Can Mentally Ill People Go to Heaven?

Recent questions led me to pull this out of the archives. At the end of the article, I’ve included links to previous columns which also deal with mental and emotional illness.

Q: I have been diagnosed bipolar and schizophrenic affective, which means I constantly mix reality with things I’m told are my imagination. With different medications it is hard to feel any emotion. I know there is a God, I have felt Him. My wonder is this, I accepted Jesus into my heart — many years ago, when I wasn’t as mentally sick. Now, it seems all my energy is put into simply getting through the day. I do not feel close to God — or anyone. I have horrible thoughts, horrible anger. Can someone like me go to Heaven? I keep being told that mental illness is of the devil, and if I would only pray more I would be cured. I’m tired, very tired, and just don't see what I can do. Any help would be great.

A: Bipolar disorder, even without schizophrenia, may completely debilitate a person. The drugs are powerful, often with side effects such as you mention. This can make it difficult to choose between treatment and illness. You don’t mention it, but I imagine that some form of counseling also takes place. Especially if our doctors and counselors aren’t Christian, sufferers often desire additional advice and comfort from their pastors and other spiritual leaders. It sounds, however, that your “helpers” offer as little comfort as those who surrounded Job in his trials.

In times of weakness, Satan attempts to overthrow trust in God. We might wonder, “What kind of faith do I have if I feel so bad?” The devil tries to get us to confuse the problems we have with problems we cause, leading toward doubting our entire relationship with God. All of us are sinners. However, your affliction isn’t any more your fault than are cancer, blindness, diabetes, heart disease, or broken bones in others. Still, because mental illness preys directly on the mind, you probably will always find the struggle difficult. Not only do you have feelings about both God and yourself, such afflictions create their own feelings, often at odds with the facts.

Even among those without such problems as you face, feelings provide poor guidance. God may “feel” far away when He clearly says He’s with us. Or we may “feel” like we’re doing fine by God when actually we’re in sinful rebellion.

You say that you “accepted Jesus” years ago. Actually, He accepted you and then created the faith to allow you to respond. He clings tightly to you even when you are too weak to hold on to Him. The Bible says we cannot save ourselves. Instead, God works through the forgiveness of sins, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He washes us in Baptism, comforts us by forgiving sins, and pours the holy medicine of the body and blood of Jesus Christ into us. His promises to you count infinitely more than your promises to Him.

Remaining afflicted with bipolar or schizophrenia doesn’t make you a poor Christian. Even if we pray long and fervently, we tell God, “Your will be done. (Matthew 6:10)” It may be God’s will that your illnesses continue, regardless of your faith in Him. Who has a closer relationship with the Father than does Jesus? He prayed in the Garden, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. (Matthew 26:39)” The Father chose not to free Jesus, but to afflict His Son and thus bring healing to us.

The Lord frees us from bondage to sin, death, and devil through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. Sometimes He lifts other burdens; sometimes He allows them to remain. Whenever I talk with people suffering depression and other mental and emotional problems, I urge them to remember Psalm 130. It begins, ”Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,’ and moves into a celebration of the Lord lovingly keeping his promises. Remember that you cannot climb up to meet God on His level. Instead, His Son lovingly descended, crawling into the painful pit occupied by sinful humanity, lifting us up toward heaven. He accepted the shame of the cross (Hebrews 12:2). He confronted devastating abandonment by His Father, crying out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46)” The Father judged the Son “guilty” of all sin so that He might say “not guilty” to all believers in Christ. Let your heart hear what your faith already knows: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)”

Arriving at the heart of your question, my reply is yes, you can go to heaven. Once there, your long and painful journey will testify that Christ was with you every step of the way. Your mind and your emotions will be perfectly whole, in a way that no one on earth can ever know. Even now, God forgives your doubts and your anger. He strengthens weak faith. For the sake of your eternal life and for peace of mind in the present, please find Christians who will embrace you and pray for you but who won’t lay the blame for lack of healing on you. If you desire, write me back and I’ll try to put you in touch with a pastor in your area who’ll work to remove your guilt, not add to it.

Other columns:

Christians with Mental or Emotional Illness
Mental Health and Spiritual Well-Being

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

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