A connection to your faith can be a strong foundation that provides a source of strength and comfort when facing mental health difficulties. Such challenges can be overwhelming and increase feelings of stress. For many, faith is an important part of their identity and sense of belonging. However, it can be hard to maintain your faith during difficult times, and even more so, when the challenges persist over an extended period of time. As a result, this can lead to feelings of inadequacy, doubt in one’s faith and distress.
How to maintain your faith while dealing with mental health difficulties
Shannel shares how the intersection of faith can be nurtured while managing your mental health.
Seven ways to maintain to your faith while dealing with mental health difficulties:
Engage in Praise and Worship
These are powerful activities that can help to encourage and uplift your spirit when you’re feeling down and in need of peace. By listening to worship music, singing hymns, or expressing your adoration for God, you can enter into His presence and find rest for your soul.
Find ways to serve/ volunteer
Serving others can provide a sense of purpose and offer a distraction that helps you to direct attention away from your mental health difficulties. This is not done for the purpose of avoidance, but rather can be helpful in boosting your faith and connecting with others within the faith-based community.
Seek support from within your community
Pastoral support, counselling and therapy are options that can be explored within your community. However, having someone reliable who knows your challenges and can pray with and support you throughout them will ease stress and encourage you to preserve through the mental health difficulty that you are experiencing. Whether that community is a prayer group, bible study, your university Christian union or just friends, having that support system is beneficial to improving your mental health— and provides a cure for isolation!
Join a group/ ministry
Similar to the point above, having a community can help to encourage you on your faith journey. If you don’t have a support system, joining a church group or Christian union on campus can help to stay connected to your faith and provide a sense of belonging and encouragement. As social media becomes more and more popular, finding groups online is also a possibility that can be explored.
Embrace self-compassion
Mental health difficulties can lead to stress, feelings of inadequacy and overthinking. Being compassionate with yourself involves treating yourself with kindness, understanding and self-love. Understanding that you are not alone nor are you hopeless can help with recognising that it is okay to struggle, and that you are doing much better than you actually think you are. Compassion is only beneficial in instances where there is no self-judgement or self-criticism. Practicing self-love can help you to understand who you are, where you are, and the type of help that you need to feel okay again.
Express your gratitude
Gratitude helps to shift your focus from what’s wrong to what’s right in your life. Regularly expressing thankfulness to God, even for small things, can help improve your mood and reinforce your faith. It can also be beneficial because it highlights the areas where you can praise and pray for what you do have, and what’s going right in your life. Keeping a journal, or even a note on your phone for easy access for this purpose will help with re-focusing your mind and strengthening your faith.
Use Scripture to affirm your identity
One of the things that I love about my room is my scripture wall. It’s an entire wall that is filled with scripture written on post it notes about various topics that I struggle with. This wall is used to reaffirm my identity in God’s word and truth for my life. Using scripture in this way can help to combat negative thoughts and remind you that you’re not only greatly loved but valued and have a purpose.
Maintaining your faith while dealing with mental health difficulties can be challenging, but it is not impossible. By engaging in worship and praise, finding support and help in community and reaffirming your faith with gratitude and scripture, you can find peace and joy in the midst of your storms. Remember, it is okay to seek help and to be compassionate with yourself. Your faith can provide a source of strength and resilience as you overcome the challenges of your mental health difficulties.
Page last reviewed:
July 2024