Thankfulness (and other habits)
Have you ever been told to do something you were pretty sure you couldn’t do?
More specifically, have you ever felt that way while reading the Bible?
In Philippians 4:4-6 Paul says,
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness [gentleness, in other translations] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything…”
“Rejoice, be gentle, and don’t be anxious,” sound like pretty great things. But as anyone who’s ever been depressed, irritable, or anxious can tell you, it’s not that simple.
“Don’t be anxious?”
Wow, thanks for the advice, Paul. How about “don’t be stuck in a Roman prison?”
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Because a command like this seems to contradict modern psychology (e.g. it is not helpful to tell people “just don’t be anxious,”) we avoid the problem two different ways.
Historically, Christians have sometimes been too quick to over-spiritualize all anxieties and mental struggles. They recognize the sin and spiritual brokenness that is at the root of all issues, but sometimes offer only spiritual solutions without considering all the complicated mental issues that may be underlying it.
In recent years as conversations about mental health are becoming more and more common, some people have gone too far the other way. In reducing the stigma around therapy and medication, they sometimes turn to those things first, and avoid applying biblical advice to mental health altogether.
But I think both sides of this pendulum swing are in danger of forgetting that the same God created the mind, soul, and body. They are intertwined in ways we haven’t begun to understand. With that in mind, let’s think about how this passage can help with spiritual AND mental health at the same time.
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To start with, let’s look at some backwards context. Before Paul gives these commands in Philippians chapter 4, he spends most of chapter 3 talking about identity. He talks about how knowing Christ is better than anything else; how we strive not to earn our righteousness, but to press toward the righteousness which Christ has already earned for us; and ends with reminding us that we are citizens of heaven.
So when he says “don’t BE anxious,” he’s not saying “don’t FEEL anxious,” or “don’t have anxiety.” He’s saying that anxiety doesn’t have to be your identity. Your identity is in Christ. Joy and gentleness and peace are already yours for the taking.
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And so in the verses following his commands, he gives some practical tips for actually walking in that identity.
First, he says to ask God for what you need. Whether that’s material things or spiritual strength, trust that he will give you what you need. He will supply what you ask for OR something far better.
Second, be grateful for what you have. This one is widely accepted and scientifically proven to improve mental health. Whether you keep a journal of things you’re grateful for, or just make a practice of stopping throughout the day to notice what’s good, being thankful is an important habit (all year long, not just at Thanksgiving!) It will also help you to see the goodness of God in your life, which takes your eyes off of yourself and puts them on him.
Which is an important aspect of the third tip: what you think about matters. In verse 8, Paul makes a list of things to think about: whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Controlling what your mind dwells on isn’t always easy, but a good place to start is by being intentional with what you put into it in the first place. Whatever you read, watch, or scroll through should support what you want to be thinking about.
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This is definitely not an exhaustive list of all the things you can do to improve both your spiritual and mental health - I could come up with plenty more in Philippians alone. But this is a good place to start for anyone who’s ever read a command to rejoice and thought, “if only it were that easy.” It still may not be easy, but God will make it possible. Just keep turning your eyes to Him.