April Mental Health Tip of the Month
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
-Romans 12:2 NIV-
Renewal
Spring is a time for rebirth and renewal. Trees begin to put forth new, vibrant, green leaves. Flowers begin to bloom with all the beautiful colors of the rainbow. Birds and animals are giving birth to the next generation. The days of sunshine are longer and brighter. Things are coming to life again! Spring can be a time of renewal for us as well. We can choose today to begin to renew our minds in Christ (Colossians 3:2, 10). It’s time to let go of the old ways of thinking and set our minds on Jesus instead…His love and His peace.
New Life, New Creation
When we believe in Jesus, accept Him into our hearts, and make Him our Lord and Savior, we are born again. We are given a new life in Him and we are a new creation. In Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV it states, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” This new self no longer bows down to anxiety, fear, depression, or anything else that sets itself above God. Our new created self is no longer defined by the things of our past. We are forgiven. We are loved. We are seen. We are heard. We are holy. We are righteous. We are made new. And because of all of these things, we can walk in the freedom that Jesus died for us to have. Who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36)!
Fruits of the Spirit
When we are walking in freedom, our minds are renewed and we can walk in and enjoy the fruits of the Spirit… “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). When we start walking in the fruits of the Spirit; we love others well, we have joy in our hearts, and our minds are at peace. We are patient, kind, good, and gentle with others and our relationships flourish. We are faithful to God, ourselves, and those we love. Having self-control allows us to practice intentional restraint in every aspect of life, whether in thought, word, or deed. Meaning that we can choose what we think about, how we speak, and how we react to the things around us simply by focusing on the fruits of the Spirit and incorporating them into our lives by surrendering to Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to grow them in us. Let the fruits of the Spirit that are inside of you grow into full maturity to bring life and freedom to your minds, bodies, spirits, and souls!
Conclusion
We have to be intentional about what we are thinking about and what we allow our minds to settle on. Our minds need to be renewed daily in order to continue walking out that freedom and living in the fruits of the Spirit. In Philippians 4:8 NIV, Paul reminds us of what we should be thinking about, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” We can do this by asking God to guide our thoughts and transform our minds according to His will. We can read, memorize and meditate on God’s Word daily. We can remember and reflect on God’s promises instead of the bad things that are coming against us. We focus our thoughts on the things that are above and not on earthly distractions. And we can also use scripture to counter the lies of anxiety and fear by ‘taking each thought captive and making it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Keeping our minds stayed on Jesus is how we maintain our freedom. The moment we take our eyes off Jesus and who He is, we begin to ‘sink’ (Matthew 14:22-23). Keep your eyes on Jesus, follow Him and His ways, and He will keep you in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3)!
References:
1. Bible Hub. (2026). What is self-control in the spirit? Retrieved from: https://biblehub.com/q/what_is_self-control_in_the_spirit.htm