The key factors behind a healthy spiritual life
1. Relationship with God: The cornerstone of spiritual well-being in the Biblical context is an intimate, personal relationship with God. This relationship is cultivated through prayer, worship, and studying the Scriptures. In Jeremiah 29:13, God says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." This seeking is a continuous process of drawing nearer to God, understanding His nature and His love for us.
2. Living According to God's Word: Biblical spiritual well-being also involves living in accordance with God's commands as outlined in the Bible. This includes loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). It also involves practicing virtues such as kindness, humility, patience, and forgiveness (Colossians 3:12).
3. Love: Love, both for God and for others, is a fundamental aspect of Christian spiritual well-being. Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).
4. Faith and Trust in God: Faith and trust in God are also integral to spiritual well-being. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Our faith in God's promises and our trust in His providence, even in challenging times, contribute to our spiritual wellness.
5. The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in our spiritual well-being. As Jesus promised in John 14:26, the Holy Spirit teaches us all things and reminds us of everything He said to us. Through the Holy Spirit, we are guided, comforted, and empowered in our spiritual journey.
6. Service: Serving others selflessly, following the example of Jesus, is another crucial aspect of Christian spiritual well-being. It creates a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
7. Community and Fellowship: Another essential aspect of Biblical spiritual well-being is fellowship with other believers. The early church in Acts 2:42 was devoted to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Belonging to a community of faith provides support, accountability, and opportunities for service.
8. Forgiveness: Both receiving forgiveness from God and extending forgiveness to others are integral to Christian spiritual well-being. Forgiveness frees us from guilt and resentment, promoting inner peace.
What Is a Spiritual Discipline?
Spiritual disciplines, explains Professor Don Whitney, “are habits of devotion, habits of experiential Christianity that have been practiced by God’s people since biblical times.”
As Christians, then, the goal of spiritual discipline is to bring us into a closer relationship with God. Again, it’s not about legalistically following a set of rules. Rather, we discipline ourselves — train ourselves — for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy 4:7). Doing so helps us become the people God created us to be — and helps us stay emotionally and mentally balanced.
Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline, breaks down spiritual disciplines into three categories: inward discipline, outward discipline, and corporate discipline. We’ll use that framework here to look at each of these areas and how they relate to mental health.
1. The Connection between Inward Spiritual Disciplines and Victorious Living
Inward spiritual disciplines offer many benefits to your mental health. Some common inward spiritual disciplines include:
• Reading the Bible.
• Studying the Bible.
• Memorizing verses or passages of Scripture.
• Meditating on sections of the Bible or other spiritual writings.
• Journaling.
• Praying.
• Fasting.
Reading, Studying, and Memorizing
Reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible are known to do the following.
• Reduce stress.
• Help alleviate depression.
• Sharpen focus and concentration.
• Help develop greater empathy.
• Increase self-discipline.
• Help prevent memory loss.
• Give goals to work toward.
• Build knowledge and deepen wisdom.
Journaling and Meditation
Journaling and meditation (also called mindfulness) have been proven to:
• Improve focus and concentration.
• Reduce stress.
• Manage anxiety and depression.
• Control pain.
• Help process past traumas.
• Help fight addictions.
Fasting
Fasting has many physical benefits too. Among other things, fasting can:
• Sharpen thinking.
• Improve memory.
• Lower high blood pressure.
• Brighten overall mood.
2. The Connection between Outward Spiritual Disciplines and Victorious Living
Outward spiritual disciplines help you keep your mind and emotions stable and balanced. They also remind you that God’s purpose for your life extends beyond you. Outward spiritual disciplines include:
• Giving money or time.
• Being generous.
• Serving others.
• Being thankful and expressing gratitude.
• Spending time in solitude (time spent in silence or purposeful times of resting).
• Choosing simplicity (reducing unnecessary complications and overcommitments).
Generosity
Research suggests that the activities of giving, being generous, and serving others can support positive mental health, because they:
• Improve mood.
• Increase enjoyment in life.
• Lead to being better grounded and more optimistic.
• Reduce stress and depression.
• Increase connection with others.
• Reduce loneliness.
• Improve sleep, which helps brain function.
• Improve relationships with others.
• Reduce blood pressure, which can reduce levels of stress and anxiety.
Solitude:
Solitude is purposeful time away from all distractions of life — people, screens, and social media included! Whether you think of solitude as “down time” or “white-noise time,” it means being alone in silence whether that’s at home or out in nature.
Just as sleep is an important period of rest to keep our bodies healthy, silence and solitude provide important rest for our souls and minds. Practicing daily solitude even for 10 to 20 minutes is beneficial. And spending a full day in solitude every month or so can help even more.
Time spent in silence away from others can:
• Increase empathy towards others.
• Allow the brain to rest and reboot.
• Reduce stress.
• Provide undisturbed time and space to problem-solve.
• Allow time to make decisions without feeling rushed or pressured.
Simplicity:
Choosing to live simply benefits you and others. It means you manage your schedule and material possessions in a way that they don’t feel cluttered or complicated. And when you’re not feeling harassed by your calendar or belongings — and you’re not feeling tempted to keep up with the Joneses — you can enjoy what’s in front of you.
Choosing simplicity can:
• Foster creativity and improve concentration.
• Reduce stress and muscle tension.
• Increase opportunities for experiencing joy and well-rounded living.
• Create margin to invest in and improve relationships.
• Lessen financial stress.
3. The Connection between Corporate Spiritual Disciplines and Victorious Living
Activities that help you physically connect with other human beings are known as corporate spiritual disciplines.
Regularly meeting with others in person — whether for a sports event, a support group, or a church worship service — can improve mental health as well as overall life satisfaction. And the benefits to your emotional and mental health increase when a gathering includes fellowship, celebration, and accountability.
Corporate spiritual disciplines include activities where you gather collectively for:
• Worship.
• Encouragement.
• Teaching and guidance.
• Accountability and confession of sin.
Practicing corporate disciplines regularly can:
• Bring a sense of oneness and connectedness.
• Reduce loneliness.
• Increase empathy.
• Increase a sense of well-being.
