Psychological and emotional distress impacts our body. It seems odd when we come across a passage in Scriptures God wants us to be preserved completed in body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess 5:23), emphasizing the preservation of the body. However, we when understand the heart of God in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, we can understand how He created the world with power, grandeur, majesty, and intentionality in love and care for us. In Genesis chapter 3 we read about the rebellion and disobedience of Adam and Eve against God’s character, provision, perfect world, and sovereign rule, that led to spiritual death; though not visibly seen of the psychological, relational, and ultimately the physical death, but they will be felt and experienced soon by them and all the human race who would come after them. But God moved toward them in mercy and justice, with a promise that curse and disobedience would be reversed in Christ (Rom 5). We all who believe in Jesus Christ will partake in the new garden, new heaven and earth, with no curse, pain, and death. In the meantime, God through His Spirit, has given us many grace gifts to serve and support the believers, so that the good news of the gospel and recreation can be shared with all who believe to be encouraged and those who do not believe now, can understand the evidence to believe in the goodness of God, who did not leave us in the helpless and dying state. As counselors, many of us identify with grace gifts of mercy, discernment, help/service, encouragement, and giving (Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:27-31) to assist those who are in psychological distress and emotional struggles of trauma, depression, and anxiety. May God of peace and grace empower us so that we can comfort (2 Cor 1:2-5) those struggling in pain, as they can experience healing in body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess 5:23) for God’s glory.
