The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Barbara Swanson of Batesville, Arkansas, from the tape, GC 1301-F, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 8."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1977. All Rights Reserved.

Question

How does the Bible help us to be able to cope with the anxieties of life and psychological problems?

Answer

Well, the Bible is not a book on psychology, because psychology is a—I use the word advisedly—a science. It is a so-called science, and it is interesting to note that in the preface to some books on psychology, it says that psychology has never been proven to be a valid science because there is no way to verify that change that has occurred in someone’s life is due to psychology rather than the passing of time or other forces. So they can’t really prove anything because it’s unprovable—it can’t be put in a test tube.

So the Bible is not a book on psychology. It doesn’t discuss things in the same vein that a psychologist would. But it does involve principles for living, and that in fact is what psychology is all about. It’s trying to help you to live the fullest possible life with the least anxiety, and the Bible does have a lot to say about that.

Let me just take you to one passage that in my mind is the most clear statement in all of scripture about having a healthy attitude toward life. Philippians chapter 4, verses 1-9. Philippians 4:1-9. This is I think the greatest single passage in the Bible in terms of dealing with psychological problems.

You know what I believe? I’ve gotten to the place now where I believe that our society for many reasons wants people to be psychologically messed up. In the first place, it’s great for the pharmaceutical business. You know the more people that can’t cope, the more stuff they’re going to sell people who can’t cope. And I think our society is disjointed and almost celebrates its disconnections in order to stimulate the economy.

Secondly, I think our society wants us all to be a little wacko because most of it is and misery loves company. And I think we’re victimized to some extent by a society that wants everybody to be in the same bag. You know, nothing is as frustrating to our society as somebody who’s got it together. You know the little deal that says, “If you can maintain your cool in this situation, you just don’t understand the facts.” I mean that’s the statement of our society. Nobody has the right to be healthy. Nobody has the right to have it together.

TV commercials monitor the fact that you ought to be miserable. He kissed you once; will he kiss you again? Are your floors yellow? And then it goes on to tell you about all the miseries of your life—your coffee needs Mrs. Olsen, and on and on and on and on. None of us is ever adequate. We never use the right coffee, the right deodorant, the right toothpaste, we never drive the right car because Ford has a better idea. We’re all one step behind real living all the time. And I think a lot of times, this society just foments the anxiety of people, just constantly makes them anxious over what they don’t have. Advertising is a psychological crusher to people. People are under pressure to attain what they don’t possess—to find the beautiful, beautiful life that’s out there somewhere portrayed in the movies and on TV that they never know. Very frustrating.

Now there are only three ways to handle problems, and I’ve shared this with you before, but they’re simple. When you have a problem, you either break out in anger or a rash or something. Or you break down, you silently withdraw and you get eaten up inside. Or you break through—and that’s really what you want to do, isn’t it—in victory.

And in order to break through, I want you to notice what Paul presents here as the pattern for victory over anxiety. And just quickly, Paul really is a great model. Look at verse 11 of four, “Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatever state I am, in this to be”—what—“content.” Now that’s a guy I’d like to learn from, wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you like to learn from somebody who is always content? Terrific man. That is the kind of person I would like to learn from. I don’t want to go to a psychiatrist who goes out the back door to another psychiatrist. I remember a sign on the office of a counselor that said, and this is the truth, “Dr. So-and-So is not in. He is seeing his psychiatrist.” And that’s true. I want to go to somebody who has it together.

The apostle Paul says, “I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased, I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed to be full and to be hungry, to abound and suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Now that guy really had it together. You say, “Yeah, but he didn’t have my problems.” Oh, man, you don’t have his problems. You kidding? Here’s a man who had it together.

Now what does it take to get it together? Let me show you how to be adequate, starting in verse one.

1. Number one, you need an adequate stand. An adequate stand.

“Therefore my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast”—where?—“in the Lord.” The first thing that a believer has to have in order to really get it together is a firm footing, and he stands fast in the Lord. He has a sense of security. First Corinthians 6:17, “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” And one great, solid, powerful, sustaining reality is that I can stand firm because Christ is on my side.

Remember in Ephesians 6, the armor, your feet are shod with the gospel of peace. And the gospel of peace means that I’m no longer at war with God, I’m at peace with God. He’s on my side, and what allows me to stand firm in the battle with Satan is that my feet are rooted on the reality that Christ is on my side. So Satan, you can come and do whatever you want; God is stronger than you are. And that’s what he’s saying here.

I really believe that psychologically healthy people have a great understanding of the doctrine of God and Christ. They are sustained by who God is and who Christ is. Now we have problems in our family, and you have problems in yours. And I have problems in my life, and my wife has problems, and your wife, and your husband and all. And the thing that I always go back to, and the thing that I always take my family back to is: Did you forget that God is in control? Did you forget that God loves you? Did you forget that Christ is always seeking the best for you? That’s the stand we take. And that’s where the rock is.

2. A second thing that I think is important in psychological health, and we’re just suggesting, is adequate love.

And this is interesting: verse one, two and three, he says, “So stand fast, my dearly beloved.” Now, verse two, “I beseech Euodia, and beseech Syntyche,”—those are two women—“that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”

Now notice something about that. Notice the first line of verse one, “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved.” The last line of verse one, “dearly beloved.” Now Paul loves somebody. Who he loves is most interesting. He loves Euodia and Syntyche. Who were they? Two cantankerous women splitting his church. Now that’s a very important thing. The Philippian church was being fractured and two women were quarrelsome and they were leading the split. Now you want to see a psychologically healthy person? It’s the person who can love the people who set about to destroy what he spent his life building. See, that’s a healthy person. A person who doesn’t know the meaning of vengeance, who doesn’t know the meaning of resentment, who doesn’t know the meaning of antagonism, who doesn’t seek in vengeance to get his due, who isn’t threatened. But here is a person who responds to two people who are actually fracturing a fellowship which he, at great cost to his own life, set about to found. And his only response to them is one of what? Of love. Now you see, that’s forgiving seventy times seven, and that’s the mentality of a whole, healthy person. You want to see somebody with psychological problems? You want to see somebody with a high rate of anxiety? Then you find the person who cannot forgive somebody who steps on his toes, and you’ve got a psychological basket case. And so there’s got to be an adequate love.

3. Thirdly, and this is another very important element in psychological wholeness, and that is an adequate joy.

Verse four, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.” You know, you want to hear something? Happy people are usually happy. Sad people are seldom happy. There’s just a commitment and, I don’t know if you ever encounter this, but this is just practical stuff, not so much biblical, but you know, I have determined in my life to be happy. That’s right, I just determined that I am going to be happy. No, you can’t make me sad, because I am going to be happy.

We were staying with some dear folks in Philadelphia, and I said to Bowlie is her name—we call her Aunt Bowlie—her name is Eleanor, but when she was a little, when the kids were little, she was taking them bowling and so they got to calling her Bowlie and so that’s her name. But anyway, so we were with Bowlie and I was saying to her, “You know, you’re amazing.” She’s eighty, what is she, honey, eighty-one? Eighty-two? Whatever, eighty-one or eighty-two. You’re a terrific help. How old is she? Oh, eighty-two, all right. So, I said to her—and she is amazing, I mean she is at it all the time and her mind is as sharp as anything, and boy she’s—so I said to her, “Do you ever get down?” And she says, “No, I’d never allow that.” I said, “Do you ever rest?” She said, “I’ll rest when I’m six feet under.” And her husband says, “No, I’ve never known her to be anything but happy and positive.” “You know,” she said, “I just decided I’m going to be happy.” And happy people are usually happy.

You know, it’s an important thing to look at life with a sense of joy. Paul had that commitment, didn’t he? Rejoice—you know seventy times in the New Testament you’re told to rejoice? That implies that you could if you wanted to. And the Apostle Paul, he rejoiced all the time. Even in jail he sang hymns and rejoiced. And so one of Christ’s gifts to us—isn’t it in John 15:11 where He says, “I’ll give you my joy.” I think that psychologically healthy people are happy people. And you need to make a commitment to be a happy person, and not dwell on the things that tend to make you sad.

4. Well, number four, an adequate gentleness.

This is a good thing. Verse five says, “Let your gentleness be known to all men.” Some say moderation, but gentleness is really what it translates. “Let your gentleness be known to all men.” If you wanted a simple translation, “Have a reputation for gentleness.” You know—I like this—you know, people who have a lot of anxiety are usually bull in a china closet type people, who just go blasting into every situation. They, they’re threatened, they’re insecure, they’re intolerant, and the very opposite is gentleness. Paul says to the Thessalonians, “When we came to you, we didn’t come, you know, pounding the pulpit and smashing things. We came to you like a nursing mother cherishes her baby.” In other words, “We treated you with gentleness. Read that: Thessalonians, chapter two, verse seven. He talks about gentleness. Don’t crash in, don’t assert yourself. Usually healthy people are people who approach things very gently, cautiously, quietly.

5. And then fifthly, an adequate security, and this is great.

Verse five, the end says, “The Lord is at hand.” It’s not talking about the second coming, it’s talking about His nearness. “The Lord is at hand.” What do you have to worry about, right? Did you forget He was there? He says, “I’ll never leave you nor”—what—“forsake you.” “I’m a friend that sticks closer than”—what—“a brother.” “Lo, I am with you”—what—“always.” And so we need to practice His presence.

6. And then I think maybe lastly, an adequate knowledge.

Verse eight. If you’re going to be a psychologically healthy person, then you have to think on these things, “what’s honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” You know, if you just spend all your time thinking about those things, and where are those things recorded? Right here. Spend your time in the Word. Spend your time practicing the presence of Jesus Christ. Spend your time being gentle and quiet. Spend your time being happy—make that commitment. Do the best you can to love the people who step all over you. And remember that you stand fast in the Lord and He’s there and His power is available to you. There’s really nothing to get too worried about.

Paul Reese tells a story of a man on a ship being torpedoed. He leaped into the sea, when the ship was struck, in the second world war, and he was picked up by a German freighter. The experience was a great fear and strain on his nerves, and the others that were rescued out of the sea. And they were thrown into the hold of this German freighter. He says, “I began to commune with the Lord. At first I couldn't sleep. He reminded me of the 121st Psalm, which says, ‘My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, He shall neither slumber nor sleep.’ So I said, ‘Lord, there isn’t any use of both of us staying awake. If you’re going to keep watch, I’ll thank you for some sleep.’ And He gave me some.” And I think we can have that kind of confidence because we know the Lord is our sustenance. So though the Bible isn’t a textbook on psychology, boy it has some great things to say, doesn’t it, about the practical aspect of life.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
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