01/22/2026
Let’s Talk About Prayer and Mental Health
Note well: prayer is powerful, but it is not a substitute for care.
Indulge me.
Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught to spiritualize everything.
Feel anxious?
Pray more.
Feeling depressed?
Fast harder.
Overwhelmed?
Quote a scripture and keep moving.
Struggling emotionally?
Rebuke it and press on.
And while prayer is essential, this way of thinking has quietly harmed many people.
Because prayer was never meant to replace wisdom.
And faith was never meant to deny reality.
There are believers who pray faithfully yet still struggle mentally.
Not because they lack faith.
Not because they are spiritually weak.
But because prayer does not erase the need to address wounds, trauma, exhaustion, or chemical imbalance.
Here’s an analogy we understand easily, yet ignore spiritually:
If you take a pill for pain but never go to the doctor to treat the cause, the pain may subside for a moment…but the problem will still be there.
Prayer can soothe.
Prayer can strengthen.
Prayer can stabilize.
But prayer alone does not always heal what has never been examined.
We have spiritualized suffering to the point where people feel guilty for seeking therapy.
Ashamed for needing medication.
Embarrassed for admitting they are not okay.
As if seeing a counselor means you don’t trust God
As if taking prescribed medication means your faith is weak.
As if rest, boundaries, and support are signs of spiritual failure.
They are not.
God uses prayer and people.
Scripture and science.
Faith and treatment.
Spiritual practices and professional care.
Jesus healed bodies, yes.
But He also withdrew to rest.
He acknowledged grief.
He wept.
He asked questions.
He honored human limitation.
Mental health struggles are not always demons to be cast out.
They are realities to be tended to.
And ignoring them does not make them disappear; it only drives them underground.
Here’s the truth we need to say clearly:
Prayer is not denial.
Faith is not avoidance.
Healing is not always instant.
And strength is not pretending you’re fine.
You can pray and still need help.
You can love God and still struggle emotionally.
You can be deeply spiritual and still need therapy.
You can trust God and still take medication.
These are not contradictions.
They are wisdom.
Here’s the bottom line:
Prayer is powerful, but it was never meant to be used as a bandage over untreated wounds.
God cares about your spirit and your mind.
And healing often happens when we stop choosing between faith and care, and allow both to work together.
You don’t dishonor God by getting help.
You honor Him by stewarding the life He entrusted to you.
And that includes your mental health.
