Yet another million dollar question and taboo subject I intend to address quickly. Can Christians be on psychiatric or mental health medication? The answer to the question is: yes. Yes to meds, yes to no meds. You’re not a less-than Christian or a disappointment to Jesus if you’re on Zoloft or a diabetic using insulin. Period.
Now, let’s unpack. Do I believe Jesus can heal everything? 100% yes. He raises the dead- so I’d venture to say he’s not intimidated by anxiety or bipolar disorder or high blood pressure.
What I also know is that everyone is at a different point in their wholeness and faith journeys, everyone has their own story, everyone has different expectations of the Lord as it comes to their well-being, AND Jesus, though always willing and able to heal, in His sovereignty responds to our needs in ways we may not recognize (ie Paul’s thorn in the flesh). So while you are perhaps in therapy addressing the traumas that you’ve been avoiding, and the anxiety mounts causing extreme difficulty managing day to day events as your emotional state is in an overhaul, if medication is indicated to help you navigate this experience, I am all for it. If you’re someone who’s been on a successful maintenance dose of a mental health medication and you trust Jesus for your well- being, rock on and feel no shame!
What I believe God does expect from us, however, is that our trust is in HIM, not the medications, whatever variety they may be, to bring us wholeness. He expects us to stay in active prayer and belief for His wholeness to manifest in our lives. What do you WANT Jesus to do for you in that area of your health or well being? What are you believing for Him to do? If you have been on Xanax for decades and you feel ready to trust the Lord to fully knock out the anxiety and not require meds forever, then it’s time to get out your Word, find scriptures on healing and conquering fear and confess them daily, right alongside your medication intake, and speak that Word, declare that you are bold and courageous, fear and anxiety free-until that fearlessness manifests.
What I believe the Lord is simply watching for is what we want Him to do in that area where your body is not naturally producing something it needs. If you’re pleased with how the medication is working and your functioning is improved, then we can all be happy with this result. If, however, you’ve come to a place where you’re believing God to not need to rely on a medication, as I said earlier, there’s nothing God cannot heal.
Now- medications to manage the anxiety, depression, mood fluctuations, chemical imbalances, medical needs etc. you are NOT to simply stop because you’ve prayed and believe you don’t need them anymore. There’s a right and a wrong way to do things and unless you know you’ve heard from almighty God yourself to stop abruptly, you are to work on a progressive decrease of meds WITH the guidance of your physician so it is done safely. That’s just using wisdom while we live in these earthly bodies.
So does Jesus love you any less because you’re on medications? Absolutely not! Be wise, optimize your functioning and address the health issues with the proper supplementation. But don’t stop doing your part as a child of God- pray as you dutifully take your prescriptions and command those supplements to do their job. Speak life over your body and mind, and maintain an expectation through declaration of the Word for God's total wholeness and healing- nothing missing, nothing broken, nothing needing lifelong medicating, until the day that becomes your reality.