Navigating Mental Health: First Steps & Resources

May 7, 2026

“Where do I even begin?”

Have you ever felt this way with your mental health? So overwhelmed that you don’t even know where to start? You’ve done all the right things, prayed all the prayers, yet still feel like nothing is changing. You’re not alone!

According to a 2022 Barna Group study, 42% of practicing Christians in the US reported struggling with a mental illness in the past year, higher than the general population's 32%. Gitnux
Applying the general major depression rate of 7.1% to the U.S. Christian population, an estimated 7.6 million Christians experience major depression each year. The Psychiatry Resource
A survey by mental health charity Kintsugi Hope found that 43% of Christians polled had experienced a mental health issue — significantly higher than the commonly cited one-in-four statistic. Premier Christianity
A 2022 Gallup poll found that 35% of born-again Christians rate their mental health as fair or poor, up from 22% in 2010.
Generation Z is the most mentally distressed demographic in living memory, frequently experiencing uncertainty (39%), loneliness (29%), and isolation (26%). However, regular Bible engagement is shown to reduce their anxiety levels by approximately 50%. Barna

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Here is the good news, though: you CAN heal, and you can BE HEALED. This isn’t your forever and God is not done moving in your life! Healing is not always linear; if you feel like you have taken steps back, the good news is that there is HOPE for the future. Discouragement is real, but God is not afraid of us wrestling through fears, doubts, anger, grief and hardship. The Bible actually teaches us to lament (there’s even a whole book on it called Lamentations!), where we honestly mourn to God while still choosing to believe He is sovereign.

God has not fallen off His throne, He will deliver you! Psalm 23:4-6 says:

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

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God has promised to comfort us, to walk with us, to guide us, to bless us, and to constantly pursue us. Oftentimes with mental health, we look for the easiest way out (which makes sense given how distressing it can be) – but God often shows us that the only way out is to go through. We can’t skirt around the edges, we have to face our health and illnesses head-on to make space for God to move. He wants us to be able to see the miracle, whether the miracle is in a moment or through a process! Both are valid miracles!

So what now? What is your next step in starting to work through mental health?

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Prayer

Prayer changes things, even when we don’t see it. If you’re praying and feel like you’re not seeing change in your life, take heart – God has not forgotten you and moves in the unseen and in His perfect timing. He loves you SO much! We don’t always get the immediate answers we want, but God NEVER fails us. He is for you – cry out to Him! Often through prayer we are encouraged, empowered, and given a glimpse of the Lord’s perspective! Your prayer could look something like this:

Lord, I cannot keep going like this. I am tired, exhausted, scared and overwhelmed. I don’t know what to do anymore. God, I need your guidance and your healing power. Please take this from me, and give me the strength to endure this healing journey. I thank you God that you are with me, for me, you go before me and follow me; there’s not a place I will go that you have not already stood. Holy Spirit, would you comfort me – I need your presence. I surrender myself to you Lord – I cannot do this on my own. Father, would you be a light unto my path and guide me through this dark valley. I believe you are who you say you are, and I believe I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Thank you Father! In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, who has overcome EVERYTHING, amen.

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Start by asking God where to start & invite Him into the process

Mental health isn’t something we conquer in one day – so instead of feeling overwhelmed by how much there is to figure out, ask the Holy Spirit to be a part of this journey and lead you to the next right thing. Is it medication? Starting therapy? Creating a more structured Bible reading routine? Taking a shower? One of the names of the Holy Spirit is COUNSELOR. Hallelujah! God knows what we need more than we think we know what we need. The Holy Spirit is faithful to guide you (Psalm 23:3 says “He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name”). Ask God what your next step is – and then the step after that, and the step after that. Bit by bit the Lord will reveal to you your path of healing and freedom! Change may not happen right away–but that doesn’t mean the Lord isn’t moving. God is working in the unseen in your journey, even if you can’t see it or feel it (John 5:17, Exodus 14:14).

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Tell someone

Life is not meant to be done alone – God created Adam and Eve to be helpers to one another, a principle that applies outside of romantic relationships too. We cannot carry these burdens on our own. God often speaks through others to help encourage and guide us! If our minds already feel overrun and overwhelmed, bringing someone in is a great way to gain clarity and be redirected to the truth of the situation, bringing perspective to how God is moving.

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If you don’t have anyone you feel comfortable opening up to in your circle, talk to a pastor or counselor! Scroll to the end of this article for pastoral/counseling resources.

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“What can I do to take care of myself right now?”

God is patient. He doesn’t expect us to “fix” ourselves all at once – in fact, that doesn’t leave room for us to depend on Him! You are not broken just because you are struggling. You are made WHOLE in Christ, regardless of your health and state of mind! Hallelujah! Trying to fix ourselves can sometimes be more distressing actually because usually there’s no one quick solve. Mental health is like an onion, a complex state with lots of layers. So instead of trying to fix something that we can’t immediately fix, asking the question “what can I do to take care of myself right now?” or “what can I do to feel a little bit better right now?” offers space for us to hold hardship and goodness at the same time. Two things can be true at the same time – God can be (is) good and sovereign, and our lives can be extremely hard. Going through suffering does not mean God has abandoned you or is disappointed in you! Romans 8:35-37 says:

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

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God loves us and is with us through our suffering. God also partners with us in our healing – and though He does 99% of the work, He asks us to be faithful to our 1%. Do you need to eat something? Do you need a nap? Do you need to read the Psalms? Do you need to watch your favorite movie? Do you need to soak in some worship music? What would help you feel a little better right now? How can you take care of yourself in this moment? Taking that next step can help alleviate even just a small piece of the heaviness and make the journey more bearable.

Be honest about where you are
Denial, though a protective measure, only hinders the healing process. Being vulnerable and surrendering to the Lord about your weakness and hurt is the best thing you can do! Surrender to God, asking Him to lead and guide you through this illness. The Lord is for you, with you, and will never leave you (Romans 8:31, Hebrews 13:5). In fact, it’s in our weakness that He is made strong (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)!

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Here are some resources if you are currently walking through mental illness:

Books:

Scripture:

The book of Job
1 Kings 19:3-9
Psalm 16,18, 23, 27, 34, 91, 126, 139, 147:3
Isaiah 54:5-8
Isaiah 43:1-7, 18-21
Jeremiah 29:11
Matthew 11:28
Matthew 6:25-34
Romans 8
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Ephesians 2:1-10
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 3:13-14
1 Peter 3:3-4

Blogs & Additional Resources:

Counseling:

Click here to see River Valley’s recommended list of counselors. Click here to talk to a Pastor.

If you are currently in a crisis regarding suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Center immediately at 1-800-273-8255.

You are not alone. God is for you! The church is for you! Keep showing up to your battle; God has promised to be your banner and fight for you and give you victory. We don’t have to win the battle, we just have to be faithful to show up and do our part – God will do the rest. Freedom is coming!

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