Life is like an ocean, isn’t it? Some days, the water is calm and the sun shines off the surface. Other days, rain beats down from above, and the waves threaten to pull us under. Thankfully, God knew the struggles life would bring, including mentally. And he gave us his Word, which includes many helpful scriptures for mental health that we can use to overcome.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” — Isaiah 43:2-3, NIV
All Scripture references are written in NIV unless otherwise noted.
What’s Here:
- 12 Scriptures for Mental Health
- Mental Health and the Bible: 4 Biblical Tips for Overcoming Struggle
- Meet Sita: How She Found Peace in the Waves of Life
12 Scriptures for Mental Health
1. Philippians 4:5b-7
The Lord is near. 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, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God invites us to trade our anxiety for his peace. When worry and fear enter our hearts and minds, he asks us to bring them to him in prayer. And when we do, he promises to meet us with so much peace that we won’t even be able to understand it.
2. John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Jesus wanted to reassure his disciples that although he was leaving the world, they could have peace in him. So can we! Sometimes, we try to find peace and assurance in the things around us, like our finances or our jobs. But all of this is temporary.
Only Jesus can give us eternal peace that comes from knowing him. When we know him, we can also know that even in the midst of trouble or uncertainty, we’re never alone. And we can have unshakable hope for the future because Jesus is in heaven, preparing a place for us. We don’t have to worry or fear. Jesus is with us, to the very end.
3. 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
In Greek, “cast” is the word epirrhiptō, which means to throw upon. It’s the same word, for example, that would be used for throwing a book onto a table. When anxiety comes your way, you’re free to throw it off your shoulders and onto Jesus’ shoulders instead.
How? Take your anxieties to Jesus in prayer. Let him carry them. Write them down and throw them into the trash can. When anxious thoughts creep into your mind, say out loud, “I throw that off and give it to God.”
Photo by: Narous Chhoun
4. Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
God never promises that we won’t struggle. But he does promise to be with us and uphold us, no matter what we go through. We don’t have to fear or be dismayed. He knows what’s coming tomorrow as he’s already there, going before us.
5. Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Here in Matthew, Jesus is preaching his famous Sermon on the Mount. In verses before this, Jesus tells us that God cares so much for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. And if God cares so much for these things, how much more do you think he cares about you?
God is our Provider today, tomorrow and forever. We don’t have to worry about what’s coming tomorrow or the day after. Instead, we can focus on living in the present, resting in the fact that God will care for and provide for our future.
6. Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The world likes to place heavy things on our shoulders, like the need to have it all together. These burdens can wear us down and completely exhaust us. But Jesus tells us that we can come to him and take on his yoke (his teachings and way of life) instead.
We don’t have to carry the burdens of the world. We don’t have to have it all together. Instead, we can follow Jesus, for his burden is easy. His way is peaceful and light. When we follow his way instead of the world’s, we find rest.
7. 2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The knowledge of God refers to the truth of God, including who he is to us. And who is he? He’s our Healer, Provider, Redeemer and Father. He loves us. When thoughts threaten this truth, like “you’ll never get better” or “no one loves you,” you can fight back with the knowledge of God.
You can take those thoughts captive and trade them for the truth that you do have a Healer, and you are loved by the God of the universe.
8. Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God wants only the best for us. That’s why his plan for our lives is meant to prosper us, protect us and lead us into a brighter future with him. Even when things are hard, we can know that his plans are good.
Remember: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV). If it’s not good yet, he isn’t done.
9. John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus tells us here that while we’re on earth, we will struggle. There will be tears and pain. But in him, there’s hope! He has overcome death, hell and the grave. This means that although our circumstances may be tough, our future is bright. One day, all of this will disappear, and we’ll be with him for eternity.
10. Psalm 34:17-18
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Sometimes, in our low moments, we may feel as if God is distant. In the middle of the night, as the tears flow, we may feel lonely and as if no one understands. But God’s Word says he is close to the brokenhearted. God is with you in every moment.
And in case you need to hear this: God isn’t afraid or embarrassed of your tears. He isn’t angry with you. God loves you.
11. 1 John 4:18
When we grasp just how much we’re loved by our heavenly Father, the things around us pale in comparison. When we focus on how much God loves us, it’s harder for us to focus on our worry, fear and pain.
If only for a moment, take a deep breath and remember how loved you are, allowing that truth to cast out the fear in your heart and mind. He cares for you and has an incredible plan for you. He sent his Son to die for you.
12. Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Sometimes, we must remind ourselves who we belong to. In every moment where fear, anger or any other emotion is overwhelming, we must refocus our thoughts on the truth of God (more on this below). If we remain steadfast in this, he will keep us in perfect peace.
Mental Health and the Bible: 4 Biblical Tips for Overcoming Our Struggles
In addition to the above Scriptures for mental health, God also gave us practices for overcoming the struggles we face. He cares for us that much.
1. Spend Time in Prayer
Jeremiah 29:12 (NIV) says, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” When we talk to God, he hears us. This means we can come to him day or night and share what we’re going through. He won’t turn us away. He won’t ignore us. Instead, he’ll listen. And if we listen back, he’ll guide us through.
Make it a point to spend some time in prayer each day. And remember: It doesn’t have to be pretty. Talk to God like you’re talking to a friend.
Related Read:What to Pray For: 7 Powerful Prayers for Day-to-Day Life
2. Worship
Let’s get real for a second: When we’re struggling, it can be hard to think about anything else. That fear or anxiety or pain can feel so big that it becomes our only focus. It’s hard to not exalt our struggle or make it higher than anything else.
How do we combat the overwhelm? By exalting someone else. When we exalt God, we place him higher than anything else, even our struggle. And when we do so, we might just find everything else starts to pale in comparison to him.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
–Hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
One way to do this is to spend time in worship. Turn on your favorite worship music and sing along. Or listen to the words with your eyes closed, soaking in the truth. Worship helps us turn our minds and hearts to God, exalting him instead of our fear or worry.
3. Keep Your Mind on Jesus
Remember Isaiah 26:3 from above? It tells us that when our minds are steadfast, God keeps us in perfect peace. And how do we keep our minds steadfast? By reminding ourselves who God is, focusing on him instead of what we’re going through.
There are many ways to help our minds focus on him. For example, you can write Bible verses on sticky notes and place them around your home or office. You can start the day by reading your Bible. Or you can even listen to worship music throughout the day.
4. Seek Help
God never meant for us to go through life alone. In fact, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV) says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
If you feel like you’re falling, know that it’s okay to seek help. Talk to a trusted friend or loved one. Reach out to your pastor. Call a counselor or speak to your doctor about what you’re going through.
If you’re going through a mental health crisis, you can always call or text 988, the national number for suicide prevention and crises. This will connect you with someone who can help.
Meet Sita: How She Found Peace in the Waves of Life
The waves of life can threaten to drown us. But God loves us too much to let them overtake us. And Sita? She’s proof of this truth.
Sita, a 15-year-old girl from Indonesia, knows struggle. As a teenager, she often thinks about her future and what she’ll become. But because she lives in poverty, Sita’s hope is often overshadowed by the pressure of helping her parents support her family.
While she dreams of attending university, for now, Sita must sacrifice that dream. She must begin working after high school to help her family afford necessities like food and rent.
Sometimes, Sita feels angry about her situation. And often, the thoughts of watching her friends succeed while she stays stuck overwhelm her mind.
Never Alone, Even Underwater
Recently, Sita’s Compassion center began offering a diving course for kids who attend the center. For Sita, this meant learning skills for tourism that she hoped to study in university. It gave her the opportunity to make her dreams come true despite her circumstances.
The diving course is more than just a course. Both in the water and out, Sita is surrounded by a community of people who love her and listen to her struggles. They listen as she talks about the burden she carries. They listen as she shares her concerns about her future. They pray for her and encourage her.
At the Compassion center, Sita doesn’t have to suffer in silence and isolation. While the storms of life have threatened to overtake Sita, they haven’t yet … and they won’t. Through the support of those around her, she knows that God loves her. She knows that although she goes through deep waters, he’s with her.
“For me, God plays an important role in my life because he is the one arranging my life. I know God has planned my life, so I keep being patient and following his path.” — Sita
God intervened for Sita, giving her a loving community and the support she needs to one day be released from poverty. And just like Sita, you can trust that God is with you too. You can trust that he’s ready and willing to calm the storms in your own life. His Word says so.
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