Dear Reader: How Do You Manage Being A Mental Health Advocate For Christians?

Dear Sarah, I’ve been following you for years now and have walked your mental health journey with you and related to so many of your posts. My question is this, how do you stay strong as a mental advocate in a Christian space? I’m so scared to share my battles with even people in my church afraid of their judgement or hearing I don’t have enough faith to be healed.

Dear Reader,

First off, I just want to say that you have blessed my heart so much by sharing that my writings have spoken to you and your situation. I pray that the Lord continues to breathe peace into your life as you walk and heal on your own journey.

Second, I want to say that I get it. I’ve been in places where I too have been afraid to speak up and ask for help for those exact same reasons—hearing that I’m not trusting enough, not praying enough, or that I haven’t had enough faith. It’s the very reason I decided to go into writing full-time and share it all despite what people may think at times. But here’s something I tell people often: if you’re still talking to God… you have faith. Your battle is valid, and your faith is real, even when it feels like a flicker in the darkness.

Third—and this might sting a little to hear—but I am not a mental health advocate, and here’s why. I’ve seen a lot of Christians online put “mental health advocate” in their bio, and it’s not my thing. Advocate to me means to support or recommend, and as far as mental health goes, I feel many are beginning to add it to their identity. I don’t want to normalize it because it’s not normal. It’s life-destroying and one of the hardest battles I’ve faced. But I do believe in the importance of acknowledging it, listening, having resources, and supporting those walking through this battle.

There are so many scriptures on renewing the mind, taking thoughts into captivity, and not being anxious. These verses alone show me that Jesus doesn’t intend for us to live under this heavy battle. But as we look at the world now, we see how prevalent these struggles have become in how people identify. Sadly, we are also seeing how it’s become the norm in other areas, like gender, pronouns, and the world asking us to accept the madness of it all.

The enemy is bringing a battle unlike anything we have seen before, and as Christians, because we stand on God’s truth, he is going to bombard us with attacks—most of them in the mind. And I’m going to be real: this is a daily battle I’m up against, but I know who I am. I know the authority I have in Christ Jesus. I only need to say His name on the days I’m exhausted, and He will go to war for me.

“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.” — 2 Corinthians 10:5

As for social media, I post and let God do the rest. I’d rather spend time creating than worrying about likes or shares all day. But I admit… I love to read people’s comments. My heart at the end of every day is to spread the message of how good God is, no matter how the circumstances may look.

I hope I’ve answered some of your question. Keep checking your emails for an upcoming post where I dive deeper into showing up for others in the hard moments of life.

Love,

Sarah x

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