Verse of the Day - Proverbs 14:30

A peaceful heart gives life to the body.
But jealousy rots the bones.
~ Proverbs 14:30 (NIrV)

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It is amazing the way God has created our bodies. The intricacies of all of our systems is mind-boggling. But one facet that I think many forget is the weaving of the mind with the body, the mental with the physical. But it is obvious, through God's word and our own experience, that the two are definitely connected. Mental outlook has much to do with our physical health and abilities.

They say that sports is 90% mental, and coaches know all about this. You might have an All-American athlete on your hands who, physically, is unparalleled on the field. But if that athlete has psychological roadblocks and difficulty "keeping his head in the game", you might as well forget getting top performance out of him.

We know that stress management, or the lack thereof, can affect how the body systems function, or don't function. Since I'm not a physician, I don't know all that breaks down in the body when we cannot rest mentally, but high blood pressure, cancer, and digestive disorders have been linked to and/or aggravated by the mind's inability to be at peace.

And then there are the sinful thoughts, such as jealousy and vengeance, that can tear us apart physically. How can those spiritual cancers affect our bodies? Don't know, but it does. When they say "it'll eat you alive", they're not kidding. I'm sure that science has detected chemical changes from the brain that release stuff in excessive amounts, or we simply don't assimilate nutrients the same, or whatever. Like I said, the mind and the body are connected, whether we want to admit it or not.

So, where do we go to get this peace and contentment, in a world that drives us crazy 90% of the time, and which can lead to all sorts of physical ailments? Hmm...

The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. ~ Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
~ Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace... ~ Romans 8:5-6 (NIV)

Part of how we take care of our bodies, besides eating right and getting enough exercise and rest, is how and what we allow into our mind. When we choose (please know that these are choices) the road of jealously, vengeance, despair, cynicism, prejudice and unforgiveness, we open ourselves up to spiritual decline, as well as potential physical decline. That is not what God expects from those who call Him Lord.

For those who follow Jesus, we were called out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). So, are we shedding light or spewing darkness? Nothing good comes from sinful thoughts and attitudes -- not toward others, and not toward ourselves.

I'm not saying that all physical ailments are linked to negative and sinful thoughts. As we're reminded by the story of Job, God's sovereignty is beyond our understanding and some afflictions have nothing to do with our sin. But, I think we should examine our hearts and minds and be sober about our analysis. Then seek the Lord's cleansing of things inside us that are not good, and just plain wrong. We mustn't hold onto that which seeks to destroy us spiritually and physically. And praise God -- we have His strength to make that a reality!

Love,
Joelene