Friends, I want to let you know that you can be anxious and anchored, and that's okay. Jesus doesn’t shame you, but He does stay with you, no matter what you struggle with.
As a Christian mental health writer, I get asked two questions on repeat:
1. Are you a therapist?
2. Is it truly possible to love Jesus and still have anxiety?
First, I want to be clear that I am not a therapist or counselor. I do have training in Master Christian Mental Health Coaching and have spent thousands of hours researching conditions like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and PTSD. For the most part, however, I speak from experience—from the broken places of my home and within myself. Why? Because I want readers to feel seen and heard by someone who has been where they are now, and often still is.
Someday, God may call me to be a counselor or therapist. I have the highest respect for them and honor what they do. I'm open to that career if God leads me that way. But for now, I know that I don't need credentials to talk about questions involving faith and mental health. I don't need credentials to tell you that yes, it's possible to love Jesus and still have anxiety.
According to the University of California, 1 in 3 young adults struggle with anxiety, and yet, less than 20 percent seek or find help in the church because they perceive judgment. Why? Many Christians feel guilty for having anxiety, thinking it reflects weak faith. I have to wonder: Do you?
The Misunderstanding: Anxiety as a Faith Failure
While I wish it weren't the case, sometimes Christians can be the cruelest people when it comes to anxiety intersecting with our faith. Common misconceptions spread like gospel truth, and before we know it, we're believing things that sound holy but aren't found anywhere in the Scriptures. This includes beliefs like:
-Anxiety is a sin.
-If you trusted God more, you wouldn’t be anxious.
-Mental health struggles are a lack of faith.
-Just read your Bible more, and you won't struggle.
Have you believed any of these lies? Have you been misunderstood? If you are, you're not alone. Sadly, church culture sometimes reinforces shame unintentionally. They misapply Scriptures like Philippians 4:6 instead of understanding anxiety holistically and relationally in real life. So what are we to do? Let's look at what Jesus and Scripture really say about these human struggles.
Understanding Anxiety Holistically
First and foremost, anxiety is a biological, psychological, and spiritual issue. It is a human emotion and response to stressful situations, but it can also kick into overdrive when we've faced traumatic circumstances. This is the distinct difference between anxiety as an emotion and anxiety as a disorder.
The Mayo Clinic defines the difference in our anxieties this way: "Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks)."
But friends, anxiety, in and of itself, is not sinful. Even Jesus faced anxiety when he sweated drops of blood the night before He was crucified on the cross (Luke 22:43-44). As Bill Gaultiere, author, PhD, psychologist, and spiritual mentor, notes: "There are many reasons for anxiety and always more than one is operating at a time. All human behavior has multiple causes. So it’s not true to say anxiety is a sin. That’s just one potential source of anxiety."
Biblical Characters Who Struggled
In the Scriptures, many biblical characters (beyond Jesus) struggled with mental health conditions:
-Elijah faced immense burnout and fear (1 Kings 19).
-David grew anxious and despairing more times than noted (Psalms).
-Moses ran away when God called Him to do hard and holy things (Exodus 2:11-15).
But in every single account, these figures teach us one thing: We may run away, we may feel embarrassed and try to hide, we may even continue to feel anxious, overwhelmed, and defeated, but He is still with us—even when we can't feel or see Him. And if we remain spiritually anchored, hope is still possible when faith and mental struggles co-exist.
What It Means to Be Anchored
What does it mean to be spiritually “anchored"? Hebrews 6:19-20 defines it this way: "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek" (NIV).
Being spiritually anchored means that even amidst our anxiety, we can rest knowing God is with us and He's not ashamed of us for our struggles. Practically, this means learning to hold onto hope even in anxious seasons. How do we do this?
- Try breath prayers or breath work when you're feeling anxious. Pick your favorite Scripture and recite it over yourself, no matter what you're feeling.
- Do some "truth" journaling. Take time to sort out the truth from the lies. Don't be afraid to write down how you feel, but then list Bible verses and truth across from those feelings to counter them.
- Seek therapy without shame. I know this is countercultural in our society, but therapy is helpful for everyone. It's personally transformed my life, and I know it can have the power to transform yours if you give it a chance. You can filter through wonderful biblical therapists at PsychologyToday.com
- Don't do this alone. Seek support from a healthy community. Share your struggles with the Lord and with trustworthy family and friends.
Permission to Be Both
Friends, I want to let you know that you can be anxious and anchored, and that's okay. Jesus doesn’t shame you, but He does stay with you, no matter what you struggle with.
If you're struggling with mental and physical health issues today, I want you to know this: Don't give up on healing or faith, but please know you're not a failure for wrestling. The co-existence of mental health struggles and faith does exist, but they don't make us less than; they make us human.
You have permission to be both. Not to guilt yourself or make yourself feel bad for struggles, but to rest in the comfort of His love. His presence. His providence amidst the angst. His arms wrapped around you, even when you're still anxious.
Let's pray:
Dear Lord, the misunderstanding that anxiety is a sin can be so harmful and damaging. As Christians, we need to do better with those who struggle in the church. Instead of condemnation, let us share your love and truth with those who are hurting most. Let us breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that you aren't mad at all, but are with us, no matter where we are.
Let us seek to understand, not judge. Let us look to you, not to what others say you're saying, before we're quick to speak. Instead, let us be as James 1:19 says: "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (NIV). We praise and thank you for your grace, love, kindness, and mercy, Lord. Amen.
Agape, Amber
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