Believing God has a Plan for Your Life Might Improve Mental Health

While many of us may have issues with unconditionally telling people that God has a wonderful plan for their life (see Ray Comfort's free book:http://www.freewonderfulbook.com/), having a "warm relationship with God" and believing that God has a plan for your life may reduce mental issues.

From The Biblical World by John Byron
http://thebiblicalworld.blogspot.com/2011/11/believing-god-has-plan-for-your-life.html

Believing God has a plan for your life might improve your mental health.

One of the famous evangelism lines of Campus Crusade for Christ is: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. And while the four spiritual laws might help you find salvation and escape eternal punishment, who would've thought that believing in a God's plan might also improve your mental health?

The third portion of the Baylor University Survey on Religion has been released with some interesting results. According the the survey, if you believe that God has a plan for your life you than you are more likely to be poor and less educated. On the other hand, you are less likely to have mental heath issues.

Most Americans (73.2%) believe that God has a plan for them. Those who feel strongly that God has something wonderful in store for them tend to have lower incomes and less education (p.2-5).

Heaven is a more popular notion than Hell. Nearly two-thirds of American adults (62%) absolutely believe that Heaven exists, whereas barely half (51%) express the same certainty about the existence of Hell (p.26).

Those who believe in a very engaged God who is involved in the world and in people’s lives fared better insofar as mental health matters included in the survey when compared to those who believe in a very judgmental God who is critical, punishing, and angered by sin (p.14-15).

Respondents who strongly believe they have a warm relationship with God report 31 percent fewer mental issues, on average.

Those who strongly believe God knows when they need support report 19 percent fewer mental health issues, on average.

Those who strongly believe that God is responsive to them report 19 percent fewer mental health issues.

Respondents who strongly believe God’s love never fails report 17 percent fewer mental health issues, on average.

What do you make of these numbers? Does believing in God or a plan of God help people to find an anchor in their life?

I agree, though I don't necessarily think that these people are deceived. Health doesn't come from a lie. There's peace of mind in knowing that God is in control, that He is benevolent and loves us and that He works all things out for our good.

QUOTE:
"God does have a wonderful plan for your life... but it just may be that your flesh doesnt agree that it's wonderful!! His plan could involve persecution, hardship, starvation and an early death. To Him (and to you once you reach your final destination) it IS wonderful."

Absolutely true. The difficulty is in understanding this in the midst of your trials.

Last Thursday a friend of ours was killed in a car accident because of a speeding driver who failed to stop at a stop sign. Four years ago a son was killed in a car accident because of a speeding driver. Now, how would you, would I respond if I would be this widow, or the child of this dad? Could I still trust the LORD? In these seemingly tragic accidents we must know and believe that it was approved by God and the circumstances are there to teach somebody something. Someone will benefit but at some people's expense. Can we handle that?

(As a side note to this happening. On Sunday morning the driver, and his parents visited the widow and her two surviving children at the house. He came to apologize..he was in deep mental, spiritual agony because of his role in bring about the death of this beloved husband and dad. He could not eat or sleep since the accident...He got up and went to the widow and the two children, pulled them into an embrace and together they just cried - hard. Forgiveness was sought and I am sure it was given, but it will be so hard...The daughter said the last time we were ignorant about the grief we had to go through, but this time we KNOW. Was this in God's plan for them? Who knows, but it just might be that this is the only way to reach someone who otherwise could not have been helped...Is God still good? If we look at life, death from his perspective, it is and that is the clue we need to view life.)

Yes, God is still good...whenever I say that I sense some rebuke in my spirit, but am a a loss to explain His goodness otherwise. What am I comparing God to or with that gives me the authority to declare Him good??!! SIGH

ginnyrose

So true Brother and Sister... God has a plan for our life, and it may not be the most pleasant one we could imagine. How hard is it for the flesh to accept this? How hard is it for us to say "Thank you Lord", for everything?

oh the suffering of this life, and then when you think that you are really suffering, you see what others are going through, and you know your suffering is but a mere trifling thing...

Doug

God's providence is the only safe haven for our weary souls.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9
English Standard Version (ESV)
8For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers,[a] of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Paul clearly attributes persecution specifically but suffering in general to God's providence, but goes on to redefine it as part of Christian maturity making them rely on God and trust in His power to raise the dead. Jesus came to give abundant life (John 10:10), trusting Him to do that and relying on Him to give life overcomes the anguish of suffering and despair.

Truly God does have a wonderful plan for our life, a plan of hope and a future, a plan to prosper and bless us spiritually in this life as we receive every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). If our heart and mind are set on things above, suffering is redeemed in the knowledge of God's love, grace and the weight of glory. This is a wonderful plan for our lives that goes on forever.

God does not abuse His children. We carry death in our bodies and at times in our circumstances, but these things are redeemed as they are shed away and we approach the radiance of Christ.

I believe my submission to the Lord totally determines my destiny, rather good or bad,healthy or prosperous. If we "truly" summit our life to Christ, then regardless of what happens in our life it's all for our good. The thing about submission is, you have to be real careful and listen real closely and stay in Prayer. Some get hung up in the downtrodden, when the Lord puts them through this season. When the healthy and prosperous seasons come around, they have a hard time believing it's of the Lord, and want to stay bogged down and downtrodden, because they think this is their destiny to be this way. I have witnessed folks that have let this happen. Never put the Lord in a box, always hope and Pray for the best in life, but be willing to summit ourselves to each season he has us in. Remember there is a reason for the season, maybe we don't condone it or like it, but our hope and joy in this season should rest in the Lord, knowing seasons do change. I know most of us have witnessed Christians that God is Blessing their socks off, but refuse to accept it and smile and be joyful, they want to stay downtrodden, even in the mist of a season of prosperity, health and joy. I have a good friend just like this, it's sad to watch him walk around with his prosperity and health, always Preaching to others on how he did not have anything when he was growing up, HELLO! maybe this is why God is Blessing you now, because of your obedience and submission in every season, SMILE, REJOICE be GLAD in it, it might be a short season. Why is it so hard for some Christians to believe that God just might,just might, need to have them in prosperity and health and joy to use them? can he "only" use the downtrodden? if he can only use the downtrodden Christian, does this mean if your a rich, well, and joyful Christian he cannot use you? or if your rich and joyful and in good health your not a Christian? No one but you knows what Christ wants for your life, disregard people in your life that tell you differently, Christ prepares all of our seasons, not man. Just like you accepted Christ into your life, you must be willing to accept what he has for you. If your experiencing prosperity,health and joy in your life right now, rejoice in it, don't hang your head,is that anyway to show the Father your appreciation? But on the other hand, if your going through a downtrodden season, rejoice in it also, knowing it's only for a season, and the length of all seasons are determined by God, not man.

When I think of the impact that Darwinian philosophy had had on our world I am saddened. Man was created by God and he was created for a purpose. Paul talks in Romans 1-4 about the innate knowledge of a God and of the fact that we will be accountable to Him. Some know Him and His laws and others make laws unto themselves, clearly demonstrating an innate knowledge of the difference between right and wrong and thus admitting a higher standard or source than themselves of that difference between right and wrong. When man is taught that he has no purpose and that he is merely an animal, that teaching has a profound impact. There is something in man that cries out against that teaching. If the teaching is believed, it causes something like a death in the person. The people who believe this fully and are consistent lose their reason for life and end up morally bankrupt. This has great emotional and mental impact. So, to learn the truth that you really do have a purpose is consistent with a better emotional and mental state.

http://www.freewonderfulbook.com/

to the Corinthians:

1Co 4:8 Already you are full! Already you are rich! You have reigned as kings without us! And oh that indeed you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
1Co 4:9 For I think that God has set forth us last, the apostles, as it were appointed to death; for we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men.
1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised.
1Co 4:11 Even until this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place.
1Co 4:12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;
1Co 4:13 being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
1Co 4:14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.
1Co 4:15 For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
1Co 4:16 Therefore I beseech you, be imitators of me.

to Laodicea church:

Rev 3:16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me.
Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne.
Rev 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.