Four Keys to a Healthy Mind
Written by Cynthia McCoy, Program Assistant
Your intellectual wellness is predicated on your relationship to Christ (being born-again), the understanding of His word as it relates to specific and general issues, and obedience to His moral commands as we pursue godliness. This is accomplished by His Spirit working in and through us.
In Matthew 22:37, Jesus says “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” The responsibility for intellectual wellness is the responsibility of the follower of Christ and the church. If we are to be formed in Christ (Galatians 4:19), we must realize and pursue the work of God in our minds and pay close attention to what a Christ-like mind looks like.
To do what Jesus is calling us to do in this passage, we cannot neglect the development of a Christian mind that will produce intellectual wellness. The apostle Paul in the book of Philippians gives the “recipe” for intellectual wellness. He says in Philippians 4:8, …whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.
The 4 keys listed below (GROW) will help your mind remain focused on God’s desires for your life.
- Guard your heart – In Proverbs 4:23 we are told that “Above all else, guard your heart, for out of it flow the issues of life.” To guard means to surround with fortifications that cannot be penetrated and is watched over all day, every day without fail. The issues of life are our hopes, dreams, fears, desires, and emotions. We are to guard our hearts very diligently so that our desires, hopes, and dreams do not become tainted by the world’s standards. We are to protect our heart against the schemes and attacks of our enemy.
- Renew your mind – in Romans 12:2 we are told that when our minds are renewed, we are able to “prove” what the will of God is because we are acting in faith based on His word. We renew our mind and our intellect by reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on God’s word. We engage in a lifestyle of prayer and surround yourself with other godly believers for fellowship and accountability.
- Open your eyes – In Ephesians 1:18 Paul is pleading with the Lord to “Open the eyes of their hearts (their mind), and let the light of Your truth flood in.” He wanted them to see things from God’s perspective, not from the world’s systems or their own fleshly desires.
- Watch your mouth – probably the most important key to Intellectual Wellness is to watch your mouth. Ephesians 4:29 tell us to “Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” What we say can either grieve the spirit of God or glorify God. It can also defile our conscience and cause emotional problems. If you’re ever caught saying, “Let me give you a piece of my mind.” Make sure your words are filled with grace and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6) so that you are building up and not tearing down.
To nurture your intellectual wellness, begin (or continue) cultivating a Christ-centered modus-meditatio (way of thinking and acting). After all, “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste”®.[1]
[1] https://uncf.org/about
