From the Associate Pastor's desk

A Sound Mind

Often when I greet people I ask the question with genuine interest, "how are you doing?" I usually get one of several familiar responses. Two in particular that stuck with me during the past week were, "I am well, clothed in my right mind" and the other, "I am good with a sound mind!"

The people to whom I was talking, had no idea that the last four words of their responses gripped me in such a way that I knew instantly I needed to gain more understanding concerning a right and sound mind.

I began to think about what a right and sound mind entails. On any given day we are faced with situations or circumstances that can range anywhere from deciding what to wear to work, to major decisions involving our jobs, our health, relationships or the lives of others.

I found the two statements in scripture; Mark 5:15 and 2 Timothy 1:7.

Apostle Paul, in his pastoral epistle to his protégé Timothy, understood well how the cares of life and being a leader can become taxiing on an individual let alone one who would be leading a church.

While he was in prison and uncertain of the days ahead, he penned a beautiful encouraging letter to Timothy; and in spite of what the Apostle was going through he found it in himself to impart wisdom to his spiritual son.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (NKJV)

Here sound mind in the Greek, Sophroneo means, a person's entire frame of thinking, a mind that is revived, delivered, and rescued!

Paul prompted Timothy to remember what God had given him to maintain. He encouraged him to remember that the Spirit of God lives in him and that same Spirit will facilitate and empower a boldness within himself to accomplish any assignment; especially in those days ahead when he may have to contend with his own inner insecurities during the task of leadership.

Mark 5:15 says, "Then they came to Jesus and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind..." (NKJV)

Here, 'right mind' is referring to someone who is sane, in a healthy mental state; not in a constant war with his thoughts. A mind that understands what is right and wrong, thinks clearly and rationally; a mind that is temperate, self-controlled, and balanced.

This person in the book of Mark needed help to obtain or regain the right state of balance of mind!

He was tormented so much so in his mind; evident by his actions to everyone who encountered him, it seemed that he was beyond help!

Timothy was prompted to remember the mind he was given and the man of Mark needed assistance to regain the stability of his fractured mind. But both could not obtain either goal without the much-needed help of our Lord in order to maintain sound and right in their current and future states of mind!

We need the Spirit of God for our minds to be stable and healthy. A sound mind is one that is concerned about the things of God and His kingdom and not overly concerned about the world. A sound mind is focused on eternal things and covered in prayer.

So I pose the question to you, "How are you doing today?" What is your state of mind even as you read this post?

There will be days when all of us will need to do a mental health check. My prayer for everyone is that with the help of our Lord and his Spirit we all will have responses of a genuine and full understanding when we say, 'Praise God that I am in my right and sound mind!!!!

~ Deloris Davis, Associate Pastor

5.14.22