Living with Mental Illness and Holding on to Faith: Chris Morris on Redefining Hope, Healing, and the Love of God

In this episode of The In-Between, Evan sits down with Chris Morris—author, speaker, and advocate for mental health and chronic illness in faith communities. Chris is the author of Resilient and Redeemed, and his life’s work is rooted in deeply personal experiences: walking with his daughter through epilepsy and autism, facing his own long battle with depression and suicidal ideation, and learning to hold suffering and faith together in the same breath.Chris shares the story of what it’s been like to live with mental illness as a person of faith—and how the simple formula many churches teach ("problem + Jesus = no problem") broke down for him. We talk about the painful fallout of poor pastoring, the lifeline of one friend's birthday invitation, and the healing power of curiosity, gentleness, and asking better questions—like “What if God is present and I just can’t perceive Him right now?”If you’ve ever wrestled with God’s silence, felt judged for your pain, or wondered whether your diagnosis disqualifies you from spiritual maturity—this conversation is full of honesty, grit, and unexpected grace.Takeaways: 👉 “Problem + Jesus = Chris still has a problem.” 👉 How catastrophizing, self-judgment, and shame distort our perception of God—and how curiosity can open a new path. 👉 “Man up and pray more”—why these five words wrecked Chris’s faith (and what rebuilt it). 👉 The three “what if” questions that changed everything—and gave him back his agency. 👉 Why having a mental illness is not a sign of spiritual immaturity. 👉 How transparency and risk became the doorway to real, healing community. 👉 Why flourishing, for Chris, now means: knowing I am loved by God, having the courage to sit in that love, and being content in that being enough.📝 Show Notes: ⁠https://itstheinbetween.com/episode20-chris-morris/