May is Mental Health Awareness Month and not only does society care, but God cares about our mental health. He knows our struggles and has provided for our mental, emotional, and spiritual health through His Word. Your Mind Matters!
So, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Gen 1:27 NIV. Since we have been made in the image of God, we have been given some abilities not given to God’s other creations.
God’s plan to restore man’s relationship with Him was set in motion immediately after the Fall. Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross and Resurrection paid the price for our sin in its entirety – past, present, and future. However, the spiritual battle that all believers face must be fought daily. To assist us, God has provided His Word as a source of strength to help us face the mental challenge of the battle.
Once Christ is accepted, the battle begins between the former life (the old man) and the new life in Christ (the new man). The Apostle Paul described his battle in Roman 7 and summed it up in verse 15:
For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want—instead, I do what I hate. Rom 7:15 NET
Then there’s another benefit that God provides which promotes our mental and spiritual health. He tells us where to focus or mind and thoughts. There is a saying, “if you shoot for nothing, you are bound to hit it.” Well, God has taken the “guess work” out of where to shoot/focus our thoughts. Notice I didn’t say he would take the struggle away.
Colossians 3:2-10 begins God’s mental/spiritual roadmap with, Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Col 3:2 NIV
Speaking of roadmaps, todays’ social media would call God an “Influencer.” I’m way ahead of you. An Influencer is someone who has:
- The power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience.
- A following in a distinct niche, with whom he or she actively engages. The size of the following depends on the size of his/her topic of the niche.
It is important to note that these individuals are not merely marketing tools, but rather social relationship assets with which brands can collaborate to achieve their marketing objectives. According to the most recent statistics, the projected number of global social media users in 2023 is 4.89 billion, indicating a 6.5% rise from the previous year. Inevitably these people look up to influencers in social media to guide them with their decision making. (Influencermarketinghub.com)
As I personally work out my salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), I refer to Scripture for mental and spiritual influence:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Phil 4:8 NIV
May is Mental Health Awareness Month which covers numerous legitimate concerns. What we think is extremely important to God because what we think determines how we act. So much so, He provided Scripture to guide us:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom 12:1-2 NIVYour Mind Matters!
By: Henry L. Hopson, Jr.