«MY BODY WILL REST SECURE»
«I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure» (Psalm 16:8, 9, NIV).
AT THE PEAK of her career as an Olympic athlete, Simone Biles withdrew from the women’s gymnastics team finals in Tokyo 2020. Did she injure herself? No. When they asked her about it, she replied, «l have to focus on my mental health.» Meghan Markle, wife of British Prince Henry, admitted she had harbored intentions to take her life while living with the British royal family. Naomi Osaka, the Japanese tennis player, retired from the French Open due to her depression. Professional basketball players such as Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, and others have admitted their struggle with mental health issues.
These wealthy, famous, successful individuals have not been able to fill the emptiness in their lives. Their cases might be similar to what the psalmist was going through when he wrote, «l am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within me» (Psalm 22:14). How many of us have felt that way but have not had the courage to admit it? Simone Biles taught us an unavoidable lesson: There is strength in admitting our vulnerability, and realizing that we cannot do everything, and that some battles are won when we give up. Admitting we have a mental health problem does not make us weak; rather, it allows us to find a solution. Accepting our frailty and seeking God’s assistance will help our hearts understand that «the people of Jerusalem have found strength in the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, their God» (Zechariah 12:5, NLT).
We could broaden Simone’s statement, «l have to focus on my mental health,» and add, «l have to focus on my spiritual health.» Mental and spiritual health go hand in hand because the first thing Satan does is attack our mind. Together with the psalmist, all of us who are struggling with mental health can declare, «I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure» (Psalm 16:8, 9, NIV).
Let us pay close attention to our minds because they will ultimately be a «source of life and happiness» and let us not forget that «the outward life is the expression of the inward life.»
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Angelica Cuate