Mental Health Day – Therapy for Christians – Purity 1553
Purity 1553 01/11/2025 Purity 1533 Audio Podcast
Purity 1553 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of a couple on an unknown beach as the waves come crashing in and the sun sets perfectly between banks of clouds on the horizon comes to us from an unknown FB friend who shared this scene on social media on or around July 14, 2024. If this summertime memory is yours give me a heads up and we will photo-credit you on the blog after the fact.
Well, it’s Saturday and while I won’t be enjoying any sunset beach walks with my beloved any time soon, I am rejoicing all the same because I am at my countryside home for the weekend with TammyLyn and that just gives me peace and rest.
In our busy lives, we don’t often take the time to take a rest. God gave us the sabbath for a reason. We need it. Not only do our bodies need a rest but we also need to give our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions) a rest too. As a Christian Life Coach, I suggest a daily spiritual practice to rest in the Lord’s presence but I also suggest taking periodic retreats – or mental health days – to shift our focus off of the world and even off our own problems and to shift it to the Lord and the peace He has available for each one of us in His presence.
I recently got an email newsletter from Dr. Corine William’s TherapyforChrisitians.com and I am sharing it on the blog today to support their work and to share the good practical, Christian advice it gives. TherapyforChristians.com’s stated goal “is to be more proactive and practical in increasing mental health awareness in the Christian community and to provide accurate and useful information. In order to accomplish this goal, we are taking the below three prongs approach:
1. We will be providing Biblically based information and resources about mental health topics. Check out our blog post here: Blogs
2. Launching a database that allows individuals to easily find providers that share their world view. You can search for providers here: Find a provider
3. Providing a platform that allows providers to easily and effectively market their business. If you are a provider, you can list your business here: Get listed”
I appreciate what TherapyforChristians.com does and I thought I would their January 6th newsletter content to offer its advice and to encourage you to check out their site. Dr. Corine Williams writes:
“Scripture Focus: The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” ~Psalm 91:14-16 (NLT)
Our problems may seem overwhelming, but when we focus on them, nothing changes. Focusing on our challenges usually strains our emotional health, causing more harm than good.
When there are problems in our personal lives or the world around us, we should acknowledge them without taking our focus off God. The best solution is to remember what the Word of God says about the problem.
In Matthew 14:24-31, while the disciples were alone in the boat, beaten by the waves, and the wind was against them, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and the following conversation ensued:
They (the disciples) were terrified and shouted, “It’s a Ghost!”
But Jesus spoke up at once, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Many times, we too forget to focus on God and His promises. Instead, we focus on our own understanding and the profundity of the world. The Bible is full of God’s promises. Every word of the Bible is God-breathed, and within its pages, there is a solution for every problem.
The truth is, our enemy, Satan, tries to get us to focus on our challenges rather than on God, who can give us victory over them. However, we defeat him when we focus on God. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us, so when we focus on Him, we are safe, steady, and on our way to achieving emotional health (Hebrews 13:5).
You get to choose your focus. Choose God.
As you reflect on focusing on God, consider these questions:
- What problems are you facing right now?
- Does the presence of problems in your life equal the absence of God?
- How can you focus on God even when dealing with problems?
- What does God’s Word say about the specific problem you are facing?
Practical Application:
- Create a “Focus on God” journal: Each day, write down one challenge you are facing and a corresponding Bible verse that reminds you of God’s power and promises. Spend five minutes meditating on that verse and thanking God for His control over your situation.
- Set a Daily Alarm: Set an alarm on your phone labeled with a Scripture verse like Isaiah 26:3 (“Perfect Peace”) or Colossians 3:2 (“Set Your Mind”). When it rings, take a moment to refocus your thoughts on God and pray for His guidance.
- Create a Visual Reminder: Write out your favorite verse about God’s promises on an index card or sticky note and place it somewhere visible, like your bathroom mirror or desk. Use it as a daily reminder to keep your eyes on God.
Additional Bible Verses:
- Colossians 3:2
- Matthew 6:24
- Proverbs 16:3
- Colossians 2:6-8
- Isaiah 26:3
Well, that is all for now, please continue to pray for us and know we are praying for you,
Corine Williams”
Amen. That was a wealth of Christian teaching and practical advice to help us keep our focus on the Lord and to lean on His strength as we navigate through the world today. I’d like to express my thanks to Dr. Corrine Williams and the Therapy for Christians staff for all they do. To read informative blogs, to find a Christian mental health provider, or to get yourself listed as a Christian mental health provider go to TherapyforChrisitians.com today.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Humility (Pride).
Matthew 6:1–8
Matthew 6:1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Today’s verses fall under the eighth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Humility (Pride).
8. Jesus warns against seeking the praise of others by a proud display of piety.
Today’s Bible verse tells us to not play for the crowds but to do our good works humbly before our God.
Jesus took on the powers that be in the Sanhedrin by teaching these things. The Pharisees and Sadducees may have differed in their beliefs about the resurrection but they agreed that Jesus had to be taken out because He pointed to what they regularly did – showy displays of piety and doing good works before men – to not be the way we are to honor God.
Jesus didn’t want us to fall into the trap of the religious leaders of His day and encourages us to be humble servants of the Lord who do not look for the crowd’s approval but who only seek to please God.
Although we can be proud of the good things we do for the Lord, we have to remember who we are doing it for. We don’t do good works for our pastor, our friends, our family, or for the community at large. All those people may benefit from them but the good works we do were prepared for us to do by the Lord and it is for Him only that we are to humble ourselves and serve.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “Day by Day Along the Way” By Jay E. Adams.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Adams’ books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 52
The highway of upright people turns away from evil; he who guards himself takes heed to his way. – Proverbs 16:17a
The first half of the verse quoted above contrasts sharply with the second half, which we looked at yesterday. While many Christians lead a virtually unguarded way of life, the upright—those who stand for the truth—are careful to traverse only the highway that runs in a direction away from sin. Confronted by the things mentioned in the previous paragraph, they avoid what is “evil” and will not even bother to consider those things that are suspect, let alone participate in them. Today, you are on a highway; unavoidably so. Remember, God calls the Christian faith “the Way.” All ways lead either toward or away from evil. Do you know which direction you are going? Consider carefully whether to get off or continue on it. The upright stand tall before God because they consider and carefully take heed to their ways, thus avoiding evil. Turn today, if you discover you’re on the wrong road.[1]
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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Jay E. Adams, Day by Day along the Way (Cordova, TN: Institute for Nouthetic Studies, 2020), 60.
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