Faith & Mental Health: Finding God in the Mess of Bipolar, Anxiety & Depression
In This Episode:
Sunburnt Souls: Faith, Mental Health, and the Unideal Life
Welcome to Sunburnt Souls, a Christian mental health podcast about life, faith, and mental well-being. I’m Dave Quak, your host. On this show we dive deep into faith and mental health, exploring how mental health and Christianity intersect in real lives. Usually, I interview people from all walks of life—businesspeople living with schizophrenia, burnt-out pastors rediscovering joy, and worship leaders navigating anxiety and depression. Every conversation reveals the resilience of believers who love Jesus while carrying their own mental health challenges. This is real, raw, faith-based mental health support—because we all need grace and understanding along the way.
The Day I Met Tony
One of my first encounters with someone openly living with mental illness happened when I was about 19, in a small Melbourne church. The service was predictable—hymns, handshakes, and polite smiles—until halfway through the singing, when someone screamed from the back of the room. It wasn’t a short yelp—it was five full seconds of pure, blood-curdling noise that stopped everyone in their tracks. Then, just as quickly, the man went back to singing How Great Thou Art.
A few minutes later it happened again. And again after the service, during coffee and biscuits. People were staring, whispering, uncomfortable. Eventually we learned the man’s name—Tony—and discovered he had Tourette syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes involuntary movements and vocalisations. His outbursts weren’t for attention; they were part of his reality. And yet, Tony desperately wanted to encounter God.
Imagine walking into a church seeking Jesus while managing something like that. Churches talk a lot about mental health awareness in Australia, but for people like Tony, inclusion can still be rare. He was curious and open but deeply isolated—because of a condition that made others uncomfortable.
That moment stuck with me. It made me realise how much we still need faith-based mental health resources in our churches, and how mental health ministry in Australia has to look like Jesus—welcoming, compassionate, unafraid of difference.
When Life Is Unideal
Tony’s story made me rethink what “normal” looks like. We call some things “illness” or “disorder,” but maybe they’re just “unideal.” That word—unideal—has become one of my favourites. Because when it comes to mental wellness and faith, so many of us live lives that don’t fit the tidy, ideal boxes.
I’ve got bipolar disorder. Some of my friends have anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia. Others live with trauma or burnout. None of it’s ideal. But we’re still made in God’s image. We’re still called, capable, and deeply loved. That’s what Christian emotional wellbeing is all about—learning to live whole, not flawless.
Even physically, everyone has something unideal. I’ve got a mate with a ridiculously tiny second toe—it’s not ideal, but it doesn’t stop him surfing or living fully. In the same way, mental illness and faith can coexist. You can have a diagnosis and still have purpose, peace, and passion.
That’s what Sunburnt Souls: Faith and Mental Health Podcast exists to show—that followers of Jesus with mental illness aren’t broken Christians; they’re whole people in process. God uses our unideal stories to reach others.
The Bucket of Brokenness
I picture life as a big red bucket of brokenness. In that bucket is everything that goes wrong in a fallen world—bipolar, anxiety, grief, cancer, addiction, chronic pain, mutant toes. Everyone brushes past the bucket and something sticks. Some carry emotional pain; others physical or spiritual. It’s not punishment—it’s part of life in a world that’s not yet healed.
That’s why we need Christian mental health support in Australia—safe spaces where people can be honest about what’s latched onto them and still find hope.
When we treat mental health for Christians as just another area needing grace and wisdom, stigma loses its power. The church becomes what it’s meant to be: a place of healing, not hiding.
God in the Unideal
I don’t believe God gave me bipolar. But since it’s part of my story, I’ll let him use it. Like Paul’s thorn in the flesh, it reminds me that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. I’ve prayed for healing many times. I’ve been to conferences, deliverance sessions, even had a Ukrainian doctor pray for my brain to rewire. I still woke up with bipolar the next day. But God remains good.
That’s the tension of biblical mental health resources—learning to live faithfully in the middle of ongoing struggle. Prayer isn’t about fixing every flaw; it’s about inviting God into the mess.
People like Nick Vujicic or Joni Eareckson Tada show that not everyone’s healing looks the same. Some people find complete restoration; others find God’s strength within limitation. Either way, grace wins.
When we say “faith and mental health,” it’s not about pretending pain doesn’t exist. It’s about discovering Jesus in it.
Dwelling or Doing?
Some critics say I talk about mental illness too much—that focusing on it might make it worse. But here’s the truth: one in four Australians struggles with mental health, inside and outside the church. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. Talking about it does something powerful—it dismantles mental health stigma.
The Sunburnt Souls podcast exists to normalise the conversation. It’s a Christian podcast on mental health, yes—but more than that, it’s a movement for compassion and understanding. Every episode points people to Jesus, not as a quick fix, but as a companion in the struggle.
I’m not dwelling on mental illness; I’m shining light into it.
God in the Mess
Whether it’s anxiety in the morning, mania at Bunnings, or tears for no reason, I’ve learned to invite God into it. Not as a bystander, but as a comforter. That’s Christian anxiety support in real time—walking with Jesus when your thoughts race or your chest tightens.
When I lose my cool with my kids or argue with Jess on the way to church, God still shows up. His grace doesn’t evaporate because I’m human. In fact, it’s magnified in my weakness.
If you’re struggling, don’t hide it. Bring God into it. He already knows. That’s where healing begins.
A Call to Action: Faith, Help, and Hope
If you’re wrestling with depression, anxiety, bipolar, or burnout, this isn’t the end—it’s a new beginning. Make peace with God. Remember that he’s not far away; he’s closer than you think. He’s not repelled by your pain—he wants to walk through it with you.
And find people who will walk with you too—friends, mentors, pastors, or counsellors who understand faith-based mental health support. You need community. Healing is rarely solo.
At Sunburnt Souls, we create spaces for that connection through our faith-based mental health course online, our free mental health resources for Christians, and our Sunburnt Souls 30-day mental health journey. These tools combine biblical wisdom for mental health with practical strategies for emotional resilience.
If you want to go deeper, explore our Christian mental health course—it’s designed to strengthen your mental wellness and faith together.
And if this ministry blesses you, please consider sharing it or supporting us. Every donation helps expand our reach as a mental health charity bringing Christian depression help, anxiety and faith support, and mental health awareness across Australia.
Final Thoughts
Living with mental illness as a Christian isn’t about defeat—it’s about daily dependence on grace. You can walk with Jesus and still take medication. You can love God and still see a psychologist. You can have mental wellness tools and still need prayer. That’s what holistic, biblical faith looks like.
So let’s keep talking, praying, and walking together—because mental health and faith stories like yours and mine matter.
If you’d like to listen to more, visit sunburntsouls.com and check out the Sunburnt Souls podcast. There’s also a free faith and mental health course plus a 28-day premium version to go deeper.
If you can share, pray, or give, that helps us reach more people with hope and healing.
Let’s prove that the Christian mental health community in Australia is alive, compassionate, and unashamed.
Because life might be unideal—but with Jesus, it’s still beautiful.
