What happens in the brain of a person when they speak in their personal prayer language, or in tongues? It seems as though the part of the brain that is highly activated when a person speaks normally takes a rest – a sort of sabbatical – to use a religious term. This would makes sense because the Bible tells us that if we allow the Holy Spirit to pray through us, as in speaking in tongues, it’s really not us praying, but the Spirit of God in us.
“For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. ”
1 Corinthians 14:14
An ABC news broadcast in July of 2008,Speaking in Tongues – The Science, explains this practice of the Christian faith in medical terms. In the study, Dr. Newberg’s team scanned the subject’s brains while they spoke in tongues, using their personal prayer language. Subsequently, the images showed that the frontal lobe of the brain was significantly less active than when the subjects prayed in their normal English language. Another study by Dr. Newberg of the University of Pennsylvania, published in 2006, showed similar results.
“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.”
Psalm 139:14
These studies are yet another example of science validating aspects of the Christian faith. They serve as a reminder of how amazing God, our Creator, designed each of us.
This publication explores the research in the field of religion, spirituality and health. This issue includes several opportunities relevant to those interested in spirituality and health, including a “call-for-papers” in the area of religion, spirituality and depression, information about the NIH loan repayment program, a clinical workshop on integrating spirituality into cognitive behavioral therapy, and a new training program (masters of arts or master of science) in spirituality, theology and health in the United Kingdom.
Crossroads is a publication of Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, Theology & Health. This publication provides updates on research, current events, and funding opportunities related to spirituality and health. I receive it as a member
The current issue contains information on the following research and topics:
Cognitive behavioral treatments for depression in patients with chronic illness
Spiritual Needs and Physiological Responses of Women Undergoing Core Needle Breast Biopsy for Cancer
Genetic Basis for Religious Involvement
Spiritual Intervention in Persons Addicted to Opium/Heroin
Religious involvement as a predictor of telomere shortening
Religion and hippocampal atrophy in late life
Religious participation and cognitive functioning in China
Religious activity and progression of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease
Last week the New York Times reported that recent research has concluded that more Americans are praying about their health.
According to the report, scientists analyzed data on 30,080 adults ages 18 and older who took part in the National Health Interview Survey in 2002 and on 22,306 adults who participated in 2007. Forty-nine percent of adults said in 2007 that they had prayed about their health during the previous year, up from 43 percent in 2002. The full article, which appeared in the journal Psychology of Religion and Spirituality is available at this link – Praying and Health.
God, man’s creator, inspired men to write the books of the Bible so that we can have instructions on how to live life. It includes many, many examples of people who prayed in times of distress and trouble, including sickness and poor health.
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint. Old Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. Psalm 6:2
My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I grown in anguish of heart…. Come quickly to help me, old Lord my Savior. Psalm 38:7,8 and 22
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. Psalm 55:17
Then they cried out to Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. Psalm 107:28
Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord were heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. Deuteronomy 26:7
The research indicates that more people are praying about their health but the data show only the frequency of prayers, not the nature of the prayers or who the prayers were made to. The Bible is full of guidance that indicates we are to pray to the Lord God, our Creator.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18
God is their refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24
Be thankful that you have a Creator, the Lord our God, who cares about you and hears you when you cry out to him – even during your times of sickness and poor health.
This morning’s Charlotte Observer has an article titled “The Ability to Forgive May Help You Heal.” The subtitle for the article is ‘Holding onto a Grudge is Bad for the Immune System, Author Says’.
I had the good fortune of meeting Rev. Berry two years ago at the annual meeting of the Society for Spirituality Theology and Health at Duke University. We had lunch together and shared about our common passion on the topic of faith and health.
The short article highlights the connection between chronic stress and health – especially from the standpoint of how an unforgiving attitude can impact have one’s health. In addition to reading this short article that appears in many newspapers throughout the country, I would urge you to go to Barry’s website www.releasenow.org as it has a lot of helpful information addressing the link between forgiveness, chronic stress, anxiety and health – especially cancer.
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – What the Research Shows
There is plenty of research available that demonstrates the health implications of not forgiving someone. This link to Berry’s website provides some examples of what the research says on this topic.
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – What the Bible Says
The Bible is chock full of information about the significance of forgiveness. Without a doubt, the Christian faith is based upon the forgiveness that God extends to us through his Son who died on the cross for us. God recognizes that due to the sin nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve, it is our nature to sin and live life in a way that is contrary to the principles that He lays out for us in the Bible. Because God loves us so much, His solution for this problem was to make forgiveness of sins available to us by the death of Jesus. The Bible also has several verses that instruct us to forgive others who have sinned against us.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25
“And forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors.And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from the evil one.For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:12-14
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – The Bottom Line
The bottom line is, God designed us in a way that we should not hold onto grudges and bitterness towards others. When we do this we pay a price – not only in our emotional and spiritual health but in our physical health.
What would God want you to do? Search your heart and let him reveal to you if there is any unforgiveness and bitterness tucked away deep inside. If there is, God wants you to confess this sin and extend forgiveness to the person associated with that pain and hurt. His Son paid a high price so you can be forgiven by God. You owe it to God to forgive others!
Almost 60% of American adults say they had difficult childhoods featuring abusive or troubled family members or parents who were absent due to separation or divorce. Nearly 9% say that while growing up they underwent five or more “adverse childhood experiences” ranging from verbal, physical or sexual abuse to family dysfunction such as domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, or the absence of a parent. This data was reported in the Dec 17th, 2010 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the report, Dr. Lee M. Sanders, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine said that “There is a connection of these events to lifelong implications, not just for mental health for adults, but also for physical health.” Valerie J. Edwards, team lead for the Adverse Childhood Experiences Team at CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, says that a person who has several of these events is more likely to get cancer and heart disease. In the report, Edwards said. “This is serious and it’s not just a quirk of statistics. It’s a real relationship.”
The Faith and Health Link
As the experts have indicated, if left unaddressed, issues like these childhood traumas can likely affect one’s emotional health in adulthood. Over time, these emotional issues can affect one’s physical health. Deep-rooted emotions and beliefs associated with such trauma such as anxiety, resentment, shame, low self-worth, rejection and unforgiveness can play havoc with one’s endocrine, cardiovascular and immune system resulting in a host of chronic diseases.
In general, medical practitioners do not care for these issues of the soul that are at the root of these diseases. This is where faith in the healing power of God and his Son Jesus comes into play. Jesus’ compassion, love and power expressed through his followers and accompanied with prayer, can bring inner healing to the soul of these traumatized individuals. This inner soul healing then favors improved physical health.
The sooner a child or young adult can come to experience the deep love and healing power of God, through Jesus, the more likely they will not succumb to these long-term emotional and physical health problems. Healing and restoration is part of the life transformation that God desires that his children experience in this life on earth.
Such experiences of healing and improved personal wholeness can be a witness and encouragement to others of God’s love, grace and power. It can also enable healed these healed individuals to better give their life away in service to others. In all this, God receives glory.
It’s sad that the statistics in this report are what they are, but it’s Good News to know that God is still in the business of healing and restoration of his children. Our role as believers and followers of Christ is to be a conduit of this message and his love.
Related Scriptures
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed meto proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisonersand recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12
Being thankful is healthy. That’s what the research continues to show. An article in today’s Wall Street Journal health and wellness section addresses recent research that indicates that people who are thankful are happier and healthier. Should we be surprised? Nope, because our Creator gives us that principle in his guidebook for living, the Bible. And, when we follow his principles for living, we’ll generally be healthy. Here are a few of the scriptures that instruct us to have a thankful heart and attitude:
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 118:1
Some of the highlights taken from the helpful article are as follows:
Maintaining an attitude of gratitude can improve psychological, emotional and physical well-being.
The “positive psychology” movement focuses on developing strengths rather than alleviating disorders. Cultivating an attitude of gratefulness is a form of cognitive-behavior therapy which holds that changing one’s thought patterns can dramatically affect their moods…. which has a positive affect on their overall health.
Counting our blessings can actually make us feel better.
Gratitude is a complex emotion that requires self-reflection, willingness to admit dependency on God and others, and the humility to realize our own limitations.
Using negative and critical words in your conversations can darken your mood.
Journaling helps. There’s an iPad application for gratitude journaling.
The real benefit comes from changing the way you experience the world (and God – my addition).
It’s too bad the author of the article, Melinda Beck, does not mention the importance of one’s personal faith and thankfulness toward God. But then again, this is just another reflection of the world we live in. How can a person help but recognize the significance of being thankful for their creator and recognize the value in that? Or, for that matter, just be thankful that they are alive, and attribute that to God.
Thankfulness to God can take many forms. My wife and I often do a simple thing – we call it the A to Z Game, though it’s not really a game in the sense that most people use the term. We take turns speaking a word or short phrase that describes God. We start with the letter A and go all the way through the alphabet to the letter Z. It helps us do a few things. First of all it’s a way to worship and praise God. That’s perhaps most important. Secondly, it helps remind us how thankful we are to have a relationship with our Creator. And, sometimes it can help us change our moods. Recently, Janice and I went on a hike in the Blue Ridge mountains. It ended up being much longer and more rigorous than I thought it would be initially. Towards the end, we were exhausted physically and our attitudes had also taken a hit. I suggested that we do the “A to Z” thing. We did this two times over a period of several minutes and after we finished, our outlook and attitude had shifted to become more positive.
We can chose our attitude. We can choose whether or not to be thankful. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 reminds us that it’s our choice. We can choose death or choose life. When we make a choice to be thankful to God, we are choosing life!
What are you thankful for today? I’m thankful for my relationship with God, my wife, my four kids, my father and mom and step-mom, my siblings and their families, my health, my church family and the list goes on and on. Today, I’m also thankful that God has given me an appreciation for nature along with the changing seasons and the colorful leaves that fall.
As the referenced article mentions, being thankful does have health benefits. Be Thankful to God is one of the principles of the Christian faith, or Spiritual Exercises, I’ve identified that contributes to well-being. I’d encourage you to put being thankful to God at the very top of your thankfulness list because God is good and his love will endure forever!
Some Questions to Reflect On:
What are you thankful for today?
Do you make a habit of choosing to have an attitude of gratitude and do you include thankfulness to God in that attitude?
Are you teaching your kids, and modeling for them, the importance of having a thankful attitude?
This publication explores the research in the field of religion, spirituality and health. Topics addressed in this issue include:
Last week the New York Times reported that recent research has concluded that more Americans are praying about their health.
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – The Bottom Line
I want to pass along a link that I also made available here a year ago at this time.
Let’s Connect!