Header image credit: me // Featured image credit: Dingzeyu Li (freely available via Unsplash)

It’s been a while because…life. But I’ve got a bunch of drafts in progress, so more to come soon. But first, time to finish this little series. And since it’s been so long sin the last one, a tiny recap: in the first part of this three-part series, I discussed why I believe there is tension between psychology and faith. The second part expanded on this, addressing how this tension has led to a particularly strong stigma around mental illness in the Christian community and proposing what an integrated approach to mental health should be. In this third part, I’ll discuss various mindfulness practices, how they apply to mental health, and whether or not they’re biblical and are things Christians can or should practice.

I wrote about mindfulness—what it looks like, what benefits it confers, and even Scripture verses that describe mindfulness—in a previous post, so I won’t go into much depth on the well-being benefits of mindfulness here. Instead, the focus of this post will be more about the spirituality of mindfulness.

Is Mindfulness Unbiblical?

Let’s just jump right in. Yes, certain types of mindfulness can be unbiblical. For example, true Buddhist mindfulness and meditation practices, with the goal being to achieve nirvana and realize one’s inner god nature, are counter to what the Bible teaches. The Bible is clear on divinity: there is One True God, and believers, through His Spirit dwelling in us, are children of God and temples of God; but that does not mean that we ourselves are gods. Yes, we are made in His image, but we are notmade of His nature. And while meditation can bring us into deeper communion with God and can make us more like Him in terms of holiness and character, it does not make us more like Him in terms of His divinity. So, yes, mindfulness unto the end of achieving godhood is unbiblical.

And what about yoga? This is a hotly debated matter, and this post isn’t meant as a deep dive into the biblicality of yoga, so I’ll keep it brief. Similar to Buddhism, true yoga is a mindfulness practice (but one based on breathing and movement) focused on helping our souls achieve freedom. The Bible teaches that freedom comes from Christ (“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed,” John 8:36), so to truly practice yoga would be unbiblical. However, if you were to do just the movements of yoga without the Hindu or Buddhist meditations and mantras that come with them, it’s theoretically spiritually agnostic. Not everyone agrees, though. Some have argued that since even the poses themselves were designed as ways to worship, represent, or commune with Hindu deities, it can never be acceptable for Christians to practice it. Others disagree, and with valid reason. Communication and worship require intention. I mean, you can’t accidentally commune with someone or something. There’s also the matter of how modern yoga is different form its ancient roots, as overviewed in this blog post on the biblicality of yoga.

I view yoga more neutrally, applying Paul’s arguments about food offered to idols as being acceptable to eat for believers as long as it doesn’t cause a brother to stumble (1 Corinthians 8). Those yoga poses were initially designed as worship to other deities, which seems equivalent to food offered to other idols (deities). Moreover, other spiritual forces do not have power over those in whom Christ dwells, so for a Christ follower, it would seem that the poses in and of themselves can be practiced without spiritual attachments to Hindu deities. But, it would be wise to keep a cautious eye on it and how it affects your relationship with Christ. And if you’re concerned about, don’t do it.

What about more scientific and seemingly religiously neutral mindfulness practices, like positive psychology and mindfulness-based therapeutic approaches? Well, if you look at Scripture, you’ll find that these practices actually aren’t religiously neutral; rather, they’re commanded practices.

Let’s start with positive psychology. Contrary to older fields of psychology that are more problem- and treatment-focused, positive psychology is the study of well-being; it examines the factors—states, traits, behaviors, relationships—that are associated with a high quality of life. Per Psychology Today, these factors include “optimism, spirituality, hopefulness, gratitude, happiness, creativity, perseverance, justice, meaning and purpose, as well as the practice of free will.” Harvard Health distills the factors down to three pillars: “connecting with others, savoring pleasure, developing a sense of gratitude.”

As I noted in more detail in my post on gratitude, both correlational and experimental studies have shown that gratitude practices improve both mental and physical health: better sleep, reduced stress, fewer health symptoms, better mood, and healthier habits. This recent review article digs into how experiences of awe and wonder have significant positive effects on our physical and mental health, a lot of which might owe to how it helps us manage stress, since stress wrecks every aspect of our health. (Apologies for their use of “goosetingles” instead of “goosebumps.” I’m still recovering from reading that.) The research is clear: positive thinking (which, by the way, isn’t technically the same thing as positive psychology; it’s something that would be studied within the field of positive psychology) is immensely beneficial.

But it’s not just the empirical evidence that advocates for positivity practices. The psalms are replete with statements that express awe and wonder at who God is, gratitude for what He has done, and hope for what He will yet do. It’s almost as if God knew it would be good for us to do such things.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

Psalm 27:13

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 96:3–4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:4–5

And what about joy? It’s all over Scripture. It is the very heartbeat of God. Joy is a key part of the abundant life He wants for us: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). Joy is what sent Jesus to the cross to die for us: “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). And while it’s hard to say if Paul listed the fruit of the Spirit in order of importance, it’s worth noting that joy is listed second, right after love (Galatians 5:22–23).

All this to say, anything that cultivates joy or awe or gratitude is not only consistent with what Scripture teaches but is going to benefit every domain of our health. And this is why such practices can also be such effective therapeutic techniques.

Therapeutic Benefits of Mindfulness

I want to start this section by saying that I in no way believe or advocate that faith and meditation practices alone can or should be a replacement for therapy with a trained mental health professional. Just as you would see a medical doctor when our bodies need help, we should see a therapist when our minds need help. This is especially true with serious mental health issues like depression, trauma, anxiety, addiction, and others.

But that’s also not to say that prayer and meditation should be avoided when it comes to serious mental health issues. By all means, use them. They can’t hurt, and the empirical evidence and Scripture both say they’ll help. But treat them as an adjunct to therapy. For the less severe, sub-clinical cases, though, such as boosting mood or breaking a bad habit, these mindfulness practices could be sufficient on their own. Could, but might not. So don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

That caveat aside, let’s take a look at why these practices can be helpful.

In the first part of this series, I talked about the mind-brain connection: the mind is what the brain does and the brain is organized by what the mind does. Because neurons that fire together wire together. In other words, every time you think a thought (dwell on a past regret, give into an addictive behavior, etc.), the neural pathways that enable that thought get stronger, meaning it will be easier to think that thought again in the future. This is why it’s so hard to get out of a rut or to break a habit. Our very brains are working against us.

This is the heart of Paul’s lament in Romans 7 about the spirit vs. the flesh. We want to do better and be better, but we live in fleshly bodies that are cursed by sin. And because our brains are made of broken, sin-corrupted flesh, so are the minds they house. These minds might be immaterial, but they are nonetheless of the flesh. No wonder there is so much disease and anxiety and depression and hurt in the world. We are broken minds living in broken bodies in a broken world.

But there is hope, as Paul notes at the end of chapter 7 and into one of the most hopeful, beautiful chapters in all of Scripture:

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Romans 7:25–8:1

Even though the mind is fleshly and corrupted, it is still the place where God, Who is immaterial, reaches us. Yes, He can work in the world in material ways, but His main desire is to be in relationship with us, which He doesn’t need to be physically present to do. We talk to Him through prayer and He talks to us through His Word and how it tugs at our hearts (in the mental sense, not the literal cardiac one). Other times, He speaks to us through our thoughts and feelings, though the words of others, and, on rarer occasions, through an almost audible voice in our minds. I’ve had a few of these, and I know they were God because (a) they came out of the blue (and having a Ph.D. in psychology, I know that our brains are basically association machines, so even our so-termed “random” thoughts have a connection to something else that we just heard or saw or thought, meaning that a truly out-of-the-blue thought is unlikely to have been generated from our consciousness) and (b) they were something I would not have thought.

Here’s why this is important: neurons that fire together wire together. Every thought we have affects the wiring and neurochemistry of our brains. So if God can speak to us in our minds and guide our thoughts—and even give us thoughts—this means that He can help us shape our brains for the healthier. And Scripture teaches this very clearly: “We […] take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

This is a similar notion to what is practiced in modern therapeutical approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). While different in how they deal with negative thinking, the two share a common core: we must recognize our negative thought patterns and strip them of their power. I’m painting in broad strokes here, but at a gist level, CBT uses a more rational approach of recognizing the irrationality of negative thoughts, whereas ACT is more truly mindfulness-based and teaches letting go of those negative thoughts.

But there’s a third approach, one you won’t find in a standard counseling handbook: recognize that that thought is a product of our sin-corrupted flesh and ask Jesus to help you take it captive.

That said, I would argue that the best approach will be a little bit of all three: try to rationally deconstruct the more obviously irrational thoughts, practice letting go of the persistent ones that defy reason, and pray for help with all of it and for victory over it.

Scripture: Our Oldest Therapy Text

But Jesus does more than disrupt and conquer our negative thinking; He helps us have more positive thinking. And this, too, is done through mental work.

In a well-known passage near the end of his letter to the Philippians, Paul talks about how gratitude and prayer are the antidote to anxiety, giving us peace that surpasses understanding (4:6–7). But I think the subsequent verses are as significant, if not more, and should not be so easily overlooked in favor of the more popular preceding verses:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8–9

That’s positive psychology talk if I ever heard it. And it came centuries before psychology was a discipline, much less positive psychology. And it’s mindfulness talk, too, suggesting that we reflect and meditate on the good and beautiful things in this world.

The reason such practices work is because they change our minds and, therefore, our brains. They forge new neural pathways that become the stronger, more dominant, more automatic ones, instead of the toxic, negative thoughts. Joy, when practiced, becomes more automatic than fear. Gratitude, when practiced, becomes more automatic than frustration. Awe, when practiced, becomes more dominant than despondency. Through practicing mindfulness and positive thinking, we retrain and renew our minds, and through the renewal of our minds, we are transformed (Romans 12:2).

And with practice, this transformation can be significant enough that moments of joy or expressions of gratitude will start to find you. They have for me.

Surprised by Joy: An Example, Not the C. S. Lewis Book (Though I Would Recommend It)

By the grace of God, I have always had a generally positive disposition, so that definitely helps. But I’ve also done my part over the years to mindfully enjoy the beauty of big and little moments, so my brain has been trained and changed to be quite receptive to joy without me having to try. And one time it hit me so beautifully hard.

Several years ago, at the front end of pumpkin spice season, I had just taught one of my favorite classes (so endorphin rush, which no doubt helped) and grabbed a dark chocolate pumpkin mocha on my way home. Yes, I’m that person. Pumpkin spice everything! But not just because I love all things autumn (which I do). I legitimately love the flavor and would drink it year-round. It’s why I put cinnamon on and in so many things. Even in the midst of summer, I’ll sometimes put cinnamon and cardamom in my coffee grounds as it brews for a heavenly spiced coffee!

Anyway, I digress. So I’m driving home with a pumpkin mocha. It’s a picture-perfect day, too, so I have the windows down and the sunroof open and my favorite driving playlist is on shuffle. And then it happens: AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top” comes on the playlist. It’s one of my all-time favorite songs, thanks to the bagpipes (bagpipe + rock is one the best musical discoveries I’ve ever made). I like to call it my spirit song: if you could put my personality into song form, I’m pretty sure that’s what you’d get.

So I’m jamming out and am in a great mood, so when the bagpipe section hit, I started welling up with tears of joy. There was so much beauty and joy to be had in that moment and my brain was trained to take it in, so it did. Without being told to. Though it was so simple and seemingly silly, this moment has proven to be one of the most poignantly joyful moments of my life, and I didn’t even have to try. But that’s exactly why it was so poignant: proof that the mind can be transformed through practice.

Put It in Practice

That’s what positive thinking and mindfulness did for me and what I hope they do for you. And it’s what God can—and wants—to do for You. But He’s probably not going to do it all on His own. Like I talked about in part two of this series, His goal is that we continually grow in maturity. And we don’t grow if we don’t put in the work. So if you want that kind of joy, that kind of peace, that kind of transformation, that kind of victory over and freedom from depression and anxiety and other negative thoughts, you will have to do the work of renewing your mind. But God will absolutely help you.

So mindfully study Scripture. Reflect and meditate on its truths, on what it says about the beauty and love of God. Mindfully enjoy the big and little moments in this world, from milestone achievements to the taste of your next meal. Express gratitude. Be in awe of a sunset. These things will help boost your mood and can do wonders for healing the body and mind. And they are Scriptural commands, so they will grow your faith as well.

And don’t forget to pray. We have a relational God who speaks to us and empowers us in our minds. More than that, to those who believe and have become His children, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). The all-powerful Victor over sin has given His mind to us. Talk about power. This is why we, like Paul, can claim, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). But that oft-quoted verse is not carte blanche for claiming God’s power to accomplish any goal we set or to overcome any setback we face. Note how this verse occurs just a few verses after his words about mindfulness that I quoted earlier. Paul is noting how he has the ability to maintain a positive mindset in any situation thanks to the indwelling mind and power of Christ. It’s about attitude, not accomplishment. No, scratch that. It’s about attitude being the accomplishment. The maturity God wants for us is that we can be overflowing with His love and joy and peace (and other fruit) in any and all situations.

But, again, beware to not take this too far. Note how Paul writes that he can do all things. He’s not relying on God to do all of it. He’s relying on God’s power to help him do it. We have a part to play. The work is ours to do, but thankfully it is a work that has been shown time and again to be good for us. And thankfully we don’t have to do it alone.

Yours truly,
D. R. Meriwether, Ph.D.
Renaissance Man and Abundant Life Liver