7 Scriptures to Strengthen Your Mind and Body
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It’s just after lunch on a jam-packed afternoon when I’m writing this article. I’ve just chugged a Mountain Dew and devoured some fried fish from a food truck down the road. It was delicious. But I think it has made me a little more tired. My eyes are heavy, and I’m wondering if I need another soda to keep myself awake.
The scene that I’m trying to set for you is that I’m probably not going to be gracing the cover of a men’s fitness magazine anytime soon (unless somebody comes up with a food truck diet). And I’m also very tired. I need to get in better shape, sleep better, and stop depending on so much caffeine.
In order to strengthen my mind and body, I’m going to read a couple of Bible verses to work off that fried fish.
Hopefully you realize that’s ridiculous. Digesting Scripture alongside my fried fish isn’t going to keep me from feeling the physical effects of a poor lunch decision. But I also believe that Scripture isn’t silent when it comes to strengthening your mind and body.
If you’re like me, you’re tired. Not just mentally, but emotionally and physically. Often, you try to just grind through it with a nice little pep-talk, a bit of caffeine, and good ol’ American willpower. And it’s tempting to separate your spiritual life from your physical life. “How can the Bible help with my fatigue?”, you might be asking.
How Does the Bible Speak about the Mind and Body?
In Scripture, people aren’t divided into neat little boxes of “spirit, soul, and body.” We are unified creatures. When David says that his “soul is downcast” or that his “bones are wasting away” these are physical and spiritual realities. An unhealthy soul will have an impact on the body. And I think we’re foolish if we think that an unhealthy body doesn’t also have some bearing on our soul as well.
“There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin” (Psalm 38:3).
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).
Things like anxiety, guilt, and bitterness don’t just stay in the realm of “spiritual” problems. They also show themselves in our bodies. Inner turmoil can have outward consequences. That’s not me saying that if you’re sick it must mean that you’ve got something going on spiritually — that’s too simplistic. But I am saying that we are holistic beings.
Spiritual peace may also (though not always) lower your blood pressure. Joy can release endorphins. Having peace in your soul can connect to your ability to sleep. And your ability to get a good night of sleep has a massive bearing on your physical well-being. The Bible affirms this reality.
But that doesn’t mean that quoting verses like “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” will manifest in six-pack abs. Nor is it saying that you can get a shot of Matthew instead of a swig of a Monster energy drink. Instead, the Bible will give you truths to strengthen your person — which includes mind and body. And God’s Word can help to address some of the inner burdens that can cause outward turmoil.
Scripture will also help us to develop a good theology of the mind and body.
Developing a Good Theology of Mind and Body
First, as already noted, God tells us that we are holistic beings and all parts of us matter. Your body does matter. We aren’t Gnostics who believe that you body and spirit are separate. We are integrated beings. That is foundational to any talk about the mind and body. Your body isn’t incidental or disposable — to deny this is to depart from Christian theology.
Secondly, our body is an instrument for worship of God. And one of the best ways we can show our devotion and worship of God is by honoring our bodies with rest. Your body is a picture of your theology. The rhythm of rest, which God gave us in Sabbath observance, is an act of trust. If I’m trying to hold myself together with Mountain Dew, it’s a potential indicator that I’m battling trust. God’s Word speaks into our culture of burnout and overachievement with permission to slow down and rest.
There is much more that can be said about a theology of the body, but these are the foundational points. You are a holistic being that belongs to God and your body should be used as an instrument of worship.
Here are a few Scriptures that not only help with further developing a good theology of mind and body, but can also serve to strengthen you.
7 Scriptures to Help Strengthen Your Mind and Body
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Many believe that this is written to the exilic community. They are people suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion. God’s renewal here isn’t just a metaphor but a promise of restored endurance. Waiting on the Lord gives us strength because it calls us away from anxiety.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
If you read this verse like it’s a cudgel, it might not be helpful. It’s like telling a person who is worked up that they need to “calm down;” it never actually works. But this passage isn’t doing that. Yes, it’s a command — but it’s one of those invitation type of commands. It’s a call to lay down our anxieties by giving them to the Lord. He’s graciously saying, “Here, let me hold that for you."
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus calls us into His rest. When he spoke these words, they were to a people that had been burned and bogged down by performance. These are words given to those who are on the treadmill and don’t know how to get off. He is offering a better burden.
4. Psalm 4:8
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Good sleep comes from God. We can lay down our heads, knowing that the world goes on without us, because we know that God never sleeps. He allows us to dwell in safety — watching over us when our guard is down. Rest is one of God’s gifts to the body. When we entrust ourselves to God’s protection sleep is possible, even in turbulent times.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
Our bodies are going to wear down. There will be a day for all of us when there are things we can’t do with our bodies that we once could. Maybe you are already there. You can feel in your bones Paul’s words — the outer self is wasting away. But that doesn’t mean that our spirit has to wither too. The Word gives us courage even if the mirror doesn’t. Verses like this keep us grounded and realistic. Yes, we are holistic beings. But that doesn’t mean that it will always be symmetrical. Your body does matter, but it’s not ultimate. It’s temporary housing.
6. Isaiah 26:3
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
A mind fixed on God, as opposed to fixed on self or swirling circumstance, is able to be at peace. The perfect peace means a complete and holistic peace. Real peace doesn’t come from being in control, having everything figured out, or having all of your circumstances lined up. Real peace comes from having your mind fixed on the Lord and trusting in His promises.
7. Mark 12:30
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
This is really the Shema. The greatest commandment. It is unsurprisingly holistic. It reminds us that God wants all of us and every bit of our being belongs to Him. The heart speaks to our affections, the soul to our inner life, the mind to our thoughts and intellect, and the strength to our physical energy and daily actions. We’re called to submit them all to God. Loving God is holistic.
How are you loving God with your body? How are you loving Him with your mind?
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