Nougat 7

Are you overweight? Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: But a good word maketh it glad.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12‬:‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isn’t it ironic that we push persons toward physical weight loss in the name of beauty, and occasionally health; but we’re not as insistent on emotional weight loss. Hmmn. Given that so many perpetrators of public shootings in recent years showed signs of depression or mental illness (sic), it may just be time to address the stigma of needing psychological assistance and counseling.

Some of us might argue that the Bible never said that people need counseling, and the person who said it would have a valid point; but if we think about David in Saul’s palace, we might see where music was a tool to combat depression. (Yes, I know the Bible never said Saul was depressed or mentally ill, but we can certainly read between the lines in 1 Samuel 16 – 18.) Not that Saul was the only one. We may recall that Jesus healed the demoniac (see Matthew 17), and Paul reminded Timothy that even fear can weigh the heart and head down (see the discourse in 2 Timothy 1).

Moreover, the Bible speaks to the spiritual antidote to heaviness of heart: the Spirit of our Living God, working through Jesus when He was here in the flesh. What that says to us is that we ought to be honest about checking ourselves and where there is heaviness of heart, we invite God’s Spirit to intervene. There is no need to be burdened with the cares of the world for Jesus has offered to take them upon Himself (see Matthew 11:28). No need at all.

So what next if we think we’re getting emotionally or mentally burdened? Place it in the SFGTD box and seek professional help even as we lift our eyes and heart to our God, our Source of help. And, if it’s someone else who needs to lose the weight, then we place them on the Mercy Seat.

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May all we seek be found in Christ