Actually, Genevieve Nnaji is right about the link between spirituality and mental health. A very good example is King Saul. King Saul had serious mental health issues, and those issues had spiritual causes. We see this in 1 Samuel 16:14:
“Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.”
We also see that Saul only had relief when an anointed man, in the person of David ministered to him. We see this in 1 Samuel 16:23:
“Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.”
Also, in the New Testament, we see that a man in the region of the Gerasenes had serious mental health issues, to the point where he had to be chained. We see this in Mark 5:4-5.
However, after having an encounter with Christ, Scripture said “they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his RIGHT MIND”-Mark 5:15.
The use of the word ‘mind’ in Mark 5:15, shows that this was a mental health issue.
Romans 1:28 is very clear that many mental health challenges are caused when people depart from God. That verse reads:
“As they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind.”
That was precisely the case with Saul. It was also the case with King Nebuchadnezzar, who was driven mad by God when he tried to put himself in the pace of God. We see this in Daniel 4:16:
“Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal.”
Again, we see the word ‘mind’.
From the foregoing, it is very clear that from a Scriptural perspective, the more you depart from God, the more deprived your mind is, and by extension, your mental health declines.
God is like the Source of our mental Internet. The closer you are to the WiFi, the stronger your device (mind). The farther you are from the WiFi, the weaker your device.
You might be very rich, and still have mental health issues because you chose not to retain a knowledge of God. We see this in Mark 8:36:
“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”.
Scripture often uses the words soul and mind interchangeably.
And the solution, as Genevieve said, is to draw near to God. When we draw near to God, Philippians 4:7 applies to us. That verse says:
“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your MINDS in Christ.”
We see that word again-mind.
So, you can choose not to believe in Scripture. But if you do choose to believe in Scripture, then you must accept that it is God Who gives us the Spirit of:
“Love, and of a sound MIND.”-2 Timothy 1:7.
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