I’m beginning a new series on mental, emotional and spiritual health. It’s not something that is always looked at from a spiritual standpoint though for us as believers, it should be.
We know from reading Ephesians chapter 6 that there is a spirit realm and an enemy of our soul. It is Satan who hates us and wants destruction in our lives. He mission is to rob, kill and destroy us. Though God is gracious and merciful to help us, the choice of who we are to serve is up to us. Satan is crafty and does not tempt everyone in the same way. He is one to prey on us in times of weakness. It is up to us to choose whether we will rebuke him and seek the Lord, or continue to marinate in the lies and despair of demons.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
I have personally found __The Book of Proverbs__ to be very encouraging to me because it is filled with logic and wisdom. Many people find __The Book of Psalms__ comforting during their time of need because David’s cries are so much like many of our own and we can see how God worked in his life. Here are some verses from Proverbs:
- “Anxiety in the heart of a man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” (12:25)
- “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” (15:13)
- “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones healthy.” (15:30)
- “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” (16:24)
- “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” (17:22)
- “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment.” (18:1)
- “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (18:21)
- “A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; for if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.” (19:19)
- “Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.” (22:24-25)
- “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (23:7)
- “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like the one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: ‘They have struck me, but I was not hurt; they have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?’” (23:29-35)
When we are in a rut of some sort, we need to remember God cares. He wants us to cast all our cares, anxieties, troubles, concerns on Him. Why? 1 Peter 5:7 tell us it’s because He cares for us. He doesn’t want to see us stuck or lose heart. When we are in some sort of funk, we need to call out to God and release our troubles to Him. How do we do that? I find getting into the word helps a lot. There is something very soul satisfying about reading the Bible. Pray and ask others to pray for and with you. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). Have faith that the God who created the heavens and earth, and who divinely created you, can transform you as you submit your ways to Him and allow Him to guide you.
For More information on mental health issues, please visit Families.com’s Mental Health Blogs.
Scripture references are quoted from the NKJV.