The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners. (Isa 61:1)
Jesus read these words in a synagogue on the Sabbath in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). According to the scripture, He read these words not long after he was tempted, by Satan, in the wilderness, for 40 days. After being put through the wringer, by Satan himself, Jesus came out of His situation victorious. After an ordeal like this, I would find myself moved to go on vacation, book a girl’s night out, take a nap, and chill out for a second. But Jesus’ immediate inclination was to offer others the freedom and victory He possessed within himself.
If Jesus was a therapist, the verses above would have served as a perfect advertisement for his services. His Psychology Today page might have read, are you poor? Good news! I will still be your provider. I specialize in working with the brokenhearted, the down and out, those bound by depression, anxiety, and all manners of behavioral and emotional dysfunction. I have a very high success rate with those who call upon me, for my insight-oriented services come straight from the heart of heaven.
As I reflect on how important it is to bring awareness to and to prioritize mental health in all facets of life, it is clear that Jesus placed a high priority on mental health as well. His desire for us has and always will be to be free, to be whole, to be restored, and to have the capacity to enjoy life and find our purpose.
We don’t have to choose between mental health and faith or between Jesus and a therapist for that matter. We don’t have to choose between the truth of God’s Word and practical guidance of how to achieve emotional and mental stability. Mental health is spiritual. And God’s word has a lot to say about it.
Who hasn’t ever been brokenhearted or felt captive to things in our lives that felt way beyond our control? Jesus offers good news, healing, and freedom. Healing may come through prayer, it may come through a God encounter, or it may come through a well-intentioned season of rolling up your sleeves and opening yourself up to the process of working on your junk with a therapist or trusted mentor. Either way, God will be involved in the process.
Healing is available. What step can you take today to take hold of it?
