Mental health seems to be a buzzword nowadays but what does it mean and why does it matter? The term mental health is misleading because it suggests that it only involves the health of our minds. However, mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It can profoundly affect our everyday lives because it affects how we think, feel, and act.
We all struggle with our mental health on some level. Additionally, our physical health is also tied to our mental health and begins to deteriorate when our mental health does. The inverse is true as well, when our physical health declines, it affects our mental health. It can be a slippery slope when there is a downward spiral between the two.
Did you know that our mental health can also affect our spiritual health? Believe it or not, it can affect how we view and relate to God. If we’re struggling with mental health issues, we might think and feel that God is distant or doesn’t truly care for us. It might lead us to believe God is telling us to do something or stay in an unhealthy situation he hasn’t told us to do.
However, our faith in God can also be an invaluable resource for our mental health. When we struggle with loneliness and depression, believing that God loves us, is with us, and will never leave us can be incredibly comforting. When we’re overwhelmed by all we have to do and can’t get everything done, we can rest assured it’s not the end of the world because God has it under control and will care for and uphold us.
God cares about our mental health. He created us to flourish and is grieved when we are suffering. To care for our mental health, God has given us his means of grace through not only prayer, scripture, and the church, but also through things like medication, exercise, breathwork, friendships, and therapy. Take advantage of all he has given us so that you can flourish!
