“The Lord our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6)

The Apostle Paul gave Christians for all time the foundation for mental health: “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17-18). By comparing eating and drinking physical things with the eternal state of being one spirit with God (1 Corinthians 6:17), Paul reminds us of what Christ promised: the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

Paul tells us the physical world is nothing compared to knowing Christ: “I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness” (Philippians 3:8-9). “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come … shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

It’s a constant battle to keep the focus on Christ and His righteousness. The saint who dwells on his remaining corruption can “burn out” when he’s “forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9). Whatever afflicts you, though God causes or allows many disappointments on the way to Heaven, none of it can stop you from eternal joy. Christ settled that on the cross when He said, "It is finished!" and if it’s finished, then you’re complete in Him, and should “rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

When the saint says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on Him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I’m still saved in Jesus", there rises a holy boldness to take every thought captive. “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me” (Galatians 6:14).