Daily Companion  | 21 July

STRONG MENTAL HEALTH

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand... But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. - Daniel 3:17-18

Michael was about to be assigned into a special military operation that required a pre-operational mental health check. Two weeks earlier, he had lost his father for which he mourned. Michael needed to be strong and move on. Should Michael fail his mental status assessment, he would be considered unfit and miss the chance to be promoted. A weak mental status makes a soldier vulnerable to the enemy.

Shocks, disappointments and unfortunate events are part of life and are sometimes unavoidable no matter how hard we try. We must learn and teach our children how to deal with small disappointments and bad events so that when faced with more challlenging disappointments in adulthood, adequate skills, strength and support would have been developed to deal with them. One of these adaptive mechanisms is to have strong mental health and a shock absorber to life’s rude shocks. Those who lack these skills are worse hit by unpleasant life experiences and end up in avoidable emotional and mental breakdown. They risk backsliding and denying their faith.

Mental health's pillars are comfort, content, happiness, health, prosperity, and welfare. Learn to be comfortable and contented with what you have. Be happy with yourself. Be assured that in your current status you are better than millions of others on earth. Don't attach your health and prosperity to a material thing that perishes but rather attach with God. When everything else fails, God is the sure pillar of comfort and solace. 

Daniel and his colleagues prepared for disappointment even from God yet they didn't lose faith in Him and were saved from the fiery burning furnace. Michael passed his mental health test, and got promoted to help others.

Dear friend, it is okay to be sad occasionally or mourn a loved one but it must never break you. “The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:7,17). All the Lord requires from you is your trust in Him. Make Him your Pillar of support always. Vulnerability leads to disability. You need strong mental health to be battle-ready and win every spiritual warfare. 

Today’s Recite: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. - Ephesians 6:10

Today’s Morning Prayers:  My God I thank You for being available for me at unpleasant moments. I trust in You. Be my strength and support in times of need. Never leave me O Lord. In every difficult situation, give me Your strength, stabilise my emotional health and make me come out victorious, stronger and higher in Jesus name! Amen!

Today’s Hymn: LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS

Today’s ReadMe:  Isaiah 14 - 18