His Perfect Peace

New research affirms what the Word has already told us. Janet Parshall will explain in this week’s commentary.

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Episode Transcript

S1 (00:02):
Let me ask you a question. How's your relationship with God?
Think about your answer for a minute while I ask
you another question. How would you describe your mental health
right now? Peaceful. Balanced. Calm. Now, one last question. Is
there a linkage between these two questions?

S2 (00:17):
Here to unpack present day issues from a biblical perspective
is Janet Parshall.

S1 (00:23):
A study published in the Journal for the Scientific Study
of Religion shows there's a big connection between our relationship
with God and our mental health. The study was called
Attachment to God and Psychological Distress. Evidence of curvilinear relationship.
1600 Americans, mostly Christians, but some non-Christians were asked about
their religious beliefs and their mental health. While past studies

(00:43):
have shown the linkage between prayer and attending religious services
is being, in the words of the researchers, pretty protective
of people's mental health. This new study was designed to
dig deeper into the actual issue of religious belief. One
of the researchers, Matthew Henderson, an assistant professor of sociology
at Union University in Tennessee, felt there was a lack
of information regarding actual religious beliefs and the impacts on

(01:06):
mental health. He was quoted as saying, we thought that
was a pretty glaring weakness, because belief is such an
important part of religious practice, and we were especially interested
in beliefs about God. The researchers wanted to look at
something known as attachment theory. According to the report, attachment
theory examines child caretaker bonding as a central motivator of

(01:27):
human behavior and as a primer for future interpersonal relationships.
Young children engage in proximity seeking behavior, drawing close to
primary caregivers to feel emotionally comforted, supported, and safe. In
this capacity, caregivers provide infants with a secure base from
which to explore the world. The style of attachment a
child develops with the caregiver serves as an internal working

(01:49):
model a collection of neurological, biological, emotional, and social stimuli
that coalesce to prime expectations for future relationships. So what
does all this mean and why does it matter? These
researchers are restating scientifically what the Bible already tells us.
We're reminded in the word that God is our father.
A father who has compassion on his children. He's a

(02:11):
father who never leaves us. A father who provides for
all of our needs. He is a father who calls
us his children. Knowing that God is not distant or aloof,
grasping the truth that he will always be there and
never abandon us creates a profound sense of security and peace.
In other words, what you believe about God has a

(02:31):
direct bearing on your mental health. I love when science
affirms what God has already said. It's why we can
trust him when he tells us that he will keep
our minds peaceful. When we trust in him because he
is the God who can be trusted always. Those are
my thoughts. I'm Janet Parshall.

S2 (02:50):
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In the market with Janet Parshall.