Should Christians Have Mental Toughness?

Doubt and insecurity can plague us, even when we’re devoted to God. We may question our abilities, compare ourselves to others, and struggle to believe that we’re capable of making a positive difference in this world. However, we can be confident that God embraces us as his beloved children. The Bible tells us in 1 John 3:1: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!...”. God has also given each of us unique gifts and talents that he wants us to use, with confidence.

Hebrews 10:35-36 urges us: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” We can be confident when we embrace the reality that we are created in the image of God, with unique purposes and destinies. Ephesians 2:10 highlights our unique value as God's creation: “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God has given us the gifts and talents necessary to fulfill those purposes and to make a lasting positive impact on the world around us. Our confidence is based on God's love and acceptance. We can pray to be able to see ourselves as God sees us. Then, we’ll have the confidence to pursue our God-given callings with confidence. The more we do, the more we can overcome self-doubt and live lives of purpose and significance.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God has a specific and unique plan for each of our lives: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." We can’t fulfill those plans without confidence. So, it’s important to embrace the confidence God makes possible for us, and let that mental toughness strengthen us day by day. Whenever we need a fresh dose of confidence, all we have to do is ask God for it. We can pray with confidence anytime and anywhere because God is always ready to help us.

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Resilience – the ability to bounce back from setbacks and disappointments – is vital for dealing with the challenges we face in this fallen world. Job losses, relationship breakdowns, health crises, and personal failures can leave us feeling defeated and discouraged. These setbacks can break down our confidence and leave us questioning our purpose. But resilience isn’t about pretending everything is always okay or denying the reality of pain and suffering. It’s about acknowledging our difficult times honestly, processing our emotions, and leaning on God’s grace for support and guidance.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God promises us: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” This verse reminds us that even when we’re dealing with hard challenges, God has good purposes for us. God isn’t distant or uncaring; he is closely involved in our lives and wants to bring good out of even the most difficult circumstances we go through. James 1:2-3 encourages us to view challenges as opportunities for spiritual growth: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Although challenges are painful, going through them can refine our character, deepen our trust in God, and strengthen our reliance on God’s Holy Spirit.

In 2 Corinthians 4:16, the Bible assures us that when our outward circumstances are difficult, “… inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” It emphasizes that true strength comes from a close and constant relationship with God. As we develop and tap into this inner strength, we discover that we’re resilient and can overcome our challenges with hope. So, resilience is not about denying our emotions or pretending that our difficulties don’t exist. Instead, resilience is about acknowledging our pain honestly, seeking support from God and fellow believers, and trusting in God’s ultimate plan for our lives. When we rely on God’s help and embrace resilience, we can learn from setbacks, adapt to change, and find new ways to move forward into the future God intends for us.

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Life is full of ups and downs. Disappointments, anger, fear, and anxiety are all part of our human experience living in this fallen world. But it’s vital for our mental well-being to manage challenging emotions well. Developing self-control can help us do so. If we leave our difficult emotions unchecked, they can overwhelm us and harm our relationships with God and other people. Self-control, as part of mental toughness, involves developing the ability to manage our emotions effectively – especially during stressful situations. Thankfully, God will help us do so, through his Holy Spirit. Self-control is one of the “fruits of the Spirit” the Bible mentions in Galatians 5:22-23. Whenever we find ourselves in a situation where our emotions are overwhelming us, all we have to do is pray, asking the Holy Spirit to give us the self-control we need to deal with our feelings in healthy ways. We can do so as often as we need help and we can pray about everything that concerns us.

Philippians 4:6 encourages us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” It’s important to respond faithfully, rather than react carelessly, to the challenging emotions we feel. So, when we feel anxious, we should turn our worries into prayers instead of wasting our time and energy on worrying. When we feel angry, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us find constructive – not destructive – ways to process that feeling. We can also be proactive about practicing self-control by intentionally choosing to fill our minds with positive and inspiring thoughts rather than allowing negativity to fill our minds, as Philippians 4:8 encourages us to do: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

By exercising self-control to focus on positive thoughts, we can develop a more positive emotional state that makes it easier to keep practicing self-control. Developing self-control is an ongoing process. It requires us to consistently make an effort and prayerfully depend on God day by day. If we’re dealing with especially difficult emotions from past pain, it can be helpful to get help from a trained counselor. The effort is worthwhile. The more we can control our emotions, the more mental toughness we can build, which will help us handle any kind of stressful situation well.

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In our fast-paced world, distractions are everywhere. The information that is constantly bombarding us – from the news, social media, even advertising – can easily pull our attention away from our priorities, and so can simply dealing with the demands of our daily lives. Whenever we let that happen to us, we can get sidetracked, lose sight of our goals, and become overwhelmed by the constant noise and demands of the world around us. Colossians 3:2 encourages us to: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” This emphasizes the importance of focusing on what has eternal value rather than becoming preoccupied by worldly desires. It reminds us that our true citizenship is in heaven and that our ultimate focus should be on seeking God and his guidance for our lives.

Hebrews 12:2 reminds us to: “Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." If we stay focused on Jesus, who is the source of our hope, we be mentally strong. By paying attention to Jesus day by day, we can overcome the distractions of this fallen world and keep pursuing God’s will every day. But we must make an intentional effort to do so. We need to pray for the ability to focus and plan to use our valuable time well – pursuing everything God leads us to do. It’s important for us to say "no" to activities that drain our energy and divert our attention. Then, we’ll be free to focus on what really matters most, and stay on track to fulfilling God’s good purposes for us.

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Living faithfully means pursuing God’s will for the important decisions we face. That often requires the perseverance to make a consistent, disciplined effort to ask God for guidance and put that guidance into action. Living out God’s will in our lives can be challenging. We can face obstacles to doing whatever God leads us to – from overcoming sin to serving others. Grit gives us the fuel to keep going when the going gets tough. Think of grit like the determination to persevere through discouragement, to learn from our mistakes, and to keep pressing forward toward the goals God is leading us to accomplish. Galatians 6:9 encourages us to make a consistent effort to do the good work God wants us to do: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” This verse assures us that if we work for God with grit, our efforts won’t be in vain. It encourages us to keep going, and keep believing that God will bring good results out of our good work serving God and other people.

In 2 Timothy 4:7, the Bible highlights the importance of finishing the race of faith well – staying faithful to the end of our earthly lives: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” This verse reminds us to be strong in our faith so we can endure through any circumstances in this fallen world and fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. Hebrews 12:2 gives us the ultimate example of grit in action: “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus endured tremendous suffering for the joy of fulfilling God’s will. He faced opposition, rejection, and even the excruciating pain of crucifixion. Yet, Jesus persevered through all challenges and accomplished God’s will in every way. Jesus’ example inspires us to persevere in our own struggles, to overcome challenges, and to keep our eyes fixed on the ultimate prize – eternal life with God. So, grit is about lining up our will with God’s will and drawing strength from God’s Holy Spirit to overcome obstacles and achieve our God-given purposes. When we develop grit, we build a strong commitment to Jesus and a day-by-day trust in God to fulfill his promises in any situation we face.

In conclusion, when we develop mental toughness, we can become more like Jesus – confident in God’s love and our ability to do the good work God has for us, resilient when we face challenges, in control of our emotions, focused on God and his good purposes for us, and persistent in pursuing God’s will. We don’t have to rely on our own limited strength to be mentally tough; we can rely on God’s unlimited strength working through us to do so. Our mental strength can help us live to the fullest and show God’s love to the people around us who need hope!

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