Join Dave Smith in an exploration of Christian wellbeing. Over the next 7 days, you'll read Smith's reflections and use the story of Elijah as a lens to understand what it means to thrive in Jesus.

Peace of Mind

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:5

One of the most defining occasions of my life was a visit to 10 Downing Street.

I had been invited along with my wife, Karen, and a number of other church leaders, to hear from the Prime Minister. However, I found myself so engrossed in conversation with one of my pastor friends, that I didn’t even notice that the Prime Minister had entered the room. This friend was sharing how he and his wife had been navigating a life-changing and potentially very stressful situation by receiving significant help from both a spiritual director and a Christian psychologist. Although I wasn’t in a crisis season, I was able to see that prevention is better than cure, so I asked my friend to help me get in touch with both of them. In ways that I hadn’t anticipated, the spiritual director has helped me to grow to a deeper level in my spirituality and the psychologist has enabled me to develop healthier ways of thinking and “perspectives” (his favorite word!), which in turn has had a hugely positive impact on my emotional wellbeing.

As we begin this 7-day guide, I want to start by focusing on the issue of our perspectives by looking at how we can develop the right mindset to live well. It is so important that we start here because the way we think impacts every part of our lives. To use a horticultural image: if we want the fruits of thriving—physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, financially, and vocationally—we need to attend to the roots—in this case, our thinking. In the words of Selwyn Hughes, founder of Crusade for World Revival: “To win the battle of the mind is to win in one of the greatest areas of life. … It is said that no real change can take place until a person’s thinking is changed.”*

This link between a healthy mindset and our overall thriving can be medically verified. One of the doctors in our local church recently wrote to me about the strong link between our mental state and the symptoms of stress, such as headaches, muscle tension, dizziness, sleep problems, tiredness, irritability, and feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or fearful. She said, “From my personal experience, my clinical practice, and ongoing current research in neuroscience, I have come to understand that the link between mental stress and the physical body cannot be overemphasized.” Then, drawing on her own medical background and the Bible, she gave “8 Tips on How to Live a Stress-Free Life,” many of which are related to our thoughts and our mindset:

1. Use mindfulness and meditation. These practices are frequently recommended for increased mental wellbeing. Christian mindfulness is becoming aware of the presence of God, and Christian meditation focuses on the Word of God (see Joshua 1:8). Together they produce wonderful benefits: “You will keep in perfect peace [‘complete wellbeing’, literally ‘shalom, shalom’] those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 AMP).
2. Take control of your thoughts. The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) website highlights the importance of this, suggesting: “Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.”** The Bible calls us to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
3. Develop the habit of casting your cares. The Bible encourages “casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP).
4. Connect with people, help people. Science has shown that as we do this, our neural networks form better. The Bible tells us we are to live a life of love (see 1 Corinthians 13).
5. Do things you enjoy. The NIMH advice to “schedule regular time for healthy activities you enjoy” confirms the biblical picture of the Creator God who “provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17).
6. Be goal oriented. Again, the NIMH advises you to set goals and priorities. The Bible talks about the importance of vision (see Proverbs 29:18) and has an underlying theme of the need for us to live with true purpose (which we’ll address later in this book).
7. Be thankful. Research shows the people who are most grateful are generally more satisfied and less stressed. The Bible encourages us to give thanks in all things (see Colossians 3:16–17 and Day 19).
8. Live loved. The general term for this is self-love.The Bible tells us that we will only truly know we’re loved when we know we’re the beloved of God (see Ephesians 5:1–2 and Days 2 and 17).

What’s encouraging about this list is that they are all things that are medically recommended, biblically based, and practically accessible.

Reflect & Respond

Review the “8 Tips on Howto Live a Stress-Free Life” and highlight which tips seem most pertinent to you. Pick the top one and ask God to begin to help you implement this in your life over these next 7 days and beyond!

*Selwyn Hughes, Christ Empowered Living (Farnham: CWR, 2005), 232–234.

**Statements taken from the National Institute of Mental Health website: nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health [accessedJanuary 2024]