MENTAL HEALTH IN THE PROVERBS: SINKHOLE PSYCHE
Proverbs 3:19-26
#mentalhealth
READ PROVERBS 3:19-26 (ESV)
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; 20 by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
INTRODUCTION
MENTAL HEALTH FRAME OF MIND
The past few years we have taken time once a year or so to focus on the topic of mental health. I think this topic is important because when God created human beings, He created us as integrated beings with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Sin entered into Creation and disrupts the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health in all of us. Because we are integrated beings, it is not a bad thing to focus on mental and emotional health.
We have so far been in the Psalms when it comes to the topic of mental health. The Psalms are mostly from King David who comes at life from a very emotional and chaotic state. We never wonder what David is feeling. We know he has issues and his issues have issues. Many of the Psalms are raw and if we are honest, unrefined in many ways. That’s because often our soul is also emotional, chaotic, has issues, raw and unrefined. We have been looking at mental health in the Bible from that perspective.
Proverbs is a little bit different because David’s son, King Solomon, is different. The Book of Proverbs comes at physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health from a perspective of wisdom. Solomon asked for wisdom from God (1 Kings 3, 2 Chronicles 1) and got it. Proverbs is about wise living. Proverbs us about learning and then living. Let me explain to you why I wanted to shift a bit in our focus on mental health.
I feel like we all start with a baseline in our mental and emotional health. That is also true in physical health as well. Our baseline is based on genetics, our family atmosphere, economics, access to healthcare, and so many other factors. Our family atmosphere could have been or is really stable and healthy or it could be terribly dysfunctional. Our baseline is where we start. I think about this more specifically when it comes to genetics and our default brain chemistry. When we live wisely or unwisely, it piles on top of whatever our baseline happens to be.
For example, and I think this is a good one, there are people who are predisposed towards addiction because of genetics, family atmosphere, and desire. If we have a good number of alcoholics, workaholics, or folks addicted to prescription or illegal drugs in our family tree, chances are the baseline from which we are working in our mental health is bent towards addictive tendencies. That is the way genetics works. That is how the sin nature works. That is sometimes what the Bible means when it talks about “generational sin.” Here is where Proverbs comes in…
* If we live wisely and stay away from substances that will impact us negatively, we are piling wisdom on top of the mental health baseline we inherit. We are living wisely in light of our baseline. Our mental and emotional health will be better because of our wise path.
* If we live unwisely and embrace substances that impact us negatively, we are piling unwisdom on top of the mental health baseline we inherit. We are living foolishly in light of our baseline. Our mental and emotional health will suffer because of our unwise path.
Insert into that example: anxiety, depression, worry, or any other issue we might deal with.
King Solomon and others lay out for us in 31 chapters in Proverbs the wise paths to live in light of our baseline and unwise paths to live in light of our baseline. It may not alter our baseline, but it can and will increase or decrease our ability to operate in mental health.
* Wise living will have a positive impact moving us in the right direction no matter where we start.
* Unwise living will have a negative impact moving us in the wrong direction.
TRANSITION
Let’s re-read our Scripture passage for today and get into it. When I read this passage, I see words like “soul,” “afraid,” “sudden terror,” “confidence,” and even the ideas of sweet sleep and walking securely as being completely in the realm of emotional and mental health. What wisdom does God give us in Proverbs 3:19-26?
RE-READ PROVERBS 3:19-26 (ESV)
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; 20 by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. 21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
GOD’S WISDOM IS OUR FOUNDATION IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS (VERSES 19–22)
This passage begins by reminding us of some of what we talked about last week. Imagine that?!
Verse 19 begins by re-iterating that by God’s wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and power, He has established what is real. God Created everything. He defines wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and power. This is no small assertion because the source and authority of a path of living or wise thoughts matter. The source we draw from for our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health matters.
Very quickly the passage talks about “deeps broke open” and “losing sight.” The visual of turbulent water breaking forth from the ground is used on purpose. Often in the Old Testament and the New Testament, turbulent water, waves, flooding, and dangerous water is used as a metaphor to symbolize life being chaotic, disordered, challenging, and uncertain. The metaphor also signifies spiritual struggles, inner emotional turmoil, and mental instability. We see this in passages like Genesis 1:2, the Book of Jonah, James 1:6, 2 Peter 2:17 and many other passages.
A great example of this metaphor in action is Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4. This was an actual event that demonstrates His authority over physical and spiritual chaos. The disciples were ‘shook’ because they understood His power and authority had no bounds. Jesus influenced the physical world which they saw with their own eyes, but even deeper they understood His authority over spiritual chaos was absolute. The calming of the water helped them see that.
Life is chaos and we need stability. As we relate this to mental, emotional, and spiritual health, the sinful nature in us causes chaos, turmoil, and unhealthy patterns. Stability in life… mental and emotional stability… starts with trusting in God Who created order, wisdom, and purpose.
Verse 21 commands us “do not lose sight.” A focus on our relationship with God, abiding in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and walking in the Spirit brings us stability in our lives because God’s path of life is the best way to live. His commands, suggestions, and Truth are not up for debate as to if they are wise or best for us; they are wise and best! When we lose sight of God’s will and His purposes for us, we invite chaos to pile on top of our mental and emotional baseline.
This passage points out directly in verse 22 that an abiding relationship with God, following the teachings of Jesus Christ, and faithfully walking in the Spirit is good for our “soul.” When you see that word “soul” that is a word that means “breath of life” in the Old Testament. Guess what the word is in the New Testament? “Psyche”. 46 times in the New Testament when God speaks about the “soul” in the New Testament He is specifically talking about our psyche. The word “psyche” gives us the word “psychology” which is the study of the conscious and unconscious mind as well as emotional health.
* “keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your” breath of life
* “keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your” psyche
God’s way of living and His wisdom is the foundation in reality we need amid the chaos of life. True wisdom nourishes the inner-self… our souls… bringing internal health, worth based on our identity in Christ, and dignity because of the image of God in us.
CENTRAL WORD PICTURE “Sinkholes’; Gordon MacDonald, OYPW, pages 13-18 [adapted]
It might be helpful to have an image in mind as we look at Proverbs 3 today.
Gordon MacDonald, in his book “Ordering Your Private World” starts Chapter 1 in his book with an analogy of a sinkhole. I thought his analogy was interesting considering that Proverbs 3:20 literally talks about the earth breaking open. The whole book, which is an old book from the mid-1980s, is about the imbalance between a person’s outer life and inner life. He uses a vivid sinkhole analogy to illustrate some danger.
Sinkholes occur when underground support structures (like limestone) erode over time, eventually causing the surface to collapse without warning. MacDonald describes a news story about a sinkhole that suddenly opened up under a Florida apartment building, swallowing apartments, cars, and chunks of road. He said: “Tumbling into the ever-deepening pit were automobiles, pavement, sidewalks, and lawn furniture. The whole building itself would obviously be the next to go.”
Our emotional and mental (and spiritual) lives can collapse the same way. We may appear successful, whole, happy, and put-together on the outside, but on the inside worry, anxiety, depression, anger, and doubt may have worn away and washed away our foundation. We may be hollow or neglected on the inside. Beneath the surface of our lives, if the foundation of the inner life is eroding, we may not see the cracks until it’s too late. Piling unwise patterns of living on top of a crumbling foundation leads nowhere wise or healthy.
TRANSITION
This section of Proverbs starts with a reminder that if we trust in God and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) that we will have sure footing in life. The thought is that outside of God’s wise way of living is chaos and crooked paths, but inside the way of God is wise living and an ordered psyche. Outside God’s way of living is sinkholes, but inside God’s way of living is solid rock. That becomes all the more apparent in the next section of the passage.
RE-READ PROVERBS 3:19-26 (ESV)
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; 20 by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. 21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
EMOTIONAL SECURITY AND PEACE OF MIND (VERSES 23-26)
This passage in Proverbs continues to talk about our psyche focusing on emotional security and peace of mind. Those are the two topics in the latter half of this passage we read. Both security and peace of mind are part of a healthy soul or healthy psyche. Mental illness or great emotional struggles are often experienced and understood as either a lack of security or a lack of peace of mind or both! Mental and emotional stresses and issues disrupt our internal stability that we rely on to function in daily life.
I say “emotional security” because verse 23 says, “you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.” By the context, we know he is not talking about actually walking or physically not stubbing our toe, but rather speaking about our soul being secure and our psyche not stumbling. Sounds like emotional security to me.
Mental illness and different emotional struggles can make a person feel unsafe within themselves, their relationships, or the world:
* Depression: Overwhelming continual sadness or hopelessness often erodes confidence, worth, and creates internal insecurity.
* Emotional Instability: Conditions like anxiety or bipolar disorder can bring unpredictable mood swings, making it hard to trust one's own emotions.
* Fear: Many with trauma PTSD, or folks who are neurodivergent constantly feel on edge, as though danger is near even when safe.
* Severe anxiety: Anxiety is much more than worry because it distorts thinking that can lead to paranoia or confusion, undermining a sense of safety.
I say “peace of mind” because verses 24-25 talk about lying down and not being afraid, “sleep will be sweet,” and not being afraid of “sudden terror.” Sounds like peace of mind to me.
Mental illness and different emotional struggles can make a person feel a distinct lack of peace within themselves, in their relationships, or as they view the world:
* Constant Worry: Chronic fear about the future, health, relationships, or self-worth can flood the mind with unhealthy distress.
* Depression: Depression can fill the mind with sorrow, guilt, or despair, leaving no room for inner quiet or hope.
* Racing Thoughts: Anxiety, OCD, and other conditions cause thoughts to spiral uncontrollably, making mental rest and peace nearly impossible.
* Sleeplessness: Insomnia or poor-quality sleep, common symptoms of mental illness, prevents the brain from recharging and feeling peace.
TRANSITION
Why are we talking about this?
When you and I place faith in God, He does not just address our spiritual health. A relationship with God also addresses our psyche and brings with it emotional security and peace of mind.
APPLICATION
As people of faith, we are not exempt from our baselines causing us distress when it comes to emotional health or mental health. In addition to this, mental health is not a topic that the Church (the big ‘C’ church) traditionally addresses well. Many times, we believe in the separation of the mental and the spiritual and we do so at our own detriment. Also, many times we have attitudes and say things that are not helpful for those who deal with any type of mental illness:
* Churches traditionally tell people with mental illness to go elsewhere for help
* Christians tell other Christians just to pray more and the mental illness will disappear
* Christians tell other Christians just to read their Bible and everything will get fixed
* A common thought is that all mental illness is caused by demons or demon possession
* Christians also say that ‘real’ Christians don’t get depressed or have eating disorders
Every. Single. One. Of. These. Is. Wrong.
The reason we need to address this issue is because of sinkholes:
We create sinkholes in our lives when we rely only on medicine for mental health.
We create sinkholes in our lives when we rely only on therapy for mental health.
We create sinkholes in our lives when we rely only on church for mental health.
We create sinkholes in our lives when we rely only on toughness for mental health.
A solid foundation for our lives means wisely considering all aspects of emotional security and peace of mind as the chaos of life swirls around us. Please do not leave God out of your efforts for mental and emotional health. When we wrongly cut God out of our mental health, we create a sinkhole because our foundation is not secure. The God of the Universe has a role in our mental health. Our relationship with God is the foundation we need for proper mental and emotional health. We can use the walls of therapy, medicine, and other tools to help us, but the foundation needs to be Christ. I pray I am being very clear and helpful for you today.
READ PSALM 23:4 (ESV)
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
READ PSALM 46:1 (ESV)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
READ ISAIAH 41:10 (ESV)
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
READ PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 (ESV)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Please prioritize Christ:
Develop habits of solitude, reflection, and prayer
Seek refuge in God by worship, prayer, and a faithful community
Read Scripture not just for content, but for transformation
Journal your thoughts, fears, and insights regularly writing them to God
Always ask yourself: “What is the condition of my soul?”
Always ask yourself: “What is the foundation of my soul?”
Please embrace God’s wisdom over chaos:
Order your private world with Jesus at the top of the order
Say yes to medicine if you need it, but keep it in order
Say yes to therapy if you need it, but keep it in order
TRANSITION
To try and bring it all together, I will share a story with you today.
CONCLUDING STORY (ai generated story, adapted)
Once upon a time in a peaceful village, the townspeople were proud of their beautiful buildings, lush gardens, and smooth roads. On the surface, everything looked perfect, but under the surface the ground was unstable.
One day, without warning, a massive sinkhole opened beneath the town square. It swallowed the marketplace, the fountain, even parts of the town hall. People panicked. Buildings that once stood tall disappeared in moments; so did the illusion that everything was fine.
No one saw it coming, but one man had suspected it.
He was an observant builder who often walked the paths alone. Unlike most, the builder wasn't impressed with glitter or speed. He believed in digging deep foundations, in building not just for appearances, but for endurances. For years, he had urged the town to examine what lay underneath.
After the disaster, the mayor gathered the villagers. “We must rebuild!” he shouted.
“Yes,” the builder agreed. “But not as before. We built too quickly, cared only for appearances, and ignored the hidden world beneath our feet.”
The crowd hushed. The builder opened an old, weathered book and read: “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.”
He said: “The deep places… the hidden places… matter. What we can’t see still shapes everything. If we lose sight of wisdom, of sound discretion,” he said, “our lives will look fine... until they don’t. We will walk thinking we are safe, but the ground beneath us will give way.”
A woman in the crowd, her eyes still wet from grief, asked, “What do we do then?”
The builder smiled gently and quoted again: “Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
He explained: “we need to tend to the soil beneath the town. When we don’t tend to it—when we run ourselves ragged, hide our pain, and chase empty things, it all caves in. But when we live by God’s wisdom, we are secured from the inside out
Peace becomes our foundation.
Security becomes more than a feeling; it becomes our reality.”
So, the people began again. This time, they dug deep into the Word, into prayer, into rest. They built slowly, intentionally. They created quiet spaces for care. They learned that mental health isn’t about patching cracks, but about laying the right foundation.
PRAYER
INVITATION
I invite you to build your mental and emotional health on Christ.
More than that, I invite you to build your spiritual life on Christ.
