, if anyone tells you your struggle with an anxiety disorder or mental health disorder is a sin or “spiritual warfare,” I am so sorry. “Spiritual warfare” is the idea that Satan is at work in our lives and our struggles are a result of a lack of faith. This is an inappropriate way to address mental health. The Christian community needs to do better. We would not tell someone with cancer that they are fighting a spiritual battle that they need to win in order to be healed. We need to have the same attitudes toward mental health.
People often use anxiety interchangeably with “worries” or “stressors.” I believe that the anxiety Phillipians 4 refers to is the anxiety of everyday life. For example, someone may feel anxious about meeting a deadline or doing well in a job interview. This anxiety is one that everyone will face during their lives and will disappear after the deadline is met and the interview is finished. However, many people face anxieties that run deeper. Someone with an anxiety disorder may face irrational fears daily, with the knowledge that they are irrational but a physical response that suggests otherwise.
Someone who is struggling with anxiety or depression will often already feel like a failure. It is incredibly harmful when Christians say that a person with a mental illness needs to pray more. By saying that, Christians are implying that this person is not doing enough. Our God is a God of peace. We can turn to Him to keep us rooted and focused on our purpose in this world. However, those struggling with anxiety disorders or any long term mental health problem know that prayer is not the only answer. Just like a doctor would not prescribe the same medication for all of their patients, God would not limit us to only turn to prayer in our troubles.
Philippians 4:6-7 once made me believe that my anxieties were due to a lack of faith. If I only trusted the Lord more, I would no longer struggle with my anxiety, right? While that was not true for me, God has come through in other ways to help me fight this battle. He always does. I believe the Lord has answered my prayers. However, the Lord has answered my prayers for relief through giving me the opportunity to use resources like meditation, yoga, medication, exercise, and therapy. Although mental health is often still stigmatized in society and the Christian community, many of us are blessed to be in a place where resources are available. In fact, the Lord brought Alena and I together for just that reason! One of the first things we bonded over was our struggle with anxiety and understanding it in relation to our faith. It has been so important in our faith and mental health journeys to have an understanding friend.
Believe me, I’ve questioned the Lord’s love due to the pain of this life. However, God is capable of creating beauty out of the hardest experiences in this world. Reach out to those around you, comfort those who are struggling, and above all remember that healing is a process. It is one that our God is already part of, though it may take time to believe that.
Hang in there, sweet friend! Things really do get better. I have been deep in this struggle before when it was hard to see hope. I can now see how every word of encouragement and resource placed on my path brought me to where I am now, and I can praise God for that. I know that God is on my side in this, and He is on yours too! Even when it is hard to believe, the Holy Spirit is with you always -- that means that the Lord is living inside you, comforting you and fighting your battles. The Lord feels your pain. Losing God is something we never have to worry about. Thank you, Jesus, for that!
Love and hugs,
Shaina
