There is no aspect of your well being that is not important to God. He desires for you to be perfectly sound in every area of your life and this includes your mental well being.
He Made You Soul, Spirit and Body
1st Thessalonians 5:23 [CEV] “I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns.”
Man was created as a tripartite being and thus, is made up of spirit, soul and body. Your body is your ticket to remain on the earth. It is easier to tell when something is wrong with your body because God designed us in an intricate manner that certain “alarm bells” go off when our physical body is not functioning optimally.
Your spirit is what receives and hosts God’s spirit at salvation. We receive a new life in Christ when we believe in and accept His Lordship. At this point our spirit receives his indwelling spirit to guide us in this new life.
Your soul on the other hand is composed of three parts – your will, emotion and mind. It is your soul that makes up the core of who you are, your personality, interactions and actions.
It’s important to understand that God and mental health is not mutually exclusive as God is interested in every part of your well-being.
God and Mental health: Why God Cares About Your Mental Health
Today, we will be focusing more on the mind as its impact is mostly felt in what we refer to as mental health.
According to WHO, mental health can be defined as a mental well being state that allows you to cope with life stresses, realise your abilities, learn and work well, and make meaningful contributions to your community.
Your mind is like the processing hub of your soul, it receives, collects and processes information. This information is later reflected through your reaction and actions.
Unlike your spirit that is instantaneously made new at salvation, the renewal process of your mind requires a growth journey.
Remember that your mind has received and processed various kinds of information since your birth. Years of thought patterns, mindset, opinions, prejudice and viewpoint have been formed and solidified. It cannot all be swept away in an instant.
3 John 1:2 [NLT] “Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”
Because it is God’s desire that you are fit in all areas of your life and this include having a mentally healthy faith life. He had made provisions to lead you on a journey of perfect health.
The Word – The Word of God as made available to us in the Bible is God’s top provision for your mind’s renewal. The more you listen, read and interact with God’s word, the more your mind is being renewed and transformed rightly. This would reflect in the way you see yourself, interact with others and your response to life situations.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 [NLT] “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.”
From the above scriptures you can see that Peace is God’s plan for you. Anything or situation that disrupts your peace should not be permitted into your mental space. Your response to life situations must be a response of peace.
With the help of God, you can train your mind to respond with peace to every and any situation. This will not only preserve your mental wellbeing but keep you safe from making rash decisions that can become detrimental to your general well being.
In Summary,
Mentally healthy faith lifestyle is God’s ideal for you as his child. He desires that you prosper in everything and be fit to serve him better. He does not want you to struggle but to live at your fullness.