“Stewardship of Health”
Mental Health
As good stewards over
the bodies that God has given us, maintaining mental stability should be a key
focus. One valuable lesson that we
learn from 2 Timothy 1:7 is, that God did not give us a spirit of fear but He
has given us power, love and the ability to think soundly. Having a sound mind allows us to be effective
in every area of our lives.
In order to function
properly, it is essential for us to ensure that part of our schedule includes
us getting rest. When we do not receive
sufficient rest, our view of the world can become extremely distorted. Sleep deprivation has a major impact on how
we function mentally. Many mood
disorders, such as irritability, are also directly related to a lack of
sleep.
Lack of sleep may
have a deleterious effect on our brains as well. Our brain is a self-repairing organ and while
we are asleep, old cells and dead cells are discarded and new cells are
formed. When we fail to get sufficient
rest, the new cells can form on top of the dead cells, leading to the
development of brain tumors. Symptoms of
these tumors can range from developing severe headaches to having difficulty
walking.
The mind is a
battleground and Satan is always engaged in battle with us to conquer this territory
because creating a stronghold in our minds allows him to have success in wreaking
havoc in our lives. In 1 Kings 19,
Elijah was on the run from Jezebel after she threatens his life. His fear caused him to flee into the
wilderness for a full day. After
stopping to rest from exhaustion, Elijah prayed for God to allow him to die
because he had come to the end of his road.
When fear is combined with fatigue, even the bravest warrior can become
faint of heart. Elijah fell asleep under
a tree and an angel woke him up and told him to eat the meal that had been
prepared for him. Once he had eaten,
Elijah fell asleep again. The angel
returned with a second meal and once more instructed Elijah to eat.
Elijah’s need for
rest and proper nourishment caused him to have a distorted perspective of the
current events. The reason Jezebel had
threatened his life is because Elijah had just killed all of her Baal
worshiping prophets. Having a proper perspective
of the situation would have resulted in Elijah standing his ground. He would have realized that the same God that
made him victorious against Jezebel’s prophets would have made him victorious
against her.
It is important that
we develop a proper balance rest and other activities. God allows us sufficient time to rest, in
addition to other activities. Allowing
our minds to have time to rest and reboot gives us more of an opportunity to
function with a sound mind.
