Topical Bible: Man: Sinks Under Trouble of Mind

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The human experience is often marked by periods of mental and emotional distress, a condition that is not foreign to the biblical narrative. Throughout Scripture, we find numerous instances where individuals grapple with overwhelming troubles of the mind, leading them to moments of despair, anxiety, and even depression. These accounts serve as both a reflection of the human condition and a testament to the need for divine intervention and reliance on God.

Biblical Examples:

1. David: King David, a man after God's own heart, frequently experienced deep emotional turmoil. In the Psalms, he often expresses his anguish and cries out to God for relief. Psalm 42:5 captures this sentiment: "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence." David's psalms reveal a man who, despite his troubles, continually turns to God for solace and strength.

2. Elijah: The prophet Elijah, after his victory over the prophets of Baal, found himself in a state of despair and fear, fleeing from Queen Jezebel. In 1 Kings 19:4 , Elijah prays for death, saying, "I have had enough, LORD. Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers." Elijah's experience underscores the reality that even the most faithful servants of God can face moments of profound mental distress.

3. Job: The account of Job is perhaps the most comprehensive biblical account of a man sinking under the weight of mental and emotional trouble. After losing his children, wealth, and health, Job laments his birth and questions the purpose of his suffering. In Job 3:11 , he cries, "Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?" Job's narrative explores the depths of human suffering and the struggle to find meaning amidst pain.

4. Jeremiah: Known as the "weeping prophet," Jeremiah experienced significant emotional anguish due to the rejection of his message and the impending doom of Jerusalem. In Jeremiah 20:14 , he curses the day of his birth, saying, "Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed!" Jeremiah's lamentations reflect the heavy burden of his prophetic calling and the mental toll it took on him.

Theological Insights:

The Bible acknowledges the reality of mental and emotional struggles, portraying them as part of the human experience in a fallen world. These accounts highlight the importance of turning to God in times of distress. The Scriptures consistently point to God as a source of comfort and hope. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 , the Apostle Paul writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to seek God's presence and guidance when facing mental and emotional troubles. Prayer, meditation on Scripture, and fellowship with other believers are vital practices for finding peace and strength. Philippians 4:6-7 advises, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The biblical narrative affirms that while man may sink under the weight of mental troubles, there is hope and healing available through a relationship with God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 18:14
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Stillness in Storm
... A man is made restful in the midst of all the ... the daily efforts to bring my whole
being under the dominion ... the gale, that tosses us on high and sinks us again ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/stillness in storm.htm

The Tenth Commandment
... sin that wears a cloak, it cloaks itself under the name ... many passengers to increase
his fare, that he sinks his boat ... is a dry dropsy " the more a man has the ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 1 the tenth commandment.htm

Sowing in the Wind, Reaping under Clouds
... The seed may perish under the clods when it is first ... If you sit down, and think of
man's inventions of error ... poor sinner here to-night, whether he sinks or swims ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/sowing in the wind reaping.htm

This Sermon was Originally Printed
... Whenever a Christian man sinks under affliction; when he does not ... Break a poor man's
heart and let him come ... have sadly lamented that when in trouble, they have ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/this sermon was originally printed.htm

Eve and Mary Continued.
... declivity by which the human heart insensibly sinks to the ... of God, who has not condemned
man to constant ... is yet virtuous, vice conceals itself under the mantle ...
/.../sainte-foi/serious hours of a young lady/chapter vi eve and mary.htm

There is a Blessedness in Reversion
... vex than comfort cannot make a man blessed; but such are all things under the sun ...
A ship may be so laden with gold that it sinks; many a man's gold has ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/2 there is a blessedness.htm

Rondelet, {7} the Huguenot Naturalist {8}
... is the ape, while the man himself sinks down in ... A generous, affectionate, careless
little man, he gave away ... then he lost his wife herself under most painful ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/rondelet 7 the huguenot naturalist.htm

The Penitent Thief
... Surely, he cannot sink any lower, until he sinks into hell ... time we hear of him, he
appears to be under conviction ... A man may be very sorry for his sins, but if he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/men of the bible/vii the penitent thief.htm

A Free Grace Promise
... and fro, and staggers like a drunken man; if now you cannot help yourself, because
your spirit sinks and your ... know to be now present, who are under severe trial ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 35 1889/a free grace promise.htm

The Christian's Heaviness and Rejoicing
... but likewise for our being in heaviness under them ... of the air have nests, but the
Son of Man hath not ... the leaf called heaviness, when the spirit sinks within us ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the christians heaviness and rejoicing.htm