Colossians 3:2-3 “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
If you spend time in the homeless community it doesn’t take long to hear about peoples mental illnesses. The amount of state support people receive often hinges on a diagnosis that appears irreparable. Once you’re labeled with a particular “illness”, that label follows you the rest of your life.
Our mental state is not a physical entity we can touch. We can’t injure or damage it in the same way a broken bone or wound is afflicted, It is immaterial—made up of thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, emotions, memories, or moral reasoning.
The Bible addresses the mind and reveals how the conscience can become seared (1 Timothy 4:2), a person can be double-minded (James 1:8), or the mind can either become darkened (Ephesians 4:18) or renewed.
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The Word of God often speaks of the condition of the mind or heart as central to a person’s moral and spiritual health.
Even thought it’s not tangible, the mind can become disoriented from reality, enslaved to lies, paralyzed by fear, overwhelmed by guilt, or hardened by pride.
Romans 8:7 “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”
Paul’s conclusion to the Romans was not “mental illness” in a purely secular, clinical sense—it was a spiritual malfunction that was being observed. We live in decaying bodies trying to survive in a fallen world, so it’s true that some mental disturbances can stem from biological factors. Brain injury, chemical imbalances, neurological diseases, are just a few of the infirmities that cause damage. But not all mental suffering is biological, much of it is spiritual and moral.
Mental Suffering
Guilt over sin, grief from loss, emptiness from chasing idols, or just despair from rejecting God’s Truth can cause all sorts of mental anguish.
This is often why the Gospel doesn’t just offer comfort to those afflicted—it offers clarity and transformation.
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Spiritual transformation begins in the mind. The Lord is the One who ultimately redeems the sinner but to walk in the Spirit requires a measure of effort and determination. The Spirit of God strengths the righteous for good works but the act of walking in obedience is up to the faithful follower of Christ.
The Bible doesn’t separate the “mental” from the “spiritual” like modern academics often do, it treats a disordered inner life as a result of sin.
Romans 1:21 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
If your life is marked by unrepentant sin, then the desire to disobey God is greater than your desire for holiness. Whatever that sin is, it has become an idol.
Idolatry can lead to a sense of worthlessness(Jeremiah 2:5), deception is apparent in those who refuse to love the Truth (2 Thessalonians 2:11), and God’s judgment or discipline results in a depraved mind for those who choose not to retain the knowledge of God.(Romans 1:28)
Mental Restoration
Jesus came to restore fallen sinners into a right relationship with God, and with the process of restoration, He heals the broken—including the mind.
Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Jesus didn’t just cleanse the leper or raise the dead—He restored minds.
The man filled with demons was later seen “clothed and in his right mind.” (Mark 5:15) He called people to repentance—which is a complete renewing of the inner man.
If the world has given you a label, you are not bound by it. There is freedom in Christ and the Lord restores that which was broken.
Isaiah 58:10-11 “If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
Isn’t it strange how love for others turns into blessings in your own life? When a life is transformed by the power of God, the Spirit of God leads the believer in love. Love for God and love for others is evidence for the indwelling change that comes through a relationship with God.
True healing comes by way of spiritual restoration and that is found only in the One who formed you.
Jeremiah 17:14 “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”
Long standing drug use often opens a person up to delusion and ultimately spiritual oppression. I’ve known many people who have allowed themselves to be controlled by demonic spirits through use of mind altering drugs.
The key to restoration is to trust in the One who restores. Placing your faith in the Lord takes courage and a determination to move on from the devastation that comes with controlled substances. Most people need help from others. A discipleship program like Set Free NW or Teen Challenge are designed to bring accountability and guidance in God’s Word. Allowing others to strengthen you can give you the push to press on into sobriety and freedom.
A pastor or counselor at a good Bible believing church is another avenue to allow others into your struggle.
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”
Prayerfully consider all that you subject your mind to, you can either be enriched and grow through positive stimuli or be driven into depression and false understanding if the input is evil.
Stay in God’s Word daily. Make reading the Bible and praying about what you’ve learned a priority. Read or listen to good Christian books and be cautious about the shows you watch.
Everything we subject ourselves to has an effect on our being.
Set your mind on things above and you will graciously be led forth in life.
U.T. 