Today’s message is about prevention rather than cure.
I’m not a psychologist or a psychiatrist. My background is in mathematics, physics and chemistry, so the world of emotions has been something of an adventure for me. Today’s message is not about curing mental illness but about developing the kind of daily habits that help keep worry and unhappiness under control before they become overwhelming. Like the tablets my GP prescribes for blood pressure and cholesterol, these are preventative practices rather than emergency treatment. There are, of course, times when depression, anxiety and other mental health struggles require professional help, and there is no shame in seeking that care.
Jesus invites us to focus on God’s Kingdom rather than today’s worries.
Jesus doesn’t pretend that life is easy. He acknowledges that every day has enough trouble of its own, but instead of allowing worry to dominate our thinking he invites us to trust our heavenly Father, who knows our needs, and to seek first his Kingdom. Where we choose to place our attention has a profound effect on the way we experience today’s troubles.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25–34 (NIV))
We become happier when our attention moves beyond ourselves.
Arthur Brooks asks whether we become happier by focusing on our own desires or by doing something for others. His research suggests that although healthy self-care has an important place, people flourish when their attention moves beyond themselves and towards the people around them. We are designed not simply to look inward but to live in relationship with God and with others.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3–4 (NIV))
Spending too much time thinking about ourselves robs us of happiness.
Brooks describes the Me-self as the part of us that is constantly thinking about ourselves, while the I-self is the part that notices the world and the people around us. The challenge is not to eliminate either one but to keep them in balance, because when we become trapped in the Me-self our moods begin to rise and fall with our circumstances, our appearance and the opinions of others.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 (NIV))
Mirrors can quietly draw us back into ourselves.
Mirrors help us shave, comb our hair and prepare for the day, but they can also become places where we become increasingly critical of ourselves. Today’s mirrors include social media, where we constantly see ourselves through the eyes of other people. The more we focus on our own reflection, the easier it becomes to remain trapped in the Me-self rather than engaging with God and the world around us.
Wonder turns our attention towards God.
One of Brooks’ practical suggestions is to spend more time marvelling at the world around us. Living in Hobart gives us daily opportunities to enjoy the beauty of kununyi/Mount Wellington, the sunrise, the sunset and the sea, and as we marvel at creation our attention naturally shifts from ourselves to the God whose glory the heavens declare.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voicegoes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.Psalm 19:1–6 (NIV)
Remember that you are already fully known by God.
Psalm 139 reminds us that our identity does not begin with our own thoughts about ourselves or with the opinions of others. God knows us completely, he formed us, he walks with us wherever we go and he never abandons us, which means we can stop trying to find our worth by continually looking at ourselves. Psalm 139:1–18 (NIV)
Remember that God has not left you to face life alone.
The Father not only created us but has also given us the Holy Spirit, who is God’s presence with us, our helper, our guide and the guarantee that we belong to Christ. Even when today’s troubles feel overwhelming, we are never facing them by ourselves.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11–14 (NIV))
Paul’s prayer teaches us what to ask for.
Rather than simply praying for our circumstances to change, Paul prays that believers would receive wisdom and revelation so that they may know Christ better and have the eyes of their hearts opened to the hope God has given them. It is a beautiful prayer for ourselves and for anyone who is struggling.
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:15–23 (NIV))
God is faithful through today’s troubles.
David experienced fear, loneliness and opposition, yet he could still say that the Lord lifted him from the pit, set his feet on a rock and gave him a new song. As we learn to look beyond ourselves and towards God, we discover that he has been faithfully holding us all along.
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods,
Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears you have opened—
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.Psalm 40:1–10 (NIV)
I have really struggled with how to end this time together until I came across this reading just a few days ago. It is from an old “Every day with Jesus” devotional booklet talking about the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- The general routes of guidance
- Guidance according to the character of Christ-We know who God wants us to be like-He wants us to be like his Son
- Guidance through his Word- the Spirit makes the Bible come alive to us and it throws a light on the path ahead.
- Guidance through circumstances-putting us in situations where the circumstances indicate the direction we ought to go.
- Guidance through the counsel of godly people.
- Guidance through the direct whispering of the Spirit within us-the inner voice-but make sure it is not your own voice.
Questions:
1. Jesus tells us not to worry because our Father knows what we need (Matthew 6:25–34). What part of this teaching is hardest for you to trust right now, and what daily “preventative habits” could help you rest more deeply in God’s care?
2. Arthur Brooks distinguishes between the “Me‑self” and the “I‑self.” When do you most notice yourself slipping into the Me‑self, and what practical steps help you shift your attention outward toward God and others?
3. Philippians 4:8 calls us to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Which of these qualities do you most need to intentionally “think about” this week, and how might doing so reshape your emotional or spiritual outlook?
4. The sermon warns us to be careful with “mirrors,” including social media. What kinds of “mirrors” tend to distort your sense of identity, and what boundaries or habits could help you engage with them in healthier ways?
5. Psalm 19 reminds us that creation declares God’s glory. What part of God’s creation helps you shift your focus away from yourself and toward Him, and how could you build moments of wonder or gratitude into your daily routine?
6. Psalm 139 teaches that God knows us completely and is always present. How does remembering that you are fully known and fully loved by God help you navigate seasons of worry, insecurity, or self‑criticism?
7. Ephesians 1 speaks of the Holy Spirit as our helper and encourager. In what area of your life do you most need the Spirit’s wisdom, revelation, or hope right now, and what would it look like to actively invite His help this week?