The Bible says:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
— Philippians 4: 8
“Think” is a verb. “Thought” is a noun. “Thought” is defined as “a subject of discourse such as a person, place or thing.”
The “things” our text tells us to think about are nouns. They are the subjects of our thoughts.
If we want to be healthy mentally we will use these things listed in our text as food for thought. And this manner of thinking will make and keep us mentally healthy.
Because of sin we have health issues. And wrongfully put our physical health before our mental and spiritual health. If our spiritual health was addressed first we could see good health in our mind and body.
A person’s being is all out of harmony and in bad health until there is a perfect balance between them and the law of God. Spiritual health is restored through faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2: 1, 2) Mental health can then be restored by forming the mind of Christ. (Romans
12: 1, 2; Philippians 2: 5) Physical health can be, but is not always restored.
For the regenerate it will be restored at death and the Rapture. It isn’t until we have the Spirit of Christ and have formed the mind of Christ that we can live the life of Christ.
Mental health is having our mind, our thought process in harmony with the law of God. It is making Christ Lord of our thought life. (2 Corinthians 10: 5) If we can think better and have better mental health we can as a result see our physical health improve. This is because our psyche affects our physique.
“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”
— Proverbs 14: 30)
There is a connection between our psyche or spiritual man and our physical man. Any spiritual sickness of the psyche can affect the physical man.
The health of the inner man has a greater influence on the health of the outer man than most realize. Some people worry themselves to death.
How is your mental health?
James H. Cagle is a Ray City resident who pastored several churches for a total of 11 years. Email him at pastorjameshcagle@ yahoo.c
om
