As a mother, this pandemic has brought a new dimension to my parenting—daily temperature checks and health attestation forms. Where I live, they’ve been required to attend school in-person. Beyond that, I certainly don’t want to find out that my kid was the super spreader that got the whole town sick. Never have I monitored my children’s sense of smell so minutely. And the sniffle I would have told my son to push through two years ago is now a reason to keep him home from school for a whole week. 

I don’t think I’m alone. Right? Our health-consciousness has reached previously unimagined levels.

So why did I not notice that my daughter was struggling with mental health until the morning that she just couldn’t stop crying? Why was my first instinct to tell her to pull it together and go to school anyway? Why did it feel like cheating when I finally decided to keep her home and tend to her mental and emotional well-being for a day? Maybe for the same reason that I so often sacrifice my own mental health and feel like a whiner if I admit I’m struggling in any way. 

In my culture, we’ve made some good strides toward acknowledging mental health as a real issue and not shaming people who are struggling. But we still have far to go. Clearly, I have far to go. If we gain anything from this pandemic, let it be more gentleness with ourselves and others who are afraid, depressed, or overwhelmed. 

Friends, please care for your spirits. And let us look out for each other now more than ever. Personally, I’ve benefited immensely from Christian counseling at some points in my journey—I highly recommend it if you’re struggling. 

But the goal of this blog is not to promote self-care (there’s lots of great resources already available) but to spur us on to pray—especially to pray for those who are most vulnerable. Will you join us in praying this month for your loved ones and for those we work with in Africa and Asia whose mental health has suffered this past year and a half?

Here are some scriptures we can pray. I encourage you not to just read through this part of the article, but to slow down and let these prayer prompts be a starting point for your own prayers.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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 10:4-5

God, help Your people to use the weapons You’ve given us—Your word, Your Spirit, the fellowship of believers, and prayer—to demolish strongholds of fear and anxiety, depression and worthlessness. Help us to take captive every thought.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  – Philippians 4:8

Lord, when we are doomscrolling, obsessing over the news, or lying awake with our thoughts spiraling—help us to focus on Your trustworthy and eternal truth. Help us to choose to think about Your righteousness, beauty, and praiseworthiness. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

    for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

    for they will inherit the earth.”

Matthew 5:3-5

Father, You don’t just tolerate us when we are spiritually depleted, grieving, and unsure. You want to bless us. Help those who are struggling today to sense your love and comfort.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18

Thank you for your promises, Lord. Thank you for your presence when we feel mentally and emotionally crushed. Please be close to those who are struggling today.

Thanks for praying with us today. For more specifics on how to pray for mental health, view this month’s prayer mailing or our Mental Health Prayer Card.