Big Idea: God treats mental health as an issue of the body, mind, and spirit.

How does God treat mental health?

1. The Causes
   1 Kings 19:1-3a
   The causes of our mental health struggles are sometimes obvious, but more often they aren’t.
2. Our Instincts
   1 Kings 19:3b-4
   Our reactions to our mental health struggles can be worse than the causes.
3. The Treatment
   1 Kings 19:5-6, 9-18

What one step can you take right now to grow in your mental health?

Message Questions

We’re in a 4-week series called Fear Not which began on Easter Sunday. In so many ways, we are safer, wealthier, and healthier than any society before us. And yet, we also find ourselves in the midst of a mental health crisis. What does Jesus want to say to us in the midst of these struggles? It’s no accident that a single command is repeated more often than any other in the Bible—Do not fear. Join us as we explore how the gospel is the antidote to the spirit of fear. This week we are in 1 Kings 19:1-18, and the big idea is: God treats mental health as an issue of the body, mind, and spirit.

Use these questions to discuss the message from Sunday, focusing on how you can grow as an everyday follower of Jesus and how you can go accomplish what Jesus calls you to do.

1. Have someone read 1 Kings 19:3-4. Elijah isolates himself and prays to die, overwhelmed by fear and despair. When have you felt similarly discouraged or alone? What does this passage teach us about how even strong people of faith can struggle with mental health?
2. Have someone read 1 Kings 19:5-8. God's first response to Elijah’s despair is physical care—rest, food, and water. What does this reveal about how God sees our bodies as part of our mental and spiritual health? How do you care for your physical needs when you're mentally or emotionally struggling?
3. Have someone read 1 Kings 19:11-13. God reveals himself not in dramatic signs, but in a soft whisper. What does this teach us about how God often meets us in our lowest moments? When have you heard God’s voice most clearly in your life?
4. Elijah believed he was completely alone, yet God revealed that 7,000 others had remained faithful (18). How can you grow in your awareness that you’re not alone? What community, habits, or rhythms could help you stay connected when your mental health is challenged?
5. God doesn’t only restore Elijah—he also gives him a renewed purpose (15–17). Who in your life might need help seeing that God still has purpose and love for them in the middle of their struggles? How can you go and encourage or walk alongside them this week?