Thought Experiment: You have forgotten your car keys and have to return to your house.  What would you would say to yourself. Hear the words, notice the tone. Were you kind or gentle on yourself? This will indicate whether you need to listen carefully to this sermon and perhaps download the workshop notes from GUC website to do some work on your self-care.

There is a story about a Tibetan monk who was held in jail for years by Chinese prison guards.  Later he was released and had an audience with the Dalai Lama.  He was asked about his time in prison and the monk said he faced danger a few times.  The Dalai Lama asked “What danger?” The monk replied, “Of losing compassion towards the Chinese.” We have a problem in that it is often hard for us to be compassionate to ourselves!

3 GUC August 2022

Sometimes terrible things happen. Russia invades Ukraine. Employment is lost.  A medical diagnosis. The Bible is realistic and acknowledges this sad reality. Ecclesiastes “The days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’.” (12:1).

If somethings are beyond our control, what can we do? The Bible is clear that we can try to have a healthy attitude. Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not worry about your life, or what you will eat or drink… is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?… and can anyone by worrying add more than a single hour to your span of life?” and a little later, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matt 6: 25-28, 34).

Disappointments, losses and tragedies will challenge our faith. In this message I would like to look at two healthy responses. This is the third in series of sermons on mental health.

Introduction

You have my permission to sleep through this sermon. Seriously! If you can fall asleep that easily, then you will not need to hear a word I will say. The topic is practical with tips about sleeping better and thinking about the spiritual significance.

Sleep is a welcome oblivion at the end of the day. A time to rest and be restored. Psalm 4:8

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

But not for all. Trying to get to sleep can become a psychological ‘battlefield’

Texts: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2)

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

The Bible is not a mental health textbook. But it does recognise that our hearts and minds can be a battleground. Jesus explained, “For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.” (Matthew 15:19-20). Emotions and thoughts, our rich inner life has many terms in the Bible including heart, mind, soul, and spirit.

How did the ancients see the human person? As a generalisation Greeks tended to divide the body with flesh and spirit, but the Hebrews were more holistic and saw the spirit of a person representing whole person towards God. Thus, a man or woman in prayer would be in their spirit. Today I like to explore the role of negative thoughts as they influence how we feel and how we relate to God.