Thursday, October 1, 2009

What Is On the Inside Will Show Up In Your Health

This summer was a summer of challenges, and the culmination of several years of things that had wreaked havoc in my life. I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that the final episode-or rather string of back-to-back episodes-sent my heart reeling. Literally. I found myself in the hospital with chest pain and an irregular heart rhythm. The doctors told me that the rhythm was not life-threatening, and I had not had a heart attack. They did, however, tell me to address the things that were stressing me out. Amazing. My body was finally telling me to deal with my anger, sorrow and frustration over the series of stressors and disappointments that I'd experienced. It could have been worse: I could have had a full blown heart attack. My body was telling me, "Fair warning! NOW, deal with it!"

Have you ever just shoved feelings down, cast them aside, or ignored situations because you felt like you didn't have time to deal with them? We all have been there, I believe. But we have to consider the effects that doing so will have on our future, and our health.

Psalm 38 is a revealing monologue. David is describing the physical effects of his life stressors to God. He says, "My back is filled with searing pain: there is no health in my body...my heart pounds, my strength fails me: even the light has gone from my eyes." Wow! He is so accurately describing the physical effects of stress on his health. Pounding heart, no energy, constantly tired, inability to concentrate. He goes on to say that people avoid him because they can see his heaviness, and that he can no longer see the light of day, so to speak. Everything is dark.

How long can the body take that kind of pressure without faulting out in some area? We need to understand that there is a physiological, or internal body response to stress and disappointment that extends far beyond the feelings of failure that accompany it.

This is the beginning of this series, and as we go further, we will look at the effects, both short and long term, on the body to what is going on in our hearts and minds. God cares about our physical health. Let's explore together, so we can give ourselves the greater gift of divine health.

Talk to you next time!

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