Whole Body Health
Whole body health includes our physical, mental, and spiritual being(s). Many people focus on one part or another but are remiss in addressing their entire being as each part is connected to, and dependent on the others. Just as the church requires each person to do their part, your whole health requires attention to each part so we can perform as God has instructed, thus creating the well-being we each desire.
You can’t just work out and look physically fit without taking into consideration your mental and spiritual self. Same with being on fire for God. You can be the most pious and righteous individual, serving God with fervor, but if you neglect your physical health, then your body, as a whole, will suffer. How does God connect our body into one whole where each part is dependent upon the other for a happy, healthy, and peaceful life? Let’s start with physical well-being and see what His Word says…
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 3:17 – “If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 6:20 – “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Your body IS the temple of God/Holy Spirit and by taking proper care of your physical well-being not only do you feel good, but you are showing the respect for God that He expects. God expects us to glorify Him by caring for the physical body He gave us. That includes healthy food, proper hygiene, staying away from harmful substances (drugs, alcohol, etc.), and keeping physically fit. It also includes RESPECTING your body and not passing it from one person to another to use as they please. Note: Not respecting your own body also affects your mental health, self-image, and self-esteem. It is clear that God connects respecting Him with respecting yourself enough to give your body all it needs to be healthy and that includes all things that keep your mind wholesome.
Mental health has a direct and immense impact on your physical health. How you absorb the world around you will determine the state of your mind. If you become too focused on secular events and do not spend enough time in The Word and communing with God, then you will likely suffer mental angst. It is not God’s will that we are anxious, worried, depressed, fearful, or sad. He tells us to cast our anxiety upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). He reminds us in John 14:27 that He has left us with PEACE in Him, a peace that is not of this world, but peace that surpasses any events on earth. It is God’s will that we focus on gratitude and servitude so that “all will be well with us.” The proper focus will keep us happy and hopeful, which prevents illness.
Proverbs 17:22 – “A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Being happy is important to your physical well-being)
Just as being happy, positive, hopeful, and peaceful brings wellness to our mind, being sad, despondent, depressed, and focused on what we don’t have versus the gifts we have been given will destroy our body and soul.
That takes us to spiritual well-being. Our soul. We are told to carefully protect our souls. This is accomplished by being in The Word and trusting God to lead you to the stores of prosperity He has in mind for each of us. Prosperity is not measured in material things, but in the Bible prosperity is peace, happiness, joy, and an unburdened heart. It includes casting our burdens upon God and trusting Him to carry our load.
Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you.”
Isaiah 26:3 – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.”
Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Your soul (spiritual health) is simply a mirror reflecting your relationship with God. Bad things happen in our lives and in the world around us. It often feels like the walls are closing in on us, which causes depression (mental health) and depression causes us to eat foods and perform acts that are unhealthy for our bodies (physical health). All three are intertwined and neglecting one means starting a downhill spiral of your “whole health.”
Our bodies, minds, and souls are three parts of a whole, and caring for all three is required if we are to feel good, make good behavioral choices, and be right with God. You cannot neglect one and expect the other parts to get the proper care and “nutrition.” When you “feed” your body, mind, and soul what they need to thrive, then you will achieve whole-body health.
In summary, in the Bible God connects Physical Health, Mental Health, and Spiritual Health as the trifecta that proves to God we are dedicated to doing what He tells us to do, thus resulting in the good life He has planned for us. It is for our own well-being that He provides so many and very specific instructions for our lives.
As a start, He tells us to PRESENT our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is tied to spiritual worship, which is then connected to transforming and renewing our mind by thinking outside of societal norms and meditating/doing what the Bible tells us to do! In other words, doing what is right in His eyes and what is considered RIGHT in the Kingdom of God!
Romans 12:1-2 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Pray, think, and do! Do not do, then start thinking you should pray to undo the problems your unrighteous words and acts have created. Your quality of life on earth and your eternal life depends on it. Amen.
Love, blessings, and prayers, Lisa ><>
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