Is Unhealthy Thinking Sinful?

How do unhealthy thinking and behavioral patterns take charge of a person who seemingly is capable of acknowledging that what’s occurring is not in their best interest? Unreasonable, vicious thoughts can become a hindrance to God’s gift of peace and joy.

In fits of jealousy, Saul, the first king of Israel, believed David was his worst enemy. However, with God’s help, Saul occasionally could recognize the truth. Then suspicion would return along with the vicious thoughts that made David appear untrustworthy.

Negative thoughts were a hindrance to Saul’s mental health and wellbeing. Although Saul might have realized his fears were unrealistic, he failed to actively replace them with faith and trust in the Lord God. Isaiah 41:10 gives you a way to squelch fear and doubt: “Do not be afraid for I am with you. I am your God. Let nothing terrify you. I will make you strong and help you. I will protect you and save you.” Stay focused on God’s word. 

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So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it – and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of [Jesus Christ’s] return.

~1 Peter 1:6-7 The Living Bible

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Is It Okay to Ask God to Help You Stop Unhealthy Thoughts?

Have you ever been troubled with a particular thinking or behavior problem that had such a tenacious grasp that you had to ask God to take it away? This kind of problem becomes wearisome and a distraction from what should be devoted to healthier endeavors.

Think of trying to solve one problem; other problems are created which make the original problem worse; and if this situation is allowed to continue, a crisis will erupt. This is analogous to a bad habit that’s apparently unhealthy and emotionally upsetting.

The first step in stopping a disruptive thinking or behavioral pattern is to admit it exists and that you are willing to spend the time and energy to break its power. Then ask God for insight, wisdom, and guidance. Psalm 20:7 declares, “The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart will trust in him.” Seek to love God with all of your heart. 

He will provide you with the strength and the desire to do what seems impossible.       

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7 New International Version

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Can Showing Mercy to Oneself Be Healthy?

Most people might not think of actually exhibiting mercy to themselves. They might be defensive if they are challenged or accused of being wrong about an issue. Being caught in a mistake provides the opportunity to extend mercy to yourself.by saying, “You’re right; I was wrong. I apologize.”

Mercy extended to oneself includes seeking forgiveness from others who have been hurt by our deliberate acts of carelessness, anger, or jealousy. Granting mercy to oneself involves refusing to torture yourself because God’s loving mercy exonerates those who seek forgiveness and who make amends for their sins.

God’s mercy and forgiveness create in us an attitude of thanksgiving that helps us be willing to grant mercy to ourselves and grant mercy to others as well. What a wonderful way to begin a new day with a clean heart capable of joy and peace! God makes this possible by trusting him to love us to a depth that is sometimes difficult to understand.

   

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In the same way your light must shine before people so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

~Matthew 5:16 Good News Bible

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Why Is It So Hard to Let Go of the Past?

A clean slate should not be confused with totally eliminating the careless choices that impacted your body, mind, and spirit, including your relationships. God’s grace and mercy grant peace and the courage to prevent the past from dominating what God makes new for you.

The idea of showing mercy to oneself may seem impossible, but it deserves consideration. Think of it as refusing to ruminate on the past. Self-mercy includes forgiveness, turning over to God what transpired in the past that sometimes has seemed beyond resolving.

Personally extending mercy to oneself involves sincere repentance or turning from a lifestyle of self-indulgence or self-incrimination. 

Self-mercy permits God’s grace to establish a new mindset you live by each day that God will bless. Self-mercy acknowledges self-discipline that may be painful while God is at work to set you on a new path that’s filled with hope and his plan for your future. So praise God!                 

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I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of his return].

~Philippians 1:6 Amplified Bible

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What Is Required for Adapting to a New Phase of Life?

Life often requires being forced to experience a new phase in life, which includes being compelled to say goodbye to what has existed for a defined period of time. How well this is managed depends on maturity and reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ for guidance.

Giving up what must be left behind may mean sacrificing some of what is familiar and things that have special meaning. It may necessitate enduring restrictions that are necessary for your well-being. A new phase of life often requires developing new friendships and social activities.

Moving into a new phase of life may involve suffering and loss, but Jesus said, “Blessed are those who grieve, for they shall be comforted.” Abandoning old habits is often crucial for adapting to a new phase of life, but with God’s mercy, grace, and power, what appears impossible can be achieved. Permit the goodness of God to sustain you.

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For I am absolutely convinced that nothing – nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable – absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

~Romans 8:38-39 The Message

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How Does Trust Affect Giving or Receiving Mercy?

Every new day, set the stage for a new beginning. You may have given thought to what needs to change now in your life. God consistently brings to mind possibilities for healthy relationships with himself and others. Unavoidable stress and conflict call for acts of mercy to be expressed or received.

The major reason to withhold giving or receiving mercy is lack of trust. The underlying excuse for people to avoid receiving or extending mercy is so weaknesses and vulnerabilities can remain hidden. Some individuals stubbornly cling to old ways of thinking and feeling to keep themselves emotionally safe.

Some situations appear locked up, but old boundaries can be eased by the testing of this old axiom: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Hosea10:12 encourages you to “Plow new ground for yourself, plant righteousness, and reap the blessings your devotion produces.” Christ in you prompts you to press onward so you can reap his blessing.      

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Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

~Mark 11:24 New International Version

 

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.

~Psalm 37:5 New International Version

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How Does Being Merciful Result in Freedom?

A wonderful hymn proclaims: “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness of the sea; There’s a kindness in his justice, Which is more than liberty.” What is the best gift you’ve received that left you feeling happy, or even loved? Perhaps it was an act of mercy.

Maybe in a rare moment of vulnerability you showed mercy to someone undeserving of your kindness. Sincerely giving mercy can create an impressive change in brain chemistry that is transforming. A burden is lifted that gives the person a sense of freedom from darkness.

Granting mercy is comparable to receiving a new lease on life when it is given from the heart. 

So in giving mercy you receive freedom and in accepting mercy you give freedom to the one making the offer. Mercy sets you free, and when you accept God’s gift of mercy, nothing will ever be capable of separating you from that freedom bound up in his love for you. 

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Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

~Hebrews 4:16 New International Version

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What Is Actually Included in the Act of Mercy?

The majority of people love to receive gifts from family and friends. Perhaps the most difficult gift to receive or give is mercy, which should be  the easiest. Every believer in Jesus Christ has been the recipient of divine mercy, which consists of God’s undeserved, unfailing compassion and love.

So what should mercy consist of that you offer to those who have deliberately hurt you so severely? Included in God’s mercy are forgiveness and pardon, which cover all the sins you committed against God, others, and yourself.

Acts of mercy consist of compassion, including pity for the person who surely has imperfections and weaknesses. Mercy includes the will to forgive as God has forgiven you. Mercy determines to let go of anger and resentment and then replaces those hurt feelings with prayer for the offender by asking God to bless the person with his goodness, love, and kindness. God will give you the will to do this.  

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Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you, therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.

~Isaiah 30:18 New International Version

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How Resolute Is God's Gift of Mercy?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, and whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” I memorized this verse as a child, for it’s a proclamation of God’s unquestionable love and his gift of mercy.

Imagine a father playing games with his children and letting them win. His love and mercy for his children build a strong relationship that will endure for whatever life presents. No one is above the need for God’s gift of mercy.

We are all subject to straying from God’s mercy and love by becoming obsessed with what life offers, but God does not let go of us. Psalm 85 declares, “Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace will embrace. Mankind’s need for mercy will reach up to God from the earth, and God’s righteousness will be extended from heaven to comfort his people.” Praise God for his kindness, goodness, and love!          

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Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord; may your love and your truth always protect me.

~Psalm 40:11 New International Version

 

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

~Proverbs 28:13 New International Version

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What Motivates People to Show Mercy?

Have you ever been surprised when a family member, a friend, or someone considered less than a friend showed you mercy when it was undeserved? What motivates people to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving? Acts of mercy may be beyond comprehension when facts justify rejection.

Mercy as an attribute of human behavior may seem a bit out of place in a high-stress world where frustration is prevalent. Taking a moment to show consideration and kindness should, however, be the ideal. Showing mercy rather than condemnation should be what all believers in Jesus Christ should practice.

So we celebrate Jesus’ coming into the world as God’s gift of mercy, rather than his condemnation. Faith that saves us is deeply rooted in God’s mercy and generosity. We should in return be willing to show mercy to others as an expression of the gratitude we feel for the mercy God extends  to us. Praise God for his mercy!                     

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Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound in you…in all things at all times.  

~2 Corinthians 9:6-8 New International Version/English Standard Version

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How Important Is God's Mercy to You?

As God’s people, we consistently expect him to be merciful even when we fail to remember the kindness he has shown so often. Mercy is an expression of God’s undeserved goodness shown to us in spite of being unworthy to receive it.

In Genesis 20 Abraham lied about his relationship with Sarah, his wife. A man of influence admired Sarah so Abraham gave her to him to gain favor and safety. Once again God saved Sarah for Abraham, who had totally failed to trust God’s mercy.

The mystery of God’s mercy is contained in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God’s mercy has been extended to you personally by forgiving you of every sin you’ve committed. 

This one act of God’s mercy demonstrates his compassion and unending love for you. Receive it now.                             

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There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

~James 2:13 New Living Translation

 

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

~Colossians 3:12 NET Bible

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How Has God's Mercy Affected Your Character?

God’s mercy is demonstrated throughout the Bible, for it reflects his character and is inseparable from his desire to redeem his creation. When God said, “Let us make man in our image,” what blessing did he then confer on each person?

A clear demonstration of God’s mercy is found in Genesis 8:21. "Never again will I put the earth under a curse because of sin. As long as the earth exists, there will be springtime and harvest, summer and winter, day and night.”

What effect, then, has God’s abundant mercy had on your character, your behavior, and your choices? 

Micah 6:8 is a challenge to remember: “He has shown you what is good; and what does the Lord now require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Remembering God has been merciful to you will help you be merciful to others, even when they do not deserve it.                              

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The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. …As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is [God’s] love for those who honor Him.

~Psalm 103:8,11 English Standard Version/Good News Bible

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What Must We Overcome to Have a Heart of Mercy?

The most sought-after attribute of God is his mercy, for embedded in mercy are kindness and forgiveness – the essentials for restoration and healing, both spiritually and emotionally. Matthew 18 tells of a man whose debts were beyond paying, yet in an act of mercy his debts were totally forgiven.

You’d assume this man would show mercy to those whose debts to him were outstanding. Instead of mercy, anger and vengeance dominated his feelings and behavior. If we fail to show mercy as an act of gratitude for what has been given to us, the consequences could be astounding.

God does not look favorably on those who fail to show mercy when they have been the recipients of his mercy and forgiveness. 

Remember this truth to live by: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Never pass up an opportunity to show mercy, for who isn’t in need of God’s mercy? “Give and it shall be given to you.”          

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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

~Lamentations 3:22-23 English Standard Version

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