concept could be more misleading and dangerous. With out a properly-balanced daily routine, college students easily fall into moods when they are irritable, grouchy, sluggish or lazy. Minor things bother them, people irk them, and pressures send them into turmoil. In times such as these a youth’s perspective goes far astray and he begins to be intolerant of things which normally do not bother him. His temper begins to come loose, and insignificant, petty irritations set him afire. If such a condition is allowed to persist over a period of time, he finds himself disliking many of his former interests and friends while at the same time a good num ber of his pals may find him unbearable and choose to seek other companions. Needless to say, there is overwhelming evidence to convince young people that they should keep themselves rested, alert and full of vigor but do not forget to add to that list the pressing need of mental health. Your atti tude, temperament, pliability, bounce, and wholesome smile must also be protected so that you may keep a good head on your shoulders. V. Avoid Spiritual Lapse We might as well face it, your spiritual condition has to affect everything in your life one way or another. Especially in the young Christian spiritual problems will be tied close to difficulties in mental health. For in the life of the Christian youth, as mentioned in point III, there is now instilled a desire to please God and a con cern that you be exactly what He wants you to be. It is here that young people, in their concern, find themselves frustrated and defeated. When a young person knows that he should maintain a Bible study, a testimony, a time for prayer, and a completely unconditional surren der to God and yet he openly disobeys God, his life 'has to be a state of mixed desires and confusion. He is never satisfied and he ceases to do those things which he knows he should. This is different from the case of the guilt complex for he is supposedly seeking the face of God and wants to unload his care and sorrow. The person who suffers spiritual lapse is the one who runs from that responsi bility and wants to go his own way while his inner con victions pull him in another direction and consequently a civil war wages within the youth. The tensions which result from this type of struggle could indeed affect a young person’s mind; it could affect your mind. The only possible way to combat this is to keep the areas of your spiritual life sharp, up to date and warm before God. Allow them to slip and you may be on a road of not only spiritual defeat but also to a life of mental strain and anxiety. Mental illness may never strike you; we pray that it won’t. But be on your toes and keep in a good “frame of mind.” Occasionally review these five points and check them in your life. As an added guide, you might consult the following questions every couple of months or so and make sure that you are not falling into any of these traits. Keep mentally awake and look forward to a life of service for Christ. 1. Do you refuse to face every day problems? 2. Are you afraid that people are always persecuting you? 3. Do you suffer often from the "blues?" 4. Do you have extreme moods of joy and depression which change often, like a pendulum? 5. Do you constantly feel sick though nothing is physically wrong? 6. Do you often need medication to sleep? 7. Are you excessively excitable and quick tempered? 8. Do you go on wild, pointless spending sprees? 9. Are you left helpless by unfounded fears? 10. Do you hear or see imaginary things?
stances in the whole world. If only all of these things were not going against you! Often this is just how a young person feels and if he does, he usually turns to one of two possible actions. 1. He will resign himself to the inevitable and stop try ing to better himself or, 2. he becomes bitter and fights everything and everybody. Either outlook is unhealthy and could lead to serious problems. If you take the first philosophy, you usually become a defeatist and simply proclaim, “What’s the use?” At this point you tend to throw your life away and reduce yourself to a “quitter.” From this moment on you accept an “I can’t win” attitude and you officially withdraw from the competitive world. The young person who does this will soon discover himself in dangerous moods of depression and quickly on the road to a disastrous in feriority complex. If you should select the second avenue and decide to wage war against the world around you, your life could likewise suffer severe damages. First of all you are very apt to lose your sense of perspective and cast your contempt against people who really have no desire to harm you at all. Second, your feelings will begin to tub into every area of your life and future until every thing looks gloomy and perverted. Third, you will Strug gle against an environment which in all actuality is not only better than you give it credit for being but also better than many other people have. The best probable solution to this problem is to keep a few simple facts in mind. 1. Remember that some day you will be able to choose your own surroundings and you can learn from these present lessons. So buck up —- your day is coming. 2. Ask yourself the question “Am I honestly trying to help the situation or am I simply making it worse?” What do you contribute to your en vironment? and 3. Do you forget that possibly your prob lem may be exaggerated because you are in an old- fashioned foul mood? III. Avoid Guilt Complexes This can be a deep wound to a young Christian. In his attempt to do what he knows he should, he often fails. As the conscientious youth which he is, he be comes greatly concerned with his shortcomings and too often feels guilt-ridden for the many mistakes which he makes. In his efforts to live a righteous life he becomes depressed and defeated, realizing that he often displeases God. Too frequently the young person refuses to allow this load of guilt to be lifted and so he fails to gain the victorious life which Christ provides for him. The practical and happy solution to this is announced directly by God in I John 1:9. For there we are com forted with the fact that God is continually waiting for the truly repentant Christian! to take advantage of His grace, through Christ, and leave his burden of sin and guilt in the hands of God. This is by no means an escape hatch type of forgiveness but rather it is an honest provision whereby we can know peace with God day by day. If you want to prevent unnecessary fears from en slaving you, you must apply what God has prepared. IV. Avoid Physical Neglect When a person discusses his mental condition, he very seldom draws any connection with his physical state. Young people usually feel that since they are the picture of health, strength, and vitality that it really does not matter what they do to their bodies. They feel that they can go with little sleep, spotty meals, little or no exercise, and yet remain as strong as a horse. No Mr. Coleman is a member of the Grace Baptist Church, Washington, D.C. A graduate of the Washington Bible College , he is attending Grace Theologi cal Seminary, Winona la k e, Indiana.
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JU N E , 1963
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