Are You EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY?

One of the most difficult challenges we face today relates to mental health. Although we live in an age of many modern comforts like technology, medicine, and entertainment, many people today are wrestling with isolation, loneliness, and anxiety more than ever before. And many of us have witnessed this during the COVID-19 lockdown, and it's gotten worse for many families since then.

And it's quite alarming because it impacts everybody, especially Christians. And if left unchecked, our mental health can worsen into depression and lead to substance abuse or even suicidal tendencies. According to the CDC, the United States in the year 2022, 13.

2 million people seriously thought about suicide. So because this is such a huge issue, I think it's important for us to take proactive steps towards being emotionally healthy because being emotionally healthy, I would argue, promotes overall mental and spiritual health. So if this is something that you want, I'd encourage you to follow these eight steps to be an emotionally healthy Christian.

And before we begin, I'm not saying that this video will cover all solutions for people who struggle with serious mental illness. So I want to encourage you to get professional help if you need it. But I'd say that by incorporating these eight steps into their life, Christians will be taking preventative measures against suicide and build overall emotional health, when applied correctly.

So let's get started. Step number one, recognize that emotional growth is necessary for spiritual growth. Second Peter chapter one, verses five to eight.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge and knowledge with self control and self control with steadfastness and steadfastness with godliness and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this passage, Peter is telling the church to do their best to add to their faith.

And he says to add virtue to their faith and knowledge to that and self control and so on. And he considers these like healthy building blocks upon a strong foundation that all ends with love. And what I want you to notice is the close connection between character qualities and faith.

And I'd say that these qualities aren't simply learned from a book, but are thought through, absorbed by the heart, and then lived out. And a key point that I want to make is that lessons like growing in virtues, the fruits of the spirit, self control and love involve our emotions. So what I want you to pay attention to is that spiritual growth and being fruitful is not possible without emotional growth, which leads to a stable and healthy character.

And it's important to look at both sides of your character when it comes to analyzing your own emotional health. So don't just look at your successes, but also look at your struggles. Because by looking at both, you'll be able to see clues that will help you grow emotionally and spiritually.

So some questions for you. Has your faith gotten stronger over time? Or has it been stagnant?

Are you growing in Christian character? Or are you wrestling with an addiction and need help? After you sin, do you feel like you can go to God and talk to Him?

Or do you feel guilty and condemned rather than forgiven? And do you struggle with anger, anxiety, doubt or despair? So once you identify these things in your life, you need to understand that these are places where God wants to meet you in your journey of emotional maturity and that you can't ignore these if you want to become spiritually mature.

Step number two, resolve to prayerfully expose your emotional shortcomings. Ephesians chapter five, verses eight to 10. For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. In this passage, Paul is reminding Christians of the powerful present reality of their identity as children of God, and part of that means that they are children of light. And to walk in light would mean to walk not only toward what is true, but to also walk towards what is good and right.

But the real key here is this concept of discernment. And to discern something is to examine it carefully. In fact, the same word is used when Paul tells the Corinthians to examine themselves before taking the Lord's Supper.

And part of discerning what's pleasing to the Lord means that we should examine ourselves carefully, and that includes examining our emotions and feelings. Going back to the passage, Paul is clear that what is pleasing to the Lord is found in what is good and right and true. So if you were to examine your life and discern what's good and wrong, I'd encourage you to think about your day.

Think of all the things that you did at school, work, and then think about how you interacted with others, and then reflect. Did you do all these things in a way that pleased God? And did you notice his presence, or did he seem distant?

And if for some reason you find yourself distant from God, or unsure of who you're supposed to be or what you're supposed to be doing, what I don't want you to do is beat yourself up. Instead, I want you to think of any doubt or failures as a good thing, because from our doubts and failures we can gain some valuable insight on how we can move forward. So when the time comes and you struggle, I want you to think, "How can I learn from this?

" You see, once you get to this place, this is where the power of prayer comes in. Psalm 139, verses 23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

" Here, David doesn't approach God with closure and condemnation, but with openness and vulnerability. And he recognizes that it is God who can help him navigate through those grievous ways, and lead him toward what is good, right, and true, or what Paul says is pleasing to God. This psalm is a prayer, and it invites us to take moments during our day to analyze what is going on in our minds and hearts.

And I would say that both are necessary for a flourishing spiritual life. So I would encourage you to be like David and confront your emotions head-on, and then to give them to God in prayer. And one of the keys here is to not ignore your feelings, but to feel them out and to bring them to God.

One of my friends was telling me how he has a specific time during his prayers to vent to God. And he says he first thanks God, and then he takes some time to vent to evaluate his emotions. And once he's done venting, he asks God for help.

So I challenge you to do the same so that you can examine your shortcomings through prayer. Step number three, redirect your life to include healthy rhythms. Luke chapter 10 verses 25 to 28, "And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

" He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it? " And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

" And he said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live. " In this passage, Jesus is tested by a scribe who was an expert in the Mosaic law.

And he asked Jesus how he might inherit eternal life. And Jesus responds by quoting a famous passage found in the Old Testament about loving God with our whole being. And I want you to notice that Jesus includes different ways to love God by mentioning the specific terms heart, soul, strength, and mind.

And these represent different faculties of a human person called to love God fully. We should pay attention to the heart because this means our emotions. And the emotions are only fully capable when working alongside the other three, which involve the deepest part of our inner life, our intellect, our will, and our physical abilities.

And I would say that there are four kinds of rhythms that we can grow in that all relate to our emotional health, which provides stability and security for our soul. So there's physical rhythms, spiritual rhythms, relational rhythms, and vocational rhythms. And before we dive into these, I would encourage you to reflect honestly on how you actually take care of your body.

So for physical rhythms, some things that I'd suggest you do is to eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, figure out a workout plan, and try to get plenty of rest. I honestly find that taking care of my body helps a lot with my mental health just because I feel better. For spiritual rhythms, you can plan to read your Bible or listen to it in the car, and you can set aside time to pray each day.

You could also attend church or Bible study, meet regularly with some Christian friends, read spiritual classics, or listen to sermons. And the list doesn't end. The goal here is to really look at your spirit and to consider what rhythms that you can set for yourself that will help you get connected to God.

That way, when the time comes and you're tempted, you'll have a greater chance at standing. For relational rhythms, you could prioritize time with your family and friends, find a mentor, and take time to honor your parents by either listening to them if you live with them, or by calling them or visiting them if you don't. And here I want to stress the importance of community.

Look at Jesus' ministry. One of the first things that he did when he started his ministry here on earth was choose 12 disciples that could learn together. And when God created the first man Adam, he quickly gave to him a wife because he knew it wasn't good for Adam to be alone.

So don't be the lone wolf, but really make it a point to connect because God surrounds us with people for a reason. For vocational rhythms, you could organize your work schedule, assess your professional goals and ambitions, and think of ways to better serve while you are at work to glorify God. And going back to the first man Adam, before God gave him Eve, God gave him a job.

And I feel like many times we can dread work or push through to the weekend, but God intended work to be a blessing. You see, work is one of the ways that God provides for us, and many times God uses it to grow our character and may give us an opportunity to excel in something we're passionate about. So if you're working, try to give your work life to God and then consider how you can take steps to be a healthy worker.

So now that we looked at these four rhythms, let's look at how we can maintain them and the way we do that is by practicing discipline and self-control. And the Apostle Paul mentions this as he writes to the Corinthian church. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 24 to 27, "And do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?

So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we end imperishable.

So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air, but I discipline my body and keep it under control. Lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified. " In this passage, Paul reminds us that Christians are called to manage their bodies in a healthy way so as to preserve the message of the gospel they share with others.

And this is hard work because you don't just stumble upon discipline and own it all of a sudden and assume you'll have life all figured out. You see, God desires that we learn how to discipline ourselves so that we may finish the race and receive the eternal prize of eternal life in heaven. So if you think about your rhythms, don't just think about the goal of performing those rhythms, but carefully plan to achieve those goals with self-control and consistency.

Think about Olympic athletes. They don't just wish, hope, and dream that their goals would come true, they take action. And they change their schedule to include healthy disciplines and make efforts to remove unhealthy ones.

And their plan doesn't just include them, they also find coaches, mentors, and support systems to help them achieve their goals, whether it's earning a medal in racing, team sports, or even breakdancing. And honestly, if Olympic athletes train with such vigor for a temporary medal, how much more should Christians be training for a prize that's eternal? Because Paul here encourages all of us to discipline ourselves and to compete.

And that means us working hard, reading hard, and praying hard. However, while Paul does encourage us to do our best, God doesn't want us to do so at the expense of our souls and bodies. He also wants us to include times of rest.

And that leads us to step number four, renew your soul regularly. Exodus chapter 31 verses 16 to 17. Therefore, the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a covenant forever.

It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. In our day and age, many Christians have forgotten the blessing of Sabbath rest. And in this passage, we see that Sabbath rest is not only tied to God's act of creation, but also to a covenant or promise with his people.

Now should we think of this like an Old Testament concept that we should ignore? I don't think so. One of the greatest theologians named Augustine once said that the new is in the old concealed and the old is in the new revealed.

And what he means is that there is a close relationship between both Testaments that apply to Christians, especially when it comes to understanding God's heart toward us and his lessons for us. And I'd argue that Sabbath relates not only to Israel, but also to us as God's people. You see, the principle of setting aside one day for the Lord was designed by God to remind us of the rest, joy, and fulfillment that we could only find in him.

And this connects so well with the gospel presented in the New Testament because it's all about the work of Jesus in our salvation and not our own work to earn salvation. So practically speaking, one way that we can apply this today is to begin small. I'd recommend that you pick one day during the week to set aside a few hours to devote to the Lord, and you can always increase it later.

But during these few hours, take time to stop working and rest. Spend some time in prayer, reading your Bible, or going to church, and maybe connect with some close friends and family, or read a book, or watch a show or movie that you love, or like me, take a nap. There's also ways to rest, and you'll find that this practice will not only increase your gratitude toward God, but it can also help you process your emotions and priorities in your life.

So I'd also recommend scheduling some times of silence during your Sabbath, and maybe you sit in your backyard to think or go for a walk to reflect. You see, this kind of regular rest was God's design for his people, and it'll help you grow spiritually, emotionally, and physically. To close this thought, look at Mark chapter 2 verses 27 to 28, and he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, so the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.

" The reason why I bring this passage up is because some of you may be a little bit skeptical of the Sabbath, and if you look at the context for the Sabbath, you will notice that this has nothing to do with neglecting the Sabbath. Rather, it has to do with not restricting the Sabbath, as the Pharisees were trying to do. Jesus did all kinds of good things on the Sabbath, like healing people, and he wants us not to get caught up redefining the Sabbath by creating rules that aren't in the Bible or that don't represent the kind of rest he wants for us.

So don't ignore Sabbath rest. Rather, go to the Lord of the Sabbath and ask him for wisdom and clarity on how you could honor him through your rest. And with this kind of rest, you'll probably find that you'll become more refreshed.

And that leads us to step number five. Rediscover your sense of childlike wonder. Matthew chapter 18 verses 1 to 4.

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? " And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. " Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

In this passage, the disciples were asking Jesus, "Who's the greatest in God's kingdom? " And as the disciples were waiting for Jesus's answer, Jesus took a child and said, "Unless you become like children, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven. " And this probably surprised the disciples because when they thought the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, they probably didn't have the image of a young and humble child.

So if Jesus highlighted the humility of this young child, how much more should we as children of God also come to our Lord with a similar humility of faith? And I'm convinced that there's something more to this passage. Why is it that Jesus pointed out a child instead of one of his disciples?

Why didn't he call out the example of faith from someone he's healed or someone he had great respect for like John the Baptist? Instead, he calls a random child without commenting on whether they were good or bad. And he says, "This is your example.

And if this was Jesus's answer to such a big question, I think there's more to children than we think. I personally think that the humility of a child derives from a sense of trust and wonder and how many of us lost that because when we wake up, we rush into our various world identities as independent working adults rather than our heavenly identity as dependent children of God. How many of us allow things like work or school performance define us to the point where it consumes our waking moments with anxiety, unhealthy comparison, and selfish ambitions?

If we were honest, I'd say we are often trying to establish our own kingdom of self-sufficiency and pride rather than seeking God's kingdom where he gets all the glory. So instead, we should become like children. And that means allowing ourselves the space to enjoy God's fatherly presence and the gifts of his creation like childlike faith, trust, and wonder.

So in the same way that God designed us to have rest, he also designed us to have recreation. Now when you come to God like a child, it doesn't mean just forcing the spiritual part of your adult life to have more humility. It means more than that.

It means opening up those places within you that include wonder, adventure, creativity, and imagination, and then bringing them to God as a loving father. I want you to think back to your own childhood and ask yourself where you felt those desires for wonder, adventure, creativity, and imagination. And then look at yourself now and ask yourself if you still have it.

Maybe there's a hobby, instrument, sport, or game that you used to love but lost time for. Perhaps you have someone process trauma and you never took the time to process it. And as a result, you never found the time to do the things that you enjoyed.

So question, what are some ways that you could revive that part of your life or discover something new in the process? For me personally, back when I was in junior high and high school, I loved playing football because I loved hanging out with my friends doing something physical. And now, despite the fact that I'm not on a team, I regularly have friends that come over to my house and will bench press, squat, and deadlift together.

And growing up, I love drawing and watching Batman and Drgon Ball Z. So every now and then, I'll hang out with my best friend Johnny and catch up on some of our favorite anime. And don't even get me started on Bluey.

Cricket and The Sign are the best episodes. I find that when there's tough and long days, things like these give me something tangible to look forward to. And it's a fresh reminder for me that God loves allowing me to express myself and have fun in the same way a parent receives joy by watching their child smile and play.

So I challenge you to find your inner child because I find it's great for your emotional health because it'll help you recharge your interests and it will rewire your brain away from anxious adult-centered experiences in your life. And as time passes and as you bring God into your hobbies, you'll begin to develop a healthier sense of trust and wonder about God, others, and the world he created. And should you need help finding an activity that you truly enjoy, ask your family or friends to get their insight and make it a fun time of rediscovery that might awaken you to a fresh experience of God's grace in your life.

And that leads us to step number six. Remember your leaders in the faith. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 7.

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. In this passage, the author is telling Christians to remember their spiritual leaders who helped raise them and to look at their life and their faith.

So this passage gets us to focus on the fact that it is not only the word of God that can instruct, train, and guide us, but to also know that we could also learn from Christian leaders in our lives that demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit by how they live their lives and walk the way Jesus did. You see, we can look to many examples in our lives today, but they don't necessarily need to be alive in order to follow their example. There are those who have gone before us throughout church history whose wisdom was recorded through books, and by reading them, we can gain knowledge about how to follow Jesus better.

The concept of imitation in this verse means that we should look to our leaders for their intellect, theological expertise, or even charisma in front of a crowd. We must look to how they practice what they preach, seek their advice, and even copy them when we find agreement with the word of God. So some questions for you.

Who is it that you look up to? What character qualities or fruits of the Spirit do they display most? And how do they prioritize their family, plan their schedule, and integrate their faith into their work?

And once you identify someone, I'd encourage you to look for an opportunity to spend some time with them and ask them how they got where they are. And if you have doubts or struggles with anything in particular, be it faith or a personal situation, consider sharing it with them and asking them for advice or help. And as you spend time with them, look for the healthy rhythms and patterns in their life that you should prayerfully consider imitating in your own life.

And you can probably think of one or two examples, but if you find yourself needing more, consider step number seven, receive direction and accountability from others. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 to 25, and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. In this passage, the author of Hebrews tells believers to love one another and to physically meet together so that they can be encouraged.

So if this is a command given to the early church, it's one we should take seriously. And one way we can apply this to our life is to seek out Christian community and accountability in every season of our lives. But be aware, to stir up one another to love and good works means more than just creating good vibes and doing fun activities.

On one side, it means making time to meet with others who need our presence to encourage or challenge them. So sharing your life experience and story could really help others who might be struggling. On the other side, and the same way others may need you, you also need others to encourage and challenge you when you need help processing what is going on in your life, whether it's going well or when you're struggling with something.

One of the best ways to do this is by finding a local church community and to make time to meet with them on Sundays. And I'd encourage you to take time out of your week to attend a worship service and to be intentional about making friends while you're there. So when you listen to a sermon, try to do it with others.

And as you read the announcements, consider what other events you could join throughout the week. It could be a Bible study, a volunteer opportunity serving with other Christians in the community, or even grabbing dinner or coffee with a group during the week. And for all you people who love attending online services, technology is wonderful, but so is face-to-face interaction.

So take time to meet with others face-to-face so you can develop healthy social connections that support your emotional well-being and your spiritual growth. Something beautiful about the church is that it's full of people of all ages. You can interact with older men and women who are full of wisdom and experience, who would love to hear and learn more about from someone young and lively.

In fact, many of my mentors are decades older than me, and I'm so grateful that they came alongside me in my life and called me their friend. On a separate note, you can also serve with youth or children and participate in fun events like game nights, retreats, or sports. And as you serve, intentionally make friends and spend time in a Christian community, and hopefully you'll find others around your age who share your life experience in work or school, and that hopefully they could encourage you to stay the course and pray for you when things are difficult.

So all that to say, you were never meant to live your Christian life alone. You were made for community, and as you live your life connected to other believers that love you, this community of God's kids will remind you of the great love that God has for you, which is taught in the gospel message. And this takes us to our final step.

Step number eight, recharge every day with the gospel. Colossians chapter 1 verses 28 to 29. "Him we proclaim warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy, that he powerfully works within me. " In this passage, Paul expresses his desire to give everything he has to help everyone he meets become a Christian. But not only that, to present them as spiritually and emotionally mature.

And that is the ultimate goal. And you can see a powerful dual reality here. Paul is toiling.

I mean, this is hard work after all. But whose energy is it? It's God's energy that's right there with him.

Now you might think about some of these steps to emotional health and recognize that you still need a lot of growth to develop into an emotionally healthy Christian. It might seem like a daunting process, like hiking up a long mountain or battling a never-ending series of inner giants. And I want to encourage you, it's okay and normal for us to fall short.

In fact, it's good news. Because at the end of the day, it's not our own good works that save us, it's Jesus' good works. So as we try to take steps towards emotional health, we must view the gospel message clear within view at all times.

The gospel reminds us that we did not earn our salvation, Jesus did. And I say this because sometimes we might be tempted to believe a lie that God saved us in the past, and now it's all on us to figure things out and to make it to the end. But the Bible doesn't speak about salvation that way.

Instead, we should recognize that God's grace has always been with us, and is currently with us right now, and will always be with us. Grace past, grace present, and grace future. So as you move forward and are met with falling short of your own expectations, remember that Jesus is the one who gives us energy and nourishment to continue on toward the victory that was already sealed for us in Christ.

I personally can't emphasize enough how important it is to look to Jesus when it comes to the process of emotional maturity. Because as you take time to dig deep, deal with sin, and see those things that lead you away from a stable, humble, and loving character, by looking at the cross and the gospel, you'll see that God's grace is there for you. And you'll find that despite our constant sins and continuous shortcomings, God still desires to meet us with arms wide open, and ears ready to listen, all with a heart that desires to embrace us as His children.

So if you ever need direction on how to be an emotionally healthy Christian, follow these eight steps. Step number one, recognize that emotional growth is necessary for spiritual growth. Step number two, resolve to prayerfully expose your emotional shortcomings.

Step number three, redirect your life to include healthy rhythms. Step number four, renew your soul regularly. Step number five, rediscover your sense of childlike wonder.

Step number six, remember your leaders in the faith. Step number seven, receive direction and accountability from others. And step number eight, recharge every day with the gospel.

To close, I know that life can get tough, and I know what it's like to feel lost and broken. But during those times, I want to encourage you to ask God to help you navigate your emotional well-being so that you might become more mature in Christ. And be patient with yourself too, because regardless of how many times you fall short, something that will never change is the fact that Jesus loves you.