Shatter the StigmaVzorec

Scripture and Self-Care

Take a moment to consider how you would answer the question, “What does a healthy lifestyle look like?”

If you’re like most people, your first thoughts likely involve physical health: eating well, exercising, staying hydrated, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking or excessive drinking. Perhaps you’d also mention limiting screen time, social media, or video games. But how often do you hear someone say that the first step to a healthy lifestyle is daily communion with God?

If your “healthy day” were represented by a pyramid—similar to the old food pyramid graphic—where would communion with God fit? What percentage of your waking hours do you dedicate to Him? If you’re like me, the answer is almost always “not enough.” Life gets busy and challenging fast, no matter your season. You’re either going through a tough time, just coming out of one, or about to enter one.

The Roman poet Juvenal famously wrote, “Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano”—“You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body”—at the end of the first century AD. Even two thousand years ago, early believers recognized the powerful connection between mind and body, and Scripture reinforces this truth.

Fear, depression, anxiety, and more are addressed repeatedly in the Bible, affirming the interconnectedness of physical, spiritual, and mental health. One of the most notable “mental health” stories in Scripture is about the prophet Elijah, who openly tells the Lord, “Take my life.”

Spoiler alert: God said no and restored Elijah. And just as He did for Elijah, our Creator can restore you, too.

In many ways, the Bible could be considered the oldest “self-help” book ever written. The truth is that we, as humans, are strengthened in all things through Jesus. We also practice good mental health habits when we cultivate good spiritual habits.

Regular time with God is essential for mental health. It’s your time to worship your Creator and cast all your anxieties and burdens onto Him. As we discussed earlier in this plan with the story of the drowning man, God answers prayers for better mental health in many ways. But it all begins the same way—with time spent in His presence.