Spiritual Healthcare

"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." (Proverbs 3: 7, 8 KJV)

"Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4: 21 KJV)

There is a link or correlation, and a cause and effect relationship, between the mind (or spirit) and the body.

Good mental health often creates good physcial health, and vice versa. But spiritual health is not quite the same as "mental health" (or what pertains strictly to the brain and nervous system), for spiritual health has to do with a man's inner state and condition before God.

The Bible teaches that one's spiritual health is intimately connected with one's physcial health.

According to wikipedia, "Psychosomatic medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field studying psychosomatic illness, now more commonly referred to as psychophysiologic illness, disorders whose symptoms are caused by mental processes of the sufferer rather than immediate physiological causes."

Certainly stress and mental anxiety are culprits in declining mental, physical, and even in spiritual health.

Some recognize the connection between healthy minds and healthy relationships, particularly with God, and healthy bodies. Some call this emphasis on healing the "whole man" as "holistic medicine."

The problem with the modern definition of this term and ideology, however, is in 1) the prescriptions that are put forth for obtaining "good mental and spiritual health," and 2) is that "holistic" has nothing to do with "holiness" or with righteousness and godliness.

Today's "health gurus" do not understand the place of holiness and godliness in one's total health. Paul said - "bodily exercies profits for only a little while, but godly living is profitable unto all things, having promise for a better (healthier) life now, and of a supernal and eternal one to come." (Paraphrase)

Modern promoters of "holistic medicine" are mostly "physicians of no value" (Job 13: 4 KJV). Why? Because they have not properly prescribed a cure and therapy for people's spiritual healthcare, the key to all other areas of health. There are lots of misdiagnoses in this area of spiritual health, as well as false cures.

"We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!" (Jeremiah 8: 15 KJV)

"Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" (Jeremiah 8: 22 KJV)

It is probable that people in the days of Jeremiah also thought that health came solely by giving attention to the body. Former cures sometimes lose their effectiveness, by God's design, in order that men might not put too much trust in drugs, remedies, and therapies for the health of the body alone. Is not Lord God asking the people to consider how their physical health is directly related to their mental and spiritual health? Lord God may even be speaking sarcastically here.

"For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured." (Jeremiah 46: 10, 11 KJV)

Again, Lord God seems to speak sarcastically, but for a good end and reason (all sarcasm is not evil or wrong to use). We could put this language of Lord God (to sinners) in a modern vernacular and say, for instance, to all who are suffering physical ailments because of sin (or in poor spiritual health) - "go ahead, take your drugs and medicines that you think will cure you of the diseases I have sent to punish you! See if it does any lasting good!"

Think about this for a moment on a deeper level. If God has ordained that certain sicknesses and diseases come with specific sinful habits and lifestyles, and yet men discover drugs that are able, for a time, to cure the sickness or disease, will this not then encourage sinners to continue in those sinful practices?

"For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines." (Jeremiah 30: 12, 13 KJV)

Why "no healing medicines"? Is it not because they have been ungiven by God? And, could this not relate directly to their refusal to attend to the health of their souls? In their failure to repent and return to the Lord and keep his holy word?

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward." (Isaiah 58: 6-8 KJV)

In other words - "Get right with God in your spirit and this will improve your mental and physical health."

"And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee." (Exodus 15: 26 KJV)

This was Lord God's promise to those who put their spiritual health first in importaince in their lives. He will keep them physically healthier than the Egyptians. However, if they did not put their spiritual health or standing with the Lord first, then they would find themselves terribly afflicted in mind and body.

"The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee...The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head." (Deuteronomy 28: 27-29, 35 KJV)

Thank God that there is forgiveness and healing with the Lord! Healing for the whole man, for his well being in mind, body, and spirit, and in all a man's relationships.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." (Psalm 103: 2, 3 KJV)

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." (Psalm 67: 1, 2 KJV)

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." (Psalm 42: 11; 43: 5 KJV)

"There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health." (Proverbs 12: 18 KJV)

"A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health." (Proverbs 13: 17 KJV)

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." (Proverbs 16: 24 KJV)

Rather than looking to man's cures and prescriptions for overall health, men need to look to the Lord, trusting in what he teaches us in all these verses. To ignore our spiritual health and well being, and to fail to take our "spiritual vitamins," to neglect to "keep our minds stayed on the Lord," invites total decline in health.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26: 3 KJV)

"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22: 2 KJV)

Someone might ask why healing is needed in the ages to come, when the world is regenerated and the kingdom of God is with men. Yet, the verse is not to be understood as implying sickness and illness in the "world to come" or on the "new earth." The Greek word is therapeia and is the word we get our modern English word "therapy." It may be that the leaves were simply for the better well being of "the nations." That is, life is enhanced by partaking of the leaves (and no doubt from the fruit also), and life is more enjoyable, there being eternally "times of refreshing."

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (III John 1: 2 KJV)