When most people think of healing, they think of it for their bodies; however, the mind is the most significant arena in which healing can take place. Our minds are so powerful that what we think can affect us physically, for either good or bad. The mind’s ability could be compared to a supercomputer, only infinitely more complex because God created it. When we suffer an emotional wound, the quality of our lives is affected, which is why it’s so important to trust Him to heal us.

Our minds are more than just physical brains; we are spirit beings living in physical bodies, and we have souls, which are our thinkers and choosers. When we suffer emotionally, how fast we recover—or whether we can bounce back at all—depends on how we choose to respond. Focusing on our pain holds us back from recovering; meditating on God’s Word promotes peace and emotional healing even when we don’t understand it. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:7, 8).

Instead of simply letting negative thoughts hang around, we must consciously examine what we’re thinking about. As believers, we have the same authority as Jesus, so taking authority over our thoughts and choosing to focus on Him is in accordance with spiritual law. The wrong kinds of thoughts cause us turmoil, stress, and misery. Christians are authorized to cast them out and replace them with thoughts that agree with the Word. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

We stay trapped in the pain of emotional wounds when we trust in ourselves, instead of in God, for our healing. This gets us nowhere. We can read self-help books all day long, but we’ll make no progress. Relying on Him gives us insight to know what to do when the issue seems so big and insurmountable that we don’t know how to deal with it. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).

Emotional distress drags us down and leaves us feeling hopeless, as if there’s no tomorrow. It robs us of our joy and peace. God wants us to know there is a tomorrow, and He is well able to help us move forward. Instead of struggling with it alone, turning over this kind of burden to Him changes our frame of mind. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NKJV).

The mind can be a dark, sad place, but it can also be a joyful, light-filled place. We don’t have to tolerate emotional suffering; that’s not God’s will for us. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV). We can trust Him to lead us out of the darkness into the light. His promises give us healing where we need it the most.

For more on how emotions affect every aspect of our lives, click on the link below for the three-message series, Exercising Godly Emotions.