Exhortations for The Soul

Grace is a word that we use very often. We thank God for His grace, which is commonly described as God‘s unmerited favor – blessings received that we do not deserve, but for the grace of God.   And straight away, I have to say here that some people with hard hearts need to extend more grace to their brothers and sisters. They have a hard time, forgiving or restoring. Indeed, as the Lord‘s prayer says we ask God to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass us against us. Luke 11:2–4   (KJV) This is a clear indication that everybody makes mistakes, and everybody needs to receive grace and give grace.   So then we can accept that grace is not reserved for those who “have it all together.” It is the sacred covering for those falling apart behind closed doors — the anxious, the grieved, the exhausted.   In this world, brokenness is seen as weakness, which is why so many people literally break down behind closed doors as opposed to let’s say crying in public. ...

The battle for emotional wellness is often fought in the mind.   Thoughts become heavy. Fears grow louder than faith. Guilt and shame cling to the soul like fog.   But Scripture offers both a diagnosis and a remedy: the mind must be renewed. Not erased. Not ignored. But renewed—transformed from the inside out through the truth of God’s Word. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (ESV).   Similarly in Ezekiel 36:26, God promises, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” This transformation is not a one-time experience—it’s a process, often slow, but always sacred. And it’s essential for those who wrestle with mental and emotional struggles. The word “renew” here means to renovate—to r...

The church often celebrates victory, strength, and overcoming faith.   But what happens when believers battle quietly—when their greatest fight is in the mind and emotions? What happens when the one who prays for others, teaches the Word, or leads worship finds themselves in a personal war of anxiety, depression, or deep discouragement?   This is where faith and mental health collide—not in contradiction, but in coexistence. The belief that Christians should always be “happy” or “strong” is not biblical—it’s cultural. Scripture is filled with faithful people who struggled internally.   Jeremiah, known as “the weeping prophet,” spoke boldly for God while carrying profound emotional grief. He cried out, “Why was I ever born? My entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and shame.” (Jeremiah 20:18, NLT).   Jeremiah’s lament was not a lack of faith. It was a reflection of human anguish expressed honestly before God. Similarly, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus—t...