Mental Health and Faith: A Complex Intersection
It’s a Sunday morning, and when the sun finally breaks through the clouds, I can’t say I’m feeling uplifted. I went to bed early, but sleep didn’t find me. Instead, my thoughts are racing, leaving my mind in a fog. There’s a tug within me to attend church, yet I feel weighed down. It seems like no one really gets it, and when I open up about my struggle with anxiety and depression, the responses I receive are simplistic—“just pray more and read the Bible.” Frustrated, I pull the covers over my head, wishing for just a bit of peace.
Do you relate to this? According to the National Mental Welfare Council, you certainly aren’t alone. Around one in five adults in America deals with mental illness annually. Alarmingly, about half of all mental health issues manifest by age 14, with 75% emerging by age 24. By 2023, 20% of high schoolers will have contemplated suicide, including those within Christian communities. A study revealed that 64% of evangelical Christians and 54% of Americans believe churches should take stronger action against suicide.
Faith communities often become the first refuge for those in distress, which is a positive thing. However, only about 15% of pastors report feeling “very” prepared to aid those coping with trauma in their congregations. Even fewer members of the faith community feel confident in confronting mental health challenges.
The church has a significant role to play in filling the gap of mental health support. Yet, studies show a continuous demand for tangible, ongoing help. Many individuals from various faith backgrounds seek guidance from both clergy and mental health professionals, while some forgo therapy entirely due to misconceptions or a lack of trust. It’s critical for mental health and faith communities to align their efforts, which is where figures like Jacob Coyne come in. He’s collaborating with Glorify and launching a new initiative called When You’re Tired to offer valuable insights.
The Story Behind Please Stay Here
Jacob understands the tension that exists between hope and despair and the choice to seek help versus keeping quiet. As someone who holds faith dearly, Jacob didn’t grasp the reality of suicide until it struck close to his heart.
“I lost my Uncle Greg to suicide in 2015,” Jacob shares. “Three years later, my brother-in-law passed away from a drug overdose. Then in 2019, I lost two students along with my friend Jarryd Wilson. That was it for me—after Jarryd’s death on World Suicide Prevention Day, I knew I had to dig deeper into why people take their own lives and how we can prevent it.”
Driven by his own pain, Jacob founded Please Stay Here in 2020—a nonprofit dedicated to fostering a suicide-free generation. The mission? To stop suicide in every generation until it ceases to exist. Since its inception, the initiative has trained nearly 100,000 people in suicide prevention, aiming for outreach in 10,000 schools and churches, impacting one million individuals.
The Heart Behind: When You’re Tired
Five years into his ministry, Jacob met Henry Costa, the CEO of Glorify. This app serves as a daily Christian devotional tool designed to help individuals connect with God in contemporary ways. It features devotionals, meditations, and scripture readings, merging mental health awareness with spiritual practices. Jacob was particularly drawn to how Glorify is crafted by humans rather than artificial intelligence. “It’s not just some AI chatbot,” he laughed. “Humans write the material, and partnering with them felt like a wonderful opportunity.”
With this collaboration, Glorify now offers 24/7 mental health support rooted in Biblical teachings. Please Stay Here fosters daily motivation for spiritual growth, launching the series When You’re Tired: What the Bible Says About Healing, Hope, and Depression, a five-part guide aimed at those struggling with depression, anxiety, or thoughts of suicide.
“People dealing with mental health challenges are often just worn out and looking for help,” Jacob said. “When you’re constantly online, it’s frequently in search of genuine spiritual nourishment. This course goes beyond quick fixes. We focus on sensible, biblical tools for healing.”
And it’s making an impact. Reports indicate that 86% of Glorify users feel less stressed and anxious. Meanwhile, 92% have noticed an uplift in their overall happiness, with 90% feeling better prepared for life’s hurdles. These numbers represent real people—faces and names of those who sought hope and discovered it.
Honesty About Struggle and Healing in the Bible
The material from the course delicately balances biblical truths with mental health teachings, underlining that the Bible acknowledges suffering while offering hope for healing.
“In the past, I was under the impression that we could just dismiss thoughts of suicide,” Jacob admitted. “But that’s a harmful mindset that still lingers in many church circles today. Silence doesn’t help—it’s isolating.”
When individuals feel unsafe to discuss their struggles—be it trauma, depression, or self-worth—they often remain quiet. “Issues like these still persist in faith communities, yet people hesitate to seek help because these topics rarely come up in sermons or discussions,” Jacob noted.
This needs to change. Jesus exemplified compassion in moments like the encounter at the pool in Bethesda. For years, the man remained in pain without relief, but Jesus saw him and asked, “Do you want to get better?”
Jacob believes the same question resonates today. “Who would reach out to someone suffering long-term?” he pondered. “But Jesus does. He sees, hears, and desires to heal you because His love is too profound for you to remain scarred forever. Freedom isn’t just a future promise; it exists in this very moment.”
Spiritual Practices for Mental Wellness
In diving deeper into practical strategies, Jacob highlighted two essential habits to sustain hope: meditation on scripture and contemplative prayer.
“Begin your day by reciting the Bible aloud, reflect on it until it shifts from your mind to your heart,” Jacob suggested. “There’s no rush—savor it like a nourishing meal.”
As stated in Romans 12:2, this reflects the truth affirmed by neuroscience that, with divine assistance, we can rewire our thought patterns. “You really can interrupt the cycle of negative thinking,” Jacob pointed out.
He also stressed the necessity of balancing sadness with joy and work with leisure. “Just last week, we were fund-raising for an 11-year-old girl named Sydney who tragically took her life after being bullied,” he shared. That experience lingers with me, even more than those I was able to help. It’s important to find joy amidst the pain. I enjoy playing with my kids, watching our Boston terrier run around—it keeps me feeling young.”
Why Hope Prevails
I’m not sure what spiritual conflicts you might be facing today, but I can assure you: hope triumphs in the end. Even at your most challenging moments, God’s love transcends even death. During Jacob’s darkest days, he reminded himself that each day counted.
“Step by step,” he reflected, “I knew I’d eventually look back and be grateful for not giving up. One day at a time. I welcomed God into my suffering, and I invite you to do the same. You’ll heal gradually and find yourself emerging stronger.”
If you’re feeling uneasy, don’t carry that burden alone. Invite God into your struggles, reach out for help, and take those small steps toward healing. You might even take the free 45-minute suicide prevention training available through Please Stay Here. This course is designed not just for those feeling suicidal but also for friends dealing with anxiety or depression. It’s completely okay to not feel okay, but it’s equally important to seek out hope.
Resources for When You’re Exhausted
If you or someone close to you is struggling, remember you’re not in this alone. For immediate help, reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. To learn more, check out the resources available through Stay Here and Live or follow @stayhereorg on social media. You can also download the Glorify app to delve into Jacob Coyne’s series When You’re Tired.
Where in your life do you need God’s restorative love? Who around you could benefit from a hopeful word? Understanding how to connect with others in their pain can genuinely save lives, reminding us that every life is significant.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Jesus, when weariness sets in, remind me that your care never tires. In moments of loneliness, may I always remember your presence is with me. If I feel like giving up, let me hold on to the reminder to stay hopeful. Teach me how to rest in your love and comfort. In your name, we pray, amen.
