Mental Health, Mental Care, the Bible, and Ethics

I am developing resources about mental health, mental care, the Bible, and ethics. Check the Mental Health Page on my blog, as I wrote there:

See the positive side of life even if negative things surround you. I do not mean we should ignore the dark side of life. We can face it with a positive attitude. We should not allow negative energy to overwhelm us, seeing shining hope amid despair, visualizing the moment that the stormy clouds will part soon, and recognizing the sun already shining above them. At a time of distress or turmoil, seek God and the Spirit. Listen to your body and attend to each breathing. Thank God for each inhale and exhale. Life is a gift. If there is night, there comes also day.

Excerpts from "How to Read the Gospels"

I finished proofreading the typeset pages of my new book, How to Read the Gospels (forthcoming July 2024). You may pre-order it through online/retailers or from the publisher. I pull the following excerpts from the conclusion chapter: 

As such, interpretation of the Gospels or the stories of Jesus cannot be dominated or domesticated by one group or school. All readers can interpret them carefully from their context and discern what is good. In doing so, we must avoid Biblicism in all our efforts. The Gospels are neither a weapon that tramples other religions or cultures nor the knowledge books that subsume all other books. The Gospels are ongoing stories inviting us to read them through our stories. (p. 244)

WHY REJOICING ALWAYS: Paul As a Deep Thinker and Mind-Healing Therapist

1 Thess 5:16-22 (NRSV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

Rejoicing is a desirable attitude toward life and this world. What we see and how we think about what we see will determine our lives. Do we see positive things and energy amid chaos and turmoil? Can we see the hidden power of the Spirit of God in the world? Can we sing the songs of the birds when we hear them? Can we be happy when we see small plants growing in the yard? Can we celebrate the source of our life, which is God? Can we rejoice always under any circumstances? The answer is yes because the source of our joy does not depend on ourselves. So, Paul asks, "Rejoice always." 

When we face the harsh realities of life, feeling sucked in the vortex of life crises, we can pray to God to deal with them wisely and patiently, letting go of groundless fear or worries. Prayer is the time that we invite God to intervene in our minds. We yield to God and realize again who we are. Then, we may navigate rough waves faithfully without being crushed. Since uncertainties and thorns fill us relentlessly, we need to pray without ceasing. That is Paul's insight. 

The last thing Paul asks for is to give thanks in all circumstances. This point of thanks goes back to the importance of rejoicing always. We must count the things we receive from God. We breathe in and out every second. We walk on trails in the park. We eat and talk. We run and rest. We have people whom we love. Most importantly, we are not alone because God is with us.

As we see above, Paul is more than a theologian. Knowing what to think of himself and how to face the world wisely, he knows how to undergo a whirlwind of emotions. He is a deep thinker and mind-healing therapist. His advice is this: "Don't focus on negative things in your life. Focus on what you have. Trust God always because God is more than you think. You are also more than what you see. Rise above from the seat of negativity. See the bright sun rising on you every day."

Critical Imagination

Imagination is necessary to enrich our lives. We can live a new life through imagination. Science has been advanced through new imagination. New discoveries of many things were possible through imagination. We can imagine flying like a bird and can do so through airplane or other means of flying. But if one does not do anything with his/her imagination, nothing will happen. Indeed, we can realize our imagination variously. 

But how to realize it is crucial. If one goes up a mountain and jumps off from a cliff or mountaintop, that person will be killed in a few seconds. This kind of imagination is so naïve that even one’s life may be lost. But if a person invents new things to ride on or uses a hang glider, he/she can fly like a bird. Thus what we need is imaginative power combined with critical, self-critical thinking. 

I observe the importance of critical imagination in my book: 

Biblical Interpretation:

Theory, Process, and Criteria

 

Amos N. Wilder also observes: 

Imagination is a necessary component of all profound knowing and celebration; all remembering, realizing, and anticipating; all faith, hope, and love. When imagination fails doctrines become ossified, witness and proclamation wooden, doxologies and litanies empty, consolations hollow, and ethics legalistic … Then that which once gave life begins to lull and finally to suffocate us.

*See Amos Wilder, Theopoetic: Theology and the Religious Imagination (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1976), 2. 

Helpful Diagrams for Biblical Interpretation

Gospel Media

I enjoyed Nicholas Elder's book, Gospel Media. I reviewed it at Amazon. This book is very informative and informs readers of the variety of gospel media practices. Mark textualizes the precedent oral traditions for proclamation. Among other things, I like his emphasis on paratexts of the Synoptic Gospels and John's colophon, which help us understand different uses of the manuscripts for different kinds of readers: εὐαγγέλιον (Mark 1:1); βίβλος (Matt 1:1); διήγησις (Luke 1:1); βιβλίον (John 20:30).

New Year

2024, a new year has dawned. I will live a simple, content life every day. I will plan things without ambition and execute them gradually. I will focus on myself and won't complain about others. I will thank God for all I have. I will learn humbly, teach confidently, and write clearly.

God says to me in my heart: "You are my servant, the beloved; with you I am well pleased. Empower my people and teach them what they need."

"The Body of Christ" (soma christou)

Since my debut book's publication in 2008, I have not changed my thesis about the body of Christ. I still believe it.

Choose the way of life (Psalm 1)

Psalm 1 (NRSV Updated Edition)

1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of scoffers, 2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. 3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. 4 The wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, 6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1 points out the two ways of life: the life of righteousness and that of sinners. Whereas the blessed people meditate on the law of God, the wicked seek their own will. The former live like trees planted by streams of water and yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so. They are like chaff and will not stand in judgment.

When I meditate on the law of God, the first thing that comes to my mind is the acknowledgment that God is sovereign and merciful. We must see and honor God as God, which means we must allow for the power of God in our lives and acknowledge our utter dependence on God.

Every morning, every moment, our life depends on the grace of God. Every walk we take, every inhale and exhale we have, every word we say, and every smile we make are possible because of the grace of God. We should not allow negative energy to overwhelm or ruin us. We must see shining hope amid despair. We must visualize the moment that the stormy clouds will part soon and recognize the sun already shining above them. At a time of distress or turmoil, seek God and the Spirit. Listen to your body and attend to each breathing. Thank God for each inhale and exhale. Life is a gift. If there is night, there comes also day.

Every morning, I remember that I am a gift of God and embrace the spirit of God, which fills me with an active mind imbued with positive thinking, curiosity, and creativity.

I won’t focus on yesterday or tomorrow. My time is today, and I focus on the present moment. I do my best today and every day. Tomorrow will be the grace, but today is a true gift I received.

Lastly, I quote a neuroscientist, Jaime A. Pineda, who argues that we must choose each time the AAECC impulse (active, adaptable, energetic, curious, and creative) rather than the AFRAID impulse (avoidant, fearful, resistant, arrogant, inflexible, and distrustful). He argues that these two impulses are within us (Jaime Pineda, Controlling Mental Chaos: Harnessing the Power of the Creative Mind by Rowman & Littlefield, 2023). They are like the two sides of the same coin. Choosing the AAECC means appreciating the positive side of life and thanking God for such a gift in our lives. 

I pray:

Dear loving and gracious God, we celebrate your presence, your grace, and your power every moment. Thank you for your boundless, bountiful energy that surrounds us. Help us to choose the way of life amid negative realities in the world. Empower us to seek justice and righteousness as we navigate uncertainties and hurdles in our world. Inspire us to see the needs of others and stand in solidarity with them across the globe. In turmoil and chaos, sustain our body and mind through your everlasting love and care. Amen.

Be curious and creative

I will be curious and creative in all things I process in my daily life. I will embrace both critical thinking and a nonconscious, intuitive mind. 

Allow a curious and creative mind to enter into your body and mind. Respect your body rhythm and attend to things surrounding you. Hear your inner voice. 

What you think is not absolute. Don't be hasty. Stroll and ponder everything deeply. Never stop wondering. 

Morning Psalm

Thank God
Every morning is a miracle. There is no guarantee that I would wake up in the morning after conscious or unconscious journeys of my soul or mind during the night sleep. Back to my conscious mind, I must thank God for saving me and giving me another day. Slowly, I put myself in the bosom of God, feeling his love and soft touch on my soul. I am like a child again and dependent on the limitless love of God.

Be active
I am filled with an active mind, imbued with positive thinking, curiosity, and creativity. I also feel the energy, spirit, and inspiration from my inner soul and the external environment.

Focus on the present moment
I don't focus on yesterday or tomorrow. My time is today, and I live in the present moment. Even though I may be doing many things with a busy mind, I keep focusing on the present moment. I count the blessings I receive from God and feel the power of God every moment.