In what seems to be a chaotic and out-of-control world, it seems irresponsible and heartless not to be caught up in the feelings that come with focusing on all of the problems. But the truth is, for the most part, things are okay. And most of the things that aren’t okay are the things of this world. God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Today, we talk about doing just that.

Mindfulness might have the connotation of flaky spirituality for some Christians, but today we discuss why that’s not the case. We define it, note its long history, and discuss its many benefits. We talk about our negativity bias, which prompts us to focus on one bad thing over many good things. We talk about the role of the media in playing up our negativity bias, and we discuss the dangers of being led by your emotions. We look to Paul for an example of mindfulness in the middle of chaos and discuss why angry emotions aren’t productive. We mention gratitude's role and discuss why mindfulness is the most proactive approach you can take.

“God is more real, past, present, and future, than anything that’s floating across my screen.”

Dr. Matt Hook

This week on Shepherd & the Shrink:

●     Mindfulness vs. mindlessness

●     The benefits of mindfulness

●     Overcoming your negativity bias

●     The role of gratitude in mindfulness

●     The importance of loving kindness

Resources mentioned

●     Overcome Anxiety and Defeat Your Loneliness

Bringing Mental Health and Spirituality Together

Thanks for tuning into this week’s Shepherd & the Shrink Podcast episode with your hosts, Dr. Matt Hook and Dr. Martin Fletcher, the show where theology meets psychology. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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