John Wesley was an 18th-century Anglican priest and founder of Methodism. He also cared about people’s bodies. Through his sermons and writings, he often advocated a holistic approach towards spiritual and physical health, emphasizing vigorous exercise, fresh air, and healthy diet. Wesley also had a particular care for the disadvantaged in society and wanted to make sure that all had access and understanding to the medical advice of the day.
In a letter written in 1778 to Alexander Knox, a theological writer, Wesley wrote….
“It will be a double blessing if you give yourself up to the Great Physician, that He may heal soul and body together. And unquestionably this is His design. He wants to give you . . . both inward and outward health.” John Wesley
In another text, John Wesley writes that
“Salvation is “not just going to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health.” John Wesley
John Wesley on Holistic Health
This week, the Church Health Reader is featuring an interview (at link that follows) with Randy Maddox, Professor of Theology and Methodist Studies at Duke Divinity School, on John Wesley and his holistic view of health.
I’ll also provide a more complete essay written by Randy Maddox titled John Wesley on Holistic Health and Healing where Maddox writes in more depth about Wesley’s view of the interrelatedness between spiritual, emotional and physical health.
When a person accepts Jesus as their Savior and becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit begins to live inside him. (John 14:16-17) The Bible tells us that the power of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us because God’s Spirit lives in us. (Romans 8:11) This fact has huge implications for Christians who have struggled to make a behavior change in their life.
I suspect most people, whether they are Believers in Christ or not, rely primarily on their own strength – their own willpower – to make changes in their lives. I did that for many, many years. In weight management classes that I taught in a hospital setting several years ago, I urged participants to develop stronger “willpower.” Now, when I am working with Believers, I urge them to do the opposite. I urge them to rely less on their own abilities and strength and to rely more on the Holy Spirit. For most, this is a new concept. Maybe it’s also a foreign concept for you as well.
Our Old Nature Vs Our New Nature
Our human nature, our sinful nature, wants to do all it can to be in control and mange our behavior. But, the more we try to change behavior on our own, the more we are leaving God out of the picture and this leads to defeat, whereas leaning on God’s Spirit who lives in us leads to life. (Romans 8:13) The apostle Paul reminds us that when we are weak, we are strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10) In this verse, he’s indicating that when he acknowledges his own weakness and depends on God, that is when he is truly strong. Further along in Romans 8:26, Paul tells us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”
We must be intentional about being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, being obedient to what we sense him telling us and being dependent on him. Again, for most, this will be out of our comfort zone because we think we need to be in charge and strong in our own might.
If you’ve made countless unsuccessful attempts at changing an unhealthy habit, I urge you to get on your knees and cry out to God and admit your dependency on him. Confess that you’ve left him out of the picture and that you’re now ready to lean more heavily on him – on the Holy Spirit – then you ever have before. As you do this, my prayer for you is Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
And then, after you’ve changed your behavior, remember to give God the glory for how his Spirit empowered you to make the change!
Questions to Reflect On
How many times have you been unsuccessful in changing an unhealthy habit, without relying on the Holy Spirit?
Are you ready to be dependent on God’s Holy Spirit to help you make a change in your life?
Jose Henriquez, in the photo to the right, was the 24th miner rescued from the Chilean mine on October 13th. His faith was apparently very important to him as he asked friends to gather and send 33 small Bibles down through a supply shaft. This enabled him to lead a Bible study for the other trapped miners during the balance of their 70 day stint underground. According to news articles, Chilean officials also assigned psychologists and a personal trainer by video conference to tend to the 33 miners that were rescued.
But Henriquez clearly recognized the importance of staying connected to God during this difficult ordeal and I suspect that he already had a personal practice of reading his Bible and connecting with Jesus. He knew that in addition to receiving food and water for physical strength that he and the other miners needed food for their souls as well, and that reading from the Word of God would provide this essential spiritual nourishment. The Psalmist says in Psalm 63:5, “You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” Jesus can meet the deeper needs of the heart and soul – the kinds of needs that these men must have had when they were a 1/2 mile underground and separated from their loved ones for over two months.
Jesus reminds us of the importance of staying closely connected to him:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
The Bible study led by one faithful miner and the 33 Bibles helped all the men connect more solidly with God during this difficult trial. Praise God that the strong faith of this trapped miner in the Chilean disaster influenced him to ask for Bibles so that God’s truths could help provide hope for and sustain the entire group of miners.
Questions to Reflect On:
When was the last time you experienced a very, very difficult trial and how did you handle it?
When your soul needs to be nourished, how do you feed it?
John Wesley was an 18th-century Anglican priest and founder of Methodism. He also cared about people’s bodies. Through his sermons and writings, he often advocated a holistic approach towards spiritual and physical health, emphasizing vigorous exercise, fresh air, and healthy diet. Wesley also had a particular care for the disadvantaged in society and wanted to make sure that all had access and understanding to the medical advice of the day.
When a person accepts Jesus as their Savior and becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit begins to live inside him. (John 14:16-17) The Bible tells us that the power of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us because God’s Spirit lives in us. (Romans 8:11) This fact has huge implications for Christians who have struggled to make a behavior change in their life.
Let’s Connect!