When faith doesn’t fix everything today: surviving suicide and stigma | with Chris Morris | episode 424

We journey with Chris Morris as he candidly shares his lifelong battle with depression, suicidal thoughts, and the restorative process of faith and community. He draws out practical wisdom for both those who struggle with mental health and the people who walk alongside them.

Listen here: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/394862/link/ 

Watch on YouTube (please don't forget to subscribe!): https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 

Chris Morris opens up about his initial encounters with God during his teenage years amid deep depression and a suicidal crisis. Despite not being raised in a Christian home, he experienced a life-changing introduction to faith through a neighbor’s invitation. However, contrary to many “testimonies” often heard in church that promise total healing, his struggle with mental health did not vanish after conversion. Fast forward 30 years, he found himself in a psychiatric ward after a suicide attempt, feeling unworthy and broken.

In the depths of crisis, Chris Morris shares a pivotal moment when he sensed God telling him, “Chris, I still love you.” Initially, he argued with this gentle assurance, convinced he wasn’t worthy of love. Over time, however, this truth took root: if God still saw value in him at his lowest, perhaps his own self-perception was deeply flawed.

A recurring theme is the negative impact of judgmental or dismissive church environments. Chris recounts how a pastor once told him, “Man up and pray more,” reinforcing guilt and isolation. In contrast, his current church responded with compassion and affirmation, restoring his hope and sense of belonging. He highlights the critical role of the “ministry of presence”—simply being with someone in their pain, without trying to fix them or offer platitudes. Support is less about having answers and more about empathy, presence, and genuine curiosity. Being a safe, nonjudgmental companion can offer hope and healing.

Chris shares practical tools for managing destructive thought patterns, such as asking reflective questions: Is this thought necessarily true? What else might be true? What should I do in response? What might God be doing right now? These questions help reframe negative self-talk and encourage a posture of grace toward oneself. Learning to question and reframe harmful thoughts is vital. Spiritual and emotional health often require new skills and intentional practice.

Chris describes how his journey to recovery involved rebuilding trust with family, especially after broken promises and repeated crises. Openness, accountability, and continued professional help were essential, not just for himself but to reassure and support his loved ones. Restoration is gradual and requires honesty, humility, and consistent effort. Loved ones can support, but are not responsible for, someone’s mental health recovery.

Key Takeaways:

• Struggling with mental health does not mean a lack of faith or spiritual immaturity.
• Community and empathetic support play a crucial role in recovery.
• God’s love and acceptance are not dependent on our success or failure.
• Healing may require therapy, medication, and time.
• The church is called to be a place of presence, grace, and hope for all who struggle.

Challenge: Consider how you can offer the ministry of presence and curiosity to someone around you, and reflect on how God’s love remains steadfast regardless of life’s valleys.

MORE ABOUT CHRIS MORRIS

Chris Morris writes, “Welcome to my Christian mental health website. This is a safe place for followers of Jesus dealing with depression, anxiety, and every mental illness under the sun. If you’ve asked yourself, “if I’m a Christian, why am I depressed?“ or, “where is God when my life is falling apart?“, or “How do I overcome depression biblically“, you’re in the right place. Everything here is written as Christian help for those in the mental illness community as we redefine normal and rediscover hope together. Let’s talk about these two things for just a moment. What does it mean to redefine normal? It means that nobody but you gets to tell you what’s normal and what’s abnormal. You are the arbiter of your own life, and you get to decide that.

For you, maybe a normal day is not getting out of bed until noon because of chronic pain, and having to carefully calculate where you spend your limited energy. If so, I honor your normal here. How about rediscovering hope? So many of us struggle to fell there’s any objective reason for hope in our lives, because, to be honest, our lives stink a lot of the time. It’s full of difficulty and complexity, hard conversations and unmet expectations. But we can find the keys to having hope despite all these setbacks. I spend a lot of time talking the nuts and bolts of hope from a biblical perspective, so it’s more tangible, meaningful, and applicable to real life.”

More at https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK, “RESILIENT AND REDEEMED”

You Are Not Alone, Regardless of Any Mental Health Diagnosis

God cares deeply about you and your mental health. Author and mental health advocate Chris Morris has battled depression and suicidality his entire adult life. Even coming to Christ didn't change this, which is something many fellow Christians don't seem to understand. He still had to face the grief of unrelenting illness, the shame of struggling, and the pain of poor guidance.

In this compassionate and engaging book, Chris shares how he overcame these challenges and invites you to do the same--no matter your diagnosis. Weaving biblical truth and personal stories with thoughtful strategies and hard-earned wisdom, he helps you move past fear and shame to combat the specters of depression and suicidality.

God is still there, even in the darkest of places. May this book be a step in the process of healing and help you find hope in your battle.

Includes reflection questions, Scripture meditations, and a bonus video course.

More at https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/books/resilient-and-redeemed-lessons-about-suicidality-and-depression-from-the-psych-ward/