Mental health is connected to our emotional, social, and spiritual wellness. It impacts our reasoning, decision-making, and behavior in general.
God has given us a blueprint for our mental health in the Bible to help us keep us moving in a positive direction.
Here we look at 5 Biblical principles for better mental health:
1. Don’t worry
We read in Matt 6:34– “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough of its trouble of its own.”
We are told to live in the present because that is the only thing we know for certain we are in. None of us knows for how long we will be on earth, only God does. Let us live life the best way and remain focused by telling ourselves that this day could be our last day.
2. Less anxiety
The Bible says in Phil 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
God does not intend that we would never experience anxiety because He created it, but He wants us not to be consumed by it. He wants us to depend on Him for our peace. Anxiety can fuel us and help us have the drive and need to accomplish tasks and goals. But when it overtakes us it causes distress and affects our psychological and physical wellbeing.
3. Trusting God always
The word of God tells us in Prov 3:5-6– “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
When we trust God we are assured that He will lead and guide us and show us what He wants us to do.
We can make our plans but we need to know that He is always with us and God who will make our way known to us.
4. Be slow to anger
Prov 14:16-17 says, “A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.”
As humans we are prone to losing our temper and get angry, even Jesus was seen exercising anger in the marketplace when he overturned the tables.
But we have to be careful how we exercise this anger. We don’t want to be hotheaded, and meanspirited people. We need to find a way to let our anger cool down, and deal with it in a rational way. We are reminded by God’s word that love is patient, love is kind. It is not easily angered. I Cor. 13:4-5
5. Be compassionate
Luke 10:25-37; 36-37 says- “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
If we show kindness and compassion to others, like how we expect them to do to us, the world would be a much better place.
Start by doing small acts of kindness and being compassionate to someone every day as it is more blessed to give than to receive.