As a man thinks in his heart so is he.

[Bardon]

MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH THAT ARE VERY DESTRUCTIVE

Myth #1: Mental Illness is a Sign of Weak Faith

Myth #2: Christians Should Not Struggle With Mental Health

Elijah: 1 Kings 18-19; David: 1 Samuel 17; Jeremiah (The Weeping Prophet): Whole Book

Myth #3: Seeking Professional Help is a Sign of Weakness

Proverbs 15:22 1 Corinthians 12:26 Sometimes you will need to learn some tools so that you can walk in the mental health Jesus has paid the price for you to live in.

Myth #4: Mental Illness is a Punishment for Sin

Emma McAdam, a licensed therapist, told The Washington Post that many people are not even tuned into their own thoughts. She suggests taking random samples of your thoughts throughout the day to build awareness. You can set an alarm on your phone to prompt periodic mental check-ins.

When the alarm sounds, notice if you were mentally rehearsing an argument or beating yourself up over a past mistake. Once you are aware of the habit, you can start setting boundaries. One highly effective technique is to schedule a dedicated worry time.

You might set aside thirty minutes every evening specifically for analyzing problems and fretting about the future. When a stressful trigger thought pops up during your morning commute, you acknowledge it and postpone it. You tell yourself that you will deal with that specific problem during your scheduled time later that night.

McAdam compares this process to potty training a new puppy. You cannot expect the puppy to simply stop relieving itself entirely. You have to teach the puppy when and where it is appropriate to go.

By containing your worries to a specific time and place, you prevent them from ruining your entire day. You will often find that the thought that felt like a massive emergency at noon feels completely irrelevant by the time evening rolls around. With enough repetition, your brain learns to respect the boundaries you set.

 

[AaronH]

Great post Bardon. When I was still in my 20s I probably would have agreed with those myths, at least to some degree. Then I had a serious bout with depression myself around 30, sort of out of the blue. It took years to figure out why it was happening.

God gives us the bible, and every Christian should be part of the church, but those aren't and never were meant to be the exclusive paths to dealing with mental health issues (although they may be for some). Techniques like those you described, counselling, and even meds can be legit parts of the path back from depths of depression, anxiety, or whatever the issue may be.

 

[Bardon]

The key for me was when I understood 2 Corinthians 5:21 and The Holy Spirit help me grow in it everyday.


He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

 

[praise_yeshua]

The key for me was when I understood 2 Corinthians 5:21 and The Holy Spirit help me grow in it everyday.


He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

"Judicially" is certainly a Protestant perspective.

Death should be the focus of 2 Corinthians 5:21. Death still works in our members......

It worked in the "members" of Jesus Christ.

Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Death works in weakening the various "parts" of our bodies to the point that a vital "member" causes our death.

There is no absence or context of a physical body to 2 Corinthians 5:21. It is literal application upon the bodily form of Jesus Christ. Nothing "judicial" about it.

 

[praise_yeshua]

MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH THAT ARE VERY DESTRUCTIVE

Myth #1: Mental Illness is a Sign of Weak Faith

Myth #2: Christians Should Not Struggle With Mental Health

Elijah: 1 Kings 18-19; David: 1 Samuel 17; Jeremiah (The Weeping Prophet): Whole Book

Myth #3: Seeking Professional Help is a Sign of Weakness

Proverbs 15:22 1 Corinthians 12:26 Sometimes you will need to learn some tools so that you can walk in the mental health Jesus has paid the price for you to live in.

Myth #4: Mental Illness is a Punishment for Sin

Emma McAdam, a licensed therapist, told The Washington Post that many people are not even tuned into their own thoughts. She suggests taking random samples of your thoughts throughout the day to build awareness. You can set an alarm on your phone to prompt periodic mental check-ins.

When the alarm sounds, notice if you were mentally rehearsing an argument or beating yourself up over a past mistake. Once you are aware of the habit, you can start setting boundaries. One highly effective technique is to schedule a dedicated worry time.

You might set aside thirty minutes every evening specifically for analyzing problems and fretting about the future. When a stressful trigger thought pops up during your morning commute, you acknowledge it and postpone it. You tell yourself that you will deal with that specific problem during your scheduled time later that night.

McAdam compares this process to potty training a new puppy. You cannot expect the puppy to simply stop relieving itself entirely. You have to teach the puppy when and where it is appropriate to go.

By containing your worries to a specific time and place, you prevent them from ruining your entire day. You will often find that the thought that felt like a massive emergency at noon feels completely irrelevant by the time evening rolls around. With enough repetition, your brain learns to respect the boundaries you set.

The mind is a battle ground of experience. Your "title" is actually a common expression that often comes from a misunderstanding/translation of Proverbs 22:7

The KJV fostered this misunderstanding.

Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

The "heart" is a complicated construct of human experience. It is the "seat" of emotion that comes from various sources of human experience.

A person can't simply "think" himself to be something that he isn't.

Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Luke 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

"Mental Health is very important but there must be a holistic approach to the answer. Sadly to say, there are many people that God loves that can't handle the suffering associated with circumstances beyond their control. Peace can be a "thought". A choice of the mind that can easily be overwhelmed by experience.

I hope to have a meaningful discussion with you. Thanks

Mental health isn't just a "state of mind".

 

[Aeliana]

This is from my devotions yesterday so I had to share it'

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
PROVERBS 23:7


The longer I study God’s Word, the more I realize the importance of our thoughts. Today’s scripture is one I have referenced many times and is very important to understand. It teaches us that what we think about determines who we become. This is encouraging to know, because it tells us we can change our lives by simply changing the way we think. Romans 8:5 also helps us understand this:

For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

The mind is the forerunner of our actions. In other words, the decisions we make and the actions we take are direct results of our thoughts. If our thoughts are negative, life will not go well for us, because we will view it negatively, and we will not be happy or optimistic. On the other hand, if our thoughts are positive, we can expect many things to go well for us—and when something doesn’t, we will find ways to use it for good. When we think positively, we are happier people, and we enjoy life much more than those who are negative. This is a very simple principle, but it is important to remember each day, especially when we are tempted to despair or feel hopeless.

Confession: I think positive thoughts, and I live a positive life.







Joyce Meyer, Mornings with God: 365 Devotions to Start Your Day Right

 

[praise_yeshua]

This is from my devotions yesterday so I had to share it'

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
PROVERBS 23:7


The longer I study God’s Word, the more I realize the importance of our thoughts. Today’s scripture is one I have referenced many times and is very important to understand. It teaches us that what we think about determines who we become. This is encouraging to know, because it tells us we can change our lives by simply changing the way we think. Romans 8:5 also helps us understand this:

For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

The mind is the forerunner of our actions. In other words, the decisions we make and the actions we take are direct results of our thoughts. If our thoughts are negative, life will not go well for us, because we will view it negatively, and we will not be happy or optimistic. On the other hand, if our thoughts are positive, we can expect many things to go well for us—and when something doesn’t, we will find ways to use it for good. When we think positively, we are happier people, and we enjoy life much more than those who are negative. This is a very simple principle, but it is important to remember each day, especially when we are tempted to despair or feel hopeless.

Confession: I think positive thoughts, and I live a positive life.







Joyce Meyer, Mornings with God: 365 Devotions to Start Your Day Right

I have problems with Joyce Meyer. BIG problems. She is powerful person that misleads many people. She is misleading you.

Society teaches us that "we can be whatever we IMAGINE to be". We can't. In fact, there are many things we shouldn't "imagine" to be.

There are many Scriptures that contradict what she wrote in your devotional.

For example.

Ecc 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Ecc 7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

There is very common "belief" that if you're not "rejoicing" or "happy", then you're not in the proper "will of God". When nothing could be further from the Truth.

Proverbs 23:7 doesn't teach anything that is in your devotional.

A good people can be in horrible circumstances and the answer isn't to avoiding mourning or sorrow. The answer is often to simply wait. Sometimes that answer is to wait till God changes us all and the circumstances of us.

There is a time for everything. Can you "think" your way out of sorrow? Sure. You can ignore the very real facts of why you're "rightfully" sorrowful. Ignoring something isn't deal with it.

 

[Aeliana]

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts," a phrase often attributed to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, emphasizes that while people have the right to personal beliefs, those beliefs cannot alter objective reality. It distinguishes between subjective opinions, which are valid, and factual accuracy, which is not.

Joyce Meyer: A prominent Christian teacher and author who hosts "Love Life Women's Conferences," attracting thousands of women, and frequently shares messages celebrating mothers and addressing women's personal, emotional, and spiritual needs. She has spoken about being among the first women to teach in a male-dominated environment.

 

[Bardon]

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. . . . yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 2:11–16


IF WE HAVE the mind of Christ, what needs to be renewed? What is dysfunctional in our minds? And what does this renewal have to do with proving the will of God? Our major problem is that the relationship between our minds and hearts has been perverted, the roles confused. The proper function of the mind in relation to the heart is to make decisions, while the heart is to sense and feel things as the servant of the Spirit-renewed mind.

 

[praise_yeshua]

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts," a phrase often attributed to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, emphasizes that while people have the right to personal beliefs, those beliefs cannot alter objective reality. It distinguishes between subjective opinions, which are valid, and factual accuracy, which is not.

Joyce Meyer: A prominent Christian teacher and author who hosts "Love Life Women's Conferences," attracting thousands of women, and frequently shares messages celebrating mothers and addressing women's personal, emotional, and spiritual needs. She has spoken about being among the first women to teach in a male-dominated environment.

What facts did I get wrong? I'll listen. You didn't list anything I got wrong.

Jesus was murdered. The apostles were murdered. Your appeal to the "success" YOU see in your teacher is nothing more than opinion. They're not facts that God approves of anything.

BTW. "Joyce" isn't the "first women" in some imaginary "male-dominated" environment.

 

[praise_yeshua]

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. . . . yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 2:11–16


IF WE HAVE the mind of Christ, what needs to be renewed? What is dysfunctional in our minds? And what does this renewal have to do with proving the will of God? Our major problem is that the relationship between our minds and hearts has been perverted, the roles confused. The proper function of the mind in relation to the heart is to make decisions, while the heart is to sense and feel things as the servant of the Spirit-renewed mind.

So tell me what is dysfunctional in my mind? Go for it.

1. If your mind acts contrarily to your heart, then you are divided. How is that healthy?
2. Why does you heart desire things contrarily to your mind?

Good conversation. Maybe someone can actually find help instead of simply claiming victory "in the mind" without experiencing it personally themselves.

Which is one of the core problems with how people interpret "as a man thinks in his heart".

 

[Rowan]

In contrast to the evil enticements that come from within us, every good gift comes from God, who is over us.
We are not to grit our teeth and make up our mind that we will not do a certain thing. The key to dealing with temptation is to fill our minds with other things. Since temptation begins with our thoughts, changing what we think about is the key to victory.

 

[praise_yeshua]

In contrast to the evil enticements that come from within us, every good gift comes from God, who is over us.
We are not to grit our teeth and make up our mind that we will not do a certain thing. The key to dealing with temptation is to fill our minds with other things. Since temptation begins with our thoughts, changing what we think about is the key to victory.

As your mind grows, and all minds grow......

You're going to find your mind can't help but be presented with things you don't want to recognize to be true.

Most people live "imaginary lives" that are not close to being real. What makes our lives real? What we think or what we experience?

Life flows from the mind in actions but those actions interact with the mind and actions of others. We can't just think about ourselves.

 

[Bardon]

So tell me what is dysfunctional in my mind? Go for it.

1. If your mind acts contrarily to your heart, then you are divided. How is that healthy?
2. Why does you heart desire things contrarily to your mind?

Good conversation. Maybe someone can actually find help instead of simply claiming victory "in the mind" without experiencing it personally themselves.

Which is one of the core problems with how people interpret "as a man thinks in his heart".

Welcome to Christian group therapy. We combine non-professional counseling with biblical principles, providing a safe, Christ-centered space.

Todays topic will be "CHANGE YOUR THINKING" by Tearing Down Mental Strongholds.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

Before we came to Christ, we developed defense mechanisms or flesh patterns as we mentally processed the environment in which we were raised.

These strongholds are mental strongholds raised up against the knowledge of God. We can tear them down because we have the mind of Christ and the Spirit of truth within us.

Strongholds are mental habit patterns of thought. Some call them “flesh patterns.” These strongholds are memory traces burned into our minds over time or by the intensity of traumatic experiences. They are similar to what psychologists call defense mechanisms, and they always reveal themselves in a less-than-Christlike temperament.

They are like deep tire tracks in a wet pasture. After the ruts have been established and dried over time, the driver doesn’t have to steer anymore. The vehicle will just follow those ruts, and any attempt to steer out of them will be met with resistance. If we follow those neurological pathways for six consecutive weeks, a habit will be established. If the habit persists, a stronghold will form.

Deception is the glue that holds every stronghold together. The key to freedom from strongholds is found, not surprisingly, in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5. Read the words carefully:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

 

[Rowan]

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2)
means replacing worldly perspectives with God’s truth to achieve inner change, rather than just changing outward behavior. This ongoing process aligns thoughts with Scripture, transforming lives from the inside out to understand God’s will.

 

[Lily]

The Bible teaches us that our words have power and we get exactly what we speak. Along with that, our thoughts affect our moods and attitudes. In other words, your attitude in life affects your altitude in life, meaning your attitude determines how far you can go in life—how far you can go in pursuing your dreams, relationships, business, etc.

Your thoughts and my thoughts will determine the kind of lives we will have in the future. And you don’t have to think about and focus on whatever falls into your head. You can think things on purpose. Sometimes it is good to just sit down and have a think session. And then it’s good to have a confession session. After almost forty years of knowing these things, I still have to practice them daily. Be determined to maintain good thoughts.

Power Thought: I think and say things on purpose.

Joyce Meyer, Power Thoughts Devotional