Beyond exercise and diet, true well-being requires peace of mind. What if the secret lay in action and service? That is what Jesus’ lifestyle teaches us to free our minds.
A few decades ago, when experts talked to us about a fitness plan, all the focus was on diet and exercise: eating more of this and less of that, and engaging in a sport. But in recent years, good well-being has also included reducing our stress and, consequently, getting a good night’s sleep. Eating well and exercising aren’t enough if we don’t have peace of mind. And the world offers all sorts of ways to find rest, with varying degrees of effectiveness.
Yet, taking care of our minds isn’t a modern concept. The Bible speaks extensively about it. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” says Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV). Or, as we often hear, “As a man thinks, so is he.” Even Jesus pointed this out: “…For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45 NKJV). Everything begins in the heart, in our thoughts. Hence the importance of placing God on the throne of our lives and letting the Holy Spirit guide our thoughts. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy: meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8 NKJV).
But it is very difficult to stop thinking about something negative, especially when it involves carnal temptations. The best way to divert our attention is to choose to think about something else. Of course, meditating on God’s Word helps us stay on the right path, and praise can bring us back to what’s essential. But Jesus suggests another method. In Mark 13, Jesus paints a challenging picture of the end times. In verse 36, Jesus says that we must not “leave you asleep”. The word “asleep” in the original Greek is katheudo, which means, among other things, “giving in to sin.” In the following verse, Jesus says that we must “be watchful.” This word is the Greek translation of gregoreuo, which means, among other things, “being active.”
What we understand here is that to resist the temptations that arise in our thoughts and, at the same time, to avoid falling into sin, we must remain active in faith. Temptations will be much less present if we are busy serving Him. The success of our thoughts comes not only from our moments of reflection but also from our actions. If you’re finding singleness difficult these days, get involved in a service at your church. No church is perfect, nor is any ministry. Serving in a church won’t always be easy. You’ll encounter people who criticize you, who frown upon you; you might not like the authorities or the structure, but if you consider this church your own, serve it to the best of your ability. Serving imperfect (and sometimes even ungrateful!) people is also good practice if you hope to get married someday!
When we choose to adopt Jesus’ lifestyle, it not only helps us resist temptations, but it also helps us find peace of mind. It may seem contradictory to find rest by working harder, but that’s precisely what we understand from Matthew 11:28-30. We truly find rest in our minds when we take Christ’s yoke upon us: that is, when we adopt His lifestyle. When our primary concern is achieving our dreams and succeeding in our endeavors, our thoughts are cluttered with to-do lists and ways to solve our problems. It’s exhausting! But if we choose to prioritize the growth of God’s Kingdom, our daily worries will no longer be so overwhelming. We will even see God’s hand take care of our needs while we serve Him (Matthew 6:33).
Want to take care of your mental health? It’s simple: just adopt Jesus’ lifestyle by cultivating a good relationship with your Heavenly Father and working to grow God’s Kingdom.