Does Having Anxiety Make Me a Bad Christian? (Why Faith and Mental Health Can Coexist)

In the hardest season of anxiety in my life, I went to church—like I typically did Sunday mornings. That day, the sermon was on anxiety, and I was hopeful and excited. I knew I needed all the help I could get! But then, the pastor hit the climax of the sermon: “You’re living like a functional atheist if you’re living with chronic anxiety.” I was crushed. During that time, I would be reading in bed and would be struck with a wave of intense chest pain and anxiety. I had no idea why it was happening, and this message from the pulpit confused me even further.

I genuinely believe that pastor meant well—and might even agree with what I’m about to share. But that day, his words felt like a gut punch. I believe what he meant by anxiety that day is not what I was going through, and what perhaps many reading this article could be going through.

Let me paint a picture.

Difference Between Everyday Worry and Clinical Anxiety:

Everyday worry: Butterflies about an upcoming test

Clinical anxiety: Obsessing about the test to the point of nausea, appetite loss, and sleeplessness

Everyday worry: Worry about making a good impression at a social event

Clinical anxiety: Avoiding social events altogether out of fear of panic attacks or humiliation

Everyday worry: Feeling nervous before a medical appointment

Clinical anxiety: Constant fear of illness despite normal tests and seeking constant reassurance

Does Anxiety Mean I Lack Faith?

One of the ways clinical anxiety differs from everyday worry is that everyday worry can have spiritual, emotional, and physical parts. However, for those with clinical anxiety, there’s an appropriate, heavier emphasis on the emotional and physical parts. Historically in spiritual circles, the two have been lumped together and the emphasis has been almost exclusively on the spiritual, which has left many Christians feeling ashamed and hopeless.

If you’re a Christian struggling with clinical anxiety, hear this: You are not a bad Christian. Having anxiety doesn’t mean you have weak faith. For someone who has a diagnosable anxiety disorder, it isn’t as simple as right theology or knowledge curing anxiety. Clinical anxiety has many causes - sometimes trauma, sometimes biological factors. While Scripture, prayer, and Biblical community are powerful, God has also provided other tools, like therapy, to help the brain heal. Healing can take many forms, and that’s part of God’s grace.

You don’t have to feel ashamed for how you suffer. There are plenty of Scriptures that show how Jesus is gentle with the suffering, but I especially love this one:

“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.” Matthew 12:20

Jesus holds you gently, right where you are.

If you’re a Christian who also suffers from clinical anxiety, know that you’re not alone, and it doesn’t have to stay this way. There is hope, and there is healing. If you’re looking for a therapist who can help you heal from anxiety, I’d love to be considered. Fill out a contact form and I’ll get back to you soon with next steps.