Section 10—Mental Health
Chapter 47—Mental Hygiene (Part 1)
[See chapter 42, “Mind and Health.”]
Mental Powers Depend on Health—Health is a blessing of which few appreciate the value; yet upon it the efficiency of our mental and physical powers largely depends. Our impulses and passions have their seat in the body, and it must be kept in the best condition physically and under the most spiritual influences in order that our talents may be put to the highest use. Anything that lessens physical strength enfeebles the mind and makes it less capable of discriminating between right and wrong.—The Review and Herald, June 20, 1912. (Messages to Young People, 235.)
All Faculties Can Be Cultivated—Many are not doing the greatest amount of good because they exercise the intellect in one direction and neglect to give careful attention to those things for which they think they are not adapted. Some faculties that are weak are thus allowed to lie dormant because the work that should call them into exercise, and consequently give them strength, is not pleasant. All the powers of the mind should be exercised, all the faculties cultivated. Perception, judgment, memory, and all the reasoning powers should have equal strength in order that minds may be well balanced.—Testimonies for the Church 3:32, 33 (1872).
Weak Faculties Not to Be Neglected—It is agreeable, but not most profitable, to exercise those faculties which are naturally the strongest, while we neglect those that are weak, but which need to be strengthened. The feeblest faculties should have careful attention that all the powers of the intellect may be nicely balanced and all do their part like well-regulated machinery.
We are dependent upon God for the preservation of all our faculties. Christians are under obligation to Him to so train the mind that all the faculties may be strengthened and more fully developed. If we neglect to do this, they will never accomplish the purpose for which they were designed. We have no right to neglect any one of the powers that God has given us.
We see monomaniacs all over the country. They are frequently sane upon every subject but one. The reason of this is that one organ [part] of the mind was specially exercised while the others were permitted to lie dormant. The one that was in constant use became worn and diseased, and the man became a wreck. God was not glorified by his pursuing this course. Had he exercised all the organs equally, all would have had a healthy development; all the labor would not have been thrown upon one, therefore no one would have broken down.—Testimonies for the Church 3:33, 34 (1872).
Aim Stimulates the Mind—You should also have an aim, a purpose, in life. Where there is no purpose, there is a disposition to indolence; but where there is a sufficiently important object in view, all the powers of the mind will come into spontaneous activity. In order to make life a success the thoughts must be steadily fixed upon the object of life and not left to wander off and be occupied with unimportant things, or to be satisfied with idle musing, which is the fruit of shunning responsibility. Castle-building depraves the mind.—Testimonies for the Church 2:429 (1870).
Overworked Stomach Weakens Mental Powers—Children are generally untaught in regard to the importance of when, how, and what they should eat. They are permitted to indulge their tastes freely, to eat at all hours, to help themselves to fruit when it tempts their eyes, and this, with the pie, cake, bread and butter, and sweetmeats eaten almost constantly, makes them gourmands and dyspeptics. The digestive organs, like a mill which is continually kept running, become enfeebled, vital force is called from the brain to aid the stomach in its overwork, and thus the mental powers are weakened. The unnatural stimulation and wear of the vital forces make them nervous, impatient of restraint, self-willed, and irritable.—The Health Reformer, May 1877. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 181.)
Development the Result of Effort—Children should be taught that development of both mental and the physical powers rests with themselves; it is the result of effort.—The Signs of the Times, February 9, 1882. (Child Guidance, 206.)
Immutable Laws—Right physical habits promote mental superiority. Intellectual power, physical strength, and longevity depend upon immutable laws.—Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 28, (1890). (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 29.)
Mind Strengthens Under Correct Treatment—Every day men in positions of trust have decisions to make upon which depend results of great importance. Often they have to think rapidly, and this can be done successfully by those only who practice strict temperance. The mind strengthens under the correct treatment of the physical and mental powers. If the strain is not too great, new vigor comes with every taxation.
But often the work of those who have important plans to consider and important decisions to make is affected for evil by the results of improper diet. A disordered stomach produces a disordered, uncertain state of mind. Often it causes irritability, harshness, or injustice. Many a plan that would have been a blessing to the world has been set aside, many unjust, oppressive, even cruel measures have been carried, as the result of diseased conditions due to wrong habits of eating.—The Ministry of Healing, 309, 310 (1905).
Avoiding Overwork—I hear of workers whose health is breaking down under the strain of the burdens they are bearing. This ought not to be. God desires us to remember that we are mortal. We are not to embrace too much in our work. We are not to keep ourselves under such a strain that our physical and mental powers shall be exhausted. More workers are needed that some of the burdens may be removed from those now so heavily loaded down.—The Review and Herald, April 28, 1904. (Evangelism, 660.)
Putting Two Years Into One—The student who desires to put the work of two years into one should not be permitted to have his own way. To undertake to do double work means, with many, overtaxation of the mind and neglect of physical exercise. It is not reasonable to suppose that the mind can assimilate an oversupply of mental food; and it is as great a sin to overload the mind as it is to overload the digestive organs.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 296 (1913).
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/78.371#371
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for how you have made us with the capacity to excel in area of our lives and to know what real balance means. Please bless us to fully embrace our own God-given individuality and talents and influence that others might be uplifted and encouraged in rightdoing. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, please bless us to be all You would have us be and grant us the mind and love of Jesus that others might be drawn to You through how we live and what we say. Because we ask all these in the Awesome name of Your Son, Almighty Jesus the Christ, our Savior, we say Thank You and Amen.
******
DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.—Romans 12:2 KJV —The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Do you feel sorrowful, disconnected—without a place to feel at home or useful? I pray this might show you the way forward. Watch…
https://www.youtube.com/live/2QB6fcwVuws?si=fsEvZU-rkI-BngfD
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
FREE HEALTH TALK* open to the public Thursdays at 5pm at Country Life Natural Foods Store and Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant, 1217 Eberhart Avenue, Columbus, GA.
Thursday, Sept. 3: “Reversing Heart Disease”
*Exception: $10 for any cooking class
****
WHGR 91.5 FM went LIVE noon on Thanksgiving Day 2025, for Hurtsboro (my childhood home town) and surrounding areas, including Tuskegee, Alabama.
If you want to support Christian radio programming for these final days, please visit
https://www.ucheepines.org/radio
Thank you!!!
****
I coordinate wonderful health and worship events and conferences online and onsite as a gospel medical missionary at Uchee Pines, a total plant-based health retreat, where doctors and practitioners specialize in lifestyle medicine. For event details, visit https://www.ucheepines.org/events
Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
https://baiom.org/author/audreystovall/
where devotionals are first posted daily (almost without fail). From there devotionals are publicly shared to my page on FB, LinkedIn, and Signal (in My Story), and to a response-restricted group on WhatsApp (once again when I am able to find the time to successfully rebuild it).
NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
If you agree to continue receiving them, then this is my personal gift to you; and in this way, I not only honor God but the memory of a very dear friend whom I desperately miss.
My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
It is a prayerful process that leads me to share from my personal study.
So please feel free to forward to your loved ones or to anyone, as God leads you. I’m calling them Barb’s Devotionals.