Mental Health (iii)

Continuing with our study on mental health, today we look at the life and attitude of one of Christianity’s front men, Apostle Paul. He wrote to the church in Corinth, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The first thing he wanted to make clear to the church was that regardless of where each of us are in life, we all face the same temptations from the devil of equal and common measure, regardless of how different these challenges may look in the practical. The enemy attempts to make us feel like we are the only ones who have challenges, ensuring that he isolates us and magnifies the facade of defeat, until we give in. Understand,  he studies his prey and tailors the attack based on who he is dealing with, but if we look closely, all these are always in the following categories: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). So there is nothing unique to you, no! Additionally, it is also important to understand that it is not God who brings temptations to us, He has no need to use evil to accomplish good in us. Apostle James shares this more plainly, saying, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:13-14). There it is, the impurities at work in us are the ones that create a conducive environment for the enemy’s traps, making it essential that we determine to live honest and reflective lives, always keeping watch over ourselves and assessing our own scales soberly. 

Back to the words of Apostle Paul, he makes it clear that God will not allow anything to befall us that we cannot manage (1 Corinthians 10:13), meaning that it is He (God) who knows the extent of our pressure elasticity and not ourselves. You do not know what you can handle and how long you can handle it for, but God does! So at every moment when you think you’ve reached your full capacity, hang on just a little longer and do not abort the mission – because victory is near! The apostle again shows us that we are always covered by God, because even in instances where we have given into the temptation and have even contributed to its aggravation, God still has a plan of escape for us – what a good Father! 

In his second letter to the same church, the Apostle continues, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7), answering the question of why even though we are born again believers with a divine life inside of us, we still remain in a mortal body with specific limitations. Without such limitations, we would be tempted to take the glory that belongs to God and apportion it to ourselves. Church, yes we are new creations, but we need to be very mindful of remaining within the confines of scripture and not run off into extreme territories that are not supported by the counsel of God. The apostle continues to iterate that being born again does not suddenly make us immune to challenges while we remain on this side of life, and that if anything, these challenges can get further exacerbated.  But none of these have the ability to destroy us, and none can also begin to compare to the glory that awaits us at the return of our King. The apostle describes his tough experiences, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (v. 8-10). This is a sober view of what it means to choose Jesus, it will not always be a bed of roses, the hardships are real and there is no benefit in claiming otherwise and living under delusion – face it, and conquer it!

But what does it mean to face these challenges God’s way? Consider his attitude and how he qualifies the very same turmoil, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (16-18). The apostle called this trouble ‘light affliction’, not to deny the reality of his challenges, but to rather manage his own heart towards the conviction of victory. He knew whom He believed, and he knew that no challenge can ever rise above Christ – so in elevating Jesus and keeping his focus on Him, the affliction naturally becomes smaller, becoming less consequential in the face of the glory of the Lord! What a winning strategy! We all know apostle Paul went through no light affliction (2 Corinthians 11:25-27), but it was his mindset that got him through all these and to the accomplishment of his life’s mission here on earth. Very little of what we are challenged with now will matter in eternity, and if we keep our focus on Him who lives, we can move past distractions and not fall into traps of depression and hopelessness. Jesus has won the victory, and we are in Him, and will be with Him, forever! 

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We learn and grow daily unto righteousness. We are assured of an expected end and we are comforted by the knowledge of things to come! That we will dwell with You as Your people, that You Yourself will be with us, wiping away every tear, destroying the sting of death, and we shall live with no more sorrow! Eternity is our focus and with You, we conquer all that lies before us! Lord, we bless You for it all! In the name of Jesus, amen!