By Rev. Lee Anderson, Minister of Care
May is National Mental Health Month. It is important to draw attention to the
various mental illnesses that exist and to the treatment of and stigma against
mental illnesses in our country. But it
is also important to remember that mental health is not just about mental
illnesses and disorders. Mental health
is in the same category as physical health; we have a body and a brain, a mind
and emotions, and how we take care of these parts of our being impacts our
overall health. Additionally, physical
and mental health is intertwined. For
instance, the same stress we experience because of hectic schedules or worrying
about the future creates an increase in the levels of cortisol in our bodies. Increased cortisol levels are linked to lower
immune function, increased blood pressure and heart disease, and decreased
memory function.
Mental health is also connected with spiritual health. Let’s look at stress here as well, something
everyone experiences. A spiritually fit
person might take time out of her busy schedule each day to be still and just
sit in the presence of God. Or, his
faith leads him away from dwelling on all the “what ifs” of the future because he
knows God is with him no matter what. While stress can’t be avoided, there are ways
to release stress and not let it take over. While exercise, diet, and sleep are all important in caring for our
mental health, people of faith find that their spiritual practices (or lack
thereof) have an impact as well.
Here is a simple exercise to incorporate in your day-to-day
activities, based on Philippians 4:6, which reads “Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God” (NIV). This verse
is often summarized by the phrase “Don’t worry about anything; pray about
everything.” As you feel a worry arise,
write it down on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in a container
designated as your God container. God
can contain much more than we can! As you
place the worry in the container, close the lid and leave it there. The key is to leave it in God’s hands…and not
continue to carry it with you.
