How do you feel? Take a minute to seriously think about this. 

Do you feel happy, relaxed, grateful or do you feel sad, anxious, tired or stressed? 

If you want to feel happier and more satisfied, optimistic and hopeful then it’s time to focus on your mental health. 

Why Is Mental Health Important?

Your mental health is all about your psychological and emotional well-being. It affects how you think, feel and act. This means that your mental health can affect your:

  • Quality of life 
  • Social life 
  • Relationships 
  • Productivity 
  • Mood
  • Self-esteem
  • Physical health

And that’s why it’s important to prioritize your mental health by including mental health activities in your day. 

What Are Mental Health Activities?

Mental health activities are practices that promote psychological and emotional well-being. These are activities that help you to cope with stress, anxiety and depression. 

They can also help you to enjoy a better quality of life and be more optimistic and productive. 

Mental health is a big topic in today’s world and more people are interested in taking care of their psychological and emotional well-being. 

There are several activities that are being promoted for better mental health but some of these practices are not aligned with Christian teachings. 

So in this article, I’m sharing with you 10 Christian mental health activities. 

Christian Mental Health Activities

1) Write in a gratitude journal 

The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that it’s God’s will for us to give thanks in everything. 

And I know that if you’re feeling down, you may be wondering “what can I give thanks for?”

But you are surrounded by so many blessings. And focusing on those blessings will help you to feel happier. 

So get your journal and your pen and start thanking the Lord for as many things as you can list. 

If you’re not sure what you can be grateful for then make sure to read this article, where I give you 21 prompts to get you started. 

Recommended Article: 21-Day Gratitude Challenge and Prompts for Positive Thinking

2) Meditate on God’s promises

Meditation is a popular mental health activity that is being promoted as a way to de-stress and relax. 

But the meditation that the world promotes has its roots in Eastern religions and New Age practices. 

Eastern meditation often involves emptying your mind but this can give the enemy room to fill it with lies. It also involves a lot of focus on self. 

However, the Bible encourages us to meditate on the Word of God. It also encourages us to put our trust in God not people or ourselves. 

When you feel sad, depressed, stressed or anxious, it’s best to look to God for guidance, peace, joy and help. 

The definition of “meditate” is to think about something deeply. 

So it’s okay to meditate on the Word of God. Allow yourself to think deeply about His promises and His abilities and character. 

Here are some promises you can start meditating on: 

  • God will keep you in perfect peace when you keep your mind stayed upon Him (Isaiah 26:3)
  • Acknowledge the Lord and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:6)
  • He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5) 
  • He is a very present help in the time of trouble (Psalm 46:1) 

If you want a few more Biblical affirmations that you can also meditate on, click here to read that article. 

Recommended Article: 15 Powerful Biblical Affirmations for Christian Women

3) Rest

Resting is one of my favourite mental health activities because I feel so refreshed and energized afterwards. 

You may have a lot to do and you may feel overwhelmed but you have to rest if you want to be truly productive. 

So it’s time to take a break. 

Rest can look like any of the following:

  • Sleeping for 7-9 hours 
  • Taking a 15 minute nap
  • Sitting in silence away from distractions 
  • Taking a self-care day 
  • Taking a vacation from work
  • Putting away all electronics such as your phone, tablet and laptop
  • Sitting at a nature park
  • Going to the beach

Recommended Article: What to Do If You Can’t Sleep Because of Anxiety?

4) Prayer journal

This is a great Christian mental health activity because you get both the benefit of prayer and journaling. 

If you have been feeling stressed, anxious or depressed then it’s time to bring those cares to the Lord. 

He tells us in 1 Peter 5:7, that we should cast ALL our cares upon Him because he cares for us. 

The Lord is literally commanding you to bring your burdens to Him. Why? Because He cares for you. 

And the good thing is that He can also help you with those cares. 

So take out your journal and write your prayers to the Lord. Tell Him EVERYTHING that is on your mind. Just offload everything on Him. 

It’s okay. He can manage. He is not overwhelmed by the cares of life. 

You will also enjoy the therapeutic benefit of journaling as you write those prayers to the Lord. You will feel relieved as you lay those cares before the Lord. 

Stop trying to do it all by yourself. And stop trying to figure it out all by yourself. 

Recommended Article: What Should You Write in Your Prayer Journal (+Prompts)

5) Listen to praise and worship music 

Music can definitely influence your mood. 

Have you noticed that when you listen to upbeat music, you feel happier and perkier? 

And when you listen to sad songs, you start to feel sad? 

Well, that’s the proof that what you listen to can affect your mood. 

As a Christian, one of the best mental health activity is listening to praise and worship music. This activity has the potential to drastically improve your mood. 

And I think it helps so much because it helps you to stop focusing on all that’s wrong and start focusing on God. 

And as you do so, you start to remember that God is in control and He is all-powerful so He can help you to overcome the challenges. 

I also think it’s helpful because God inhabits the praises of His people. And where God is, there will also be peace and joy. 

So start playing some praise and worship songs even if you don’t feel like it and soon you’ll be singing along with peace and joy. 

6) Spend time with friends and family 

Sometimes when you’re stressed, anxious or depressed, you may feel like you want to be alone all the time. 

But make sure you make an effort to spend time with positive, uplifting friends and family members. They can help you to remember that you don’t have to deal with the challenges by yourself. 

So here’s what I want you to do. Make a list of all the persons who help you to feel better whenever you spend time with them. 

So now whenever you’re feeling down, you will know exactly who you need to reach out to. 

Some of these persons may be far away so it may not be practical to meet up with them face to face all the time. 

So just remember that it’s okay to also have regular phone call or video call with them. 

7) Exercise 

Exercise is an activity that can definitely boost your mood and improve your mental health. 

When you exercise, endorphins are released. And endorphins are hormones that are sometimes referred to as “feel-good” hormones because they do exactly that…they make you feel good. 

They help you to be in a good mood. 

You can read more about how exercise improved my mental health by clicking here to read an article that I wrote. 

Recommended Article: How Exercise Improved My Mental Health

There are several exercises that you can do to get started. Here are a few: 

Take a walk in nature 

As you walk, you will get the opportunity to observe God’s creation. This is also a good time to praise and thank God for His creative work. 

You can stop to notice that every tree has a different leaf shapes and different shades of colour. 

Jog 

You can also go for a jog or run if you’re fit enough to do so. This is great workout that will get your heart pumping. 

Play sports 

You can also exercise by playing sports. So you can play football, cricket, tennis, volleyball, golf etc. 

Word of Caution

However, I want you to be aware that yoga is not a Christian mental health activity. It’s best to stay away from this practice because its origins are rooted in Hinduism. 

If you want to learn more about the dangers of yoga, here are two YouTube videos that you can watch:

Recommended Videos

8) Do something creative

Creative activities or hobbies can help to improve your mental health. They can help to reduce stress and take your mind off your worries. 

Your mind will get a relief as you engage in something that is enjoyable and relaxing. 

Here are some creative hobbies that you can try: 

  • Soap making 
  • Jewelry making 
  • Baking/cooking
  • Gardening 
  • Crocheting 
  • Making videos 

If you want to learn more about hobbies and the benefits, check out this article by clicking here.

Recommended Article: 27 Hobbies to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

9) Volunteer 

If you want to improve your mental health, you can consider volunteering. 

This is an amazing way to take your mind off your cares and problems and start focusing on helping others. 

The Lord has given you gifts and talents. And volunteering is a great way to use them to serve others and meet their needs. 

Here are a few ways you can use your abilities and talents to help others

  • Read the Bible to those who can’t read
  • Teach a child how to read
  • Help students with their school assignments
  • Encourage someone who is feeling sad or hopeless
  • Run errands for the elderly or sick
  • Comb someone’s hair
  • Bake or cook a meal for the elderly or sick
  • Help to clean your church
  • Sing a song for someone who feels sad

10) Speak with a therapist 

Some Christians are hesitant about seeking medical help to deal with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. They think that they just need to pray more or have more faith in God. 

And I definitely believe that we should seek God for help. But it’s also okay to seek professional help to cope with mental health issues. 

If you have been feeling sad, depressed or anxious, I want you to know that it’s okay to reach out for help. It doesn’t mean that you don’t trust God. 

God has equipped persons with the skills, knowledge and wisdom that are necessary to help others with their mental health. And they are ready to help you. But they can’t know that you need help until you reach out to them. 

So if you think you need help, take some time to speak with a therapist. If you’re in school or college, then you can reach out to the psychologist on campus. 

Recommended Article: 7 Self-Care Items To Help You Relax

Takeaway 

Your mental health is super important and it can definitely affect the quality of your life. 

That’s why it’s important to start prioritizing it right now by including mental health activities. But you have to ensure that those mental health activities are not rooted in worship to self or idols. 

New age practices are growing in popularity but they are often in opposition to Christian teachings and beliefs. 

So you have to be vigilant and seek the Lord for direction in all things. 

If you want to learn more about how to overcome fear and anxiety Biblically, check out this video.