The Total Package: Nurturing Your Spiritual, Mental, and Emotional Health

Jesus didn’t suffer an agonizing death of torturous cruelty so that we, His children, could wallow in pain, damaging our mental and emotional health. His sacrifice was intended to accomplish salvation for all of God’s people, with all of its accompanying benefits in this life as well.

Though the Father’s aim in sending the Son was to reconcile fallen humanity to Himself by giving them new life, He intends for that new life to transform our human experience. Our salvation is also designed to testify to God’s goodness. Christ came to bring to us abundant life, so His sons and daughters would be living displays of His glory to the surrounding world.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. – 3 John 2, ESV

That is not a denial of the joys of spending eternity with the One who loved us first. The idea of living eternally in Heaven is something for the believer to anticipate with joy. Having a redeemed soul is a critical part of experiencing abundant life in this world, even where our mental and emotional health is concerned.

We assert that because of Jesus’ blood the Father forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9-10). However, healing our hearts (though never perfectly this side of heaven) is one of salvation’s effects in this world.

When we consider this, it can reassure us that Jesus is concerned with the totality of our well-being. Believers tend to emphasize spiritual wellness as we nurture and celebrate our faith, and it is truly only because of that spiritual wellness that any sort of mental health can come about.

God is our Father who intends for our spiritual wellness to be reflected in the joyous and peaceful state of our mental and emotional health. Like a good parent, He is intimately aware and concerned with what we experience om all of life.

Jesus warned His followers then and now that we will experience tribulation (John 16:33). It is part of the course of life on earth. However, we don’t have to experience it without the peace and reassurance of His enduring and empowering presence.

The Savior has gifted us with the Holy Spirit, who reveals the Father’s heart and gives His wisdom to those who ask for it (James 1:5). His Spirit isn’t just our comforter, who addresses the hurt and pain we encounter, but He also leads and guides us into the truth of His written Word. That truth, found in Scripture speaks to our comprehensive wellness. Our mental and emotional health are important components of our lives, and influence how we relate to God.

In fact, as children of the King, we are citizens of His kingdom whose principles are “righteousness, peace, and joy.” Embracing this truth can serve as a potent reminder of how much our thoughts and moods reflect the quality of life that the Lord desires us to experience with Him.

Whether we realize it or not, the quality of our soul is often reflected outwardly. It is more than our facial expressions. Rather, it drives our behaviors and the way that we interact with the world around us. When we do so from a place of contention, worry, or spite, our testimony doesn’t match the fullness of what Jesus came to give us.

However, we don’t have to be limited to experiencing life as solely informed by the afflictions that have impacted our mental and emotional health. Instead, we can turn our attention to living in the Lord’s presence, enlivened by the Spirit of Christ (Matthew 11:28-30).

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, – Romans 14:17, ESV

Christian counseling for emotional health.

While you may not be where you would like to be with your mental and emotional health, embrace a new path today. Consider the resources that are available at Allen Christian Counseling in Texas. Search for a counselor’s support when mental and emotional health seems out of reach, intimidating, or impossible to attain.

Contact us today at Allen Christian Counseling to schedule an appointment. You will find what you need to advance into new frontiers of abundant life that have been part of the total package God has for you.