When I was enrolled in my master’s degree program at Indiana University, one of my favorite courses was the The Growth and Human Development of Children. David Gallahue, PhD, was the professor. He went on to be the Dean of the Physical Education department. Gallahue shared with us that to learn a new sport or skill, three essentials were involved – effective instruction, lots of practice and plenty of encouragement and support.
This important concept can also be transferred into learning any new skill and changing health behavior. As many of you are attempting to change a behavior or learn a new skill, I’d urge you to consider the application of this tip to your situation.
Here’s an example. I’m helping lead a weight loss program at our church beginning this week. We’re using a book by Kara Davis, M.D.. I made a blog entry about her book – Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss – a few months ago. Right off the bat, Davis writes in her introduction the importance and value of having an accountability partner for people who are entering a behavior change program. She urges us to find a person who will encourage, inspire and motivate us as well as speak a word of correction if necessary.
When wellness coaching clients partner with me, one of the key things they recognize they need most of all is encouragement and accountability from another person.
God clearly encourages us in scripture to rely on others for this type of support. Whether it’s an attempt at losing weight, stopping smoking or changing some other behavior, consider asking someone to stand along side of you as you take that journey!
Questions to Consider:
Are you attempting to make behavior changes on your own, without the encouragement and support of another person? If so, who might you ask to support you along the way?
Scriptures Related to Accountability, Support & Encouragement:
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
Our beliefs about God and spiritual things are the most important beliefs we have because they can have the most impact on our lives – as we live day to day and for all eternity.
What we believe determines how we behave to a very large degree. When our lifestyle choices are guided by our deep spiritual beliefs, our health can be positively impacted.
On one occasion, Jesus said in a loud voice, ” “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scriptures has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit (of God), whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” John 7:37-38
If we believe in Jesus and have accepted him into our heart, we are promised that God’s Holy Spirit is in us. The Spirit’s power enables us to live in a way that we could not otherwise live.
This is why I have identified the following Christian principles, among 38 others, to be health-promoting:
Believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit
Accept Jesus as Savior
Believe the Holy Spirit Lives in You
The “streams of living water” that flow from within you, resulting from the above principles, will help you experience a healthier life than if your beliefs were otherwise. This “stream of water” is God’s Spirit and his associated power for living.
When I want to make a point about something… when I want to emphasize something.. I often raise my voice and talk louder than I usually talk. Did you notice in the scripture above that Jesus spoke in a loud voice? I suspect he was emphasizing this to those he was talking to. I hope you’ll agree with me that this is a very important spiritual truth that we should embrace and apply!
Questions to Reflect on:
Do you have a desire or a “thirst” to make a behavior change in your life?
Are you burdened by stressors in your life?
Jesus invites you to “drink” from his well and to go to him if you are weary and burdened by life circumstances. (Matthew 11:28) He promises that the Spirit of God will empower you to make desired lifestyle changes and meet your deep needs when circumstances in life are burdensome.
Do you love yourself? Do you really love yourself as God wants you to?
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he offered this.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul mind and strength, and love others as yourself.” (Mark 12:29-31) See also Matthew 19:18-19.
We can not love others in the manner God intends us to without loving ourselves in a God-honoring way. And, we are not able to sustain the types of habits God wants us to live by without this type of core, self-love that is received from God.
The love God wants us to have for ourselves is the agape-type love that God displayed for us when he sent his Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we might enjoy an eternal and abundant life. This is an unselfish - an unconditional type of love.
Many of us look to outward things and often resort to unhealthy often addictive behaviors in an effort to “feel good” about ourselves or to fill a very deep whole we have in our heart because we do not truly love ourselves. Some call this low self esteem. I think that God would say it’s because there is a deep root of low agape love of one’s self.
God loves you. His love is so wide and deep that you cannot measure it. (Ephesians 3:18-19) When a person accepts Jesus into her heart, God’s Holy Spirit begins to live in her. The more she turns her heart to God, believes in truths found in the Bible and surrenders herself to God, the greater the display of God’s love is present in her life. One such “fruit” is love, including a godly self-love.
The more the measure of self love we have, through the work of God’s Spirit, the more we are able to love others as God commands us. Additionally, the more love we have for ourselves, the more motivation and power we will have to make any desired behavior changes in our lives.
Maybe you desire to lose weight. Maybe you want to become more physically active. Or, perhaps you are challenged by an unhealthy addictive behavior that you’d like to stop. Agape self-love can be instrumental in providing the motivation to start these change of habits and in receiving the determination and power to continue with the new lifestyle.
This type of genuine agape love of yourself is best received from the God who created you. The best way I know to learn about God’s love is through spending time with him as I read the Bible and by praying to him in conjunction with that.
Questions to Ask Yourself (Consider commenting with your responses on this blog!)
Are you struggling with making behavior changes that have not been sustained?
Do you have a deep agape-type love of yourself that has been given to you by God?
Have you received the unconditional love that God has for you by accepting the love of his Son, Jesus
Training Materials – A workshop package to help share God’s love and his truths about the spirituality-health connection and equip others to make behavior changes.
At 5:18 PM EDT the Fall season begins here in Charlotte, NC. It’s called the autumnal or fall equinox.
What happens during the Autumnal equinox?
The sun crosses the celestial equator and moves southward in the northern hemisphere during the September equinox. The location on the earth where the sun is directly overhead at solar noon is known as the subsolar point. The subsolar point occurs on the equator during the September equinox and March equinox. At that time, the earth’s axis of rotation is perpendicular to the line connecting the centers of the earth and the sun. This is the time when many people believe that the earth experiences 12 hours of day and night. However, this is not exactly the case.
I’ve always been really interested in weather, maps and data like this. I keep holding out for the opportunity to do the weather on television one day. Wouldn’t that be cool?
As we enter into this new season, it reminds me of the changes that will occur. Leaves change colors and the outside temperature begins to cool. The change of seasons is also a time of year when people make a concerted effort to change undesirable health-related behaviors. With this in mind, I thought I’d provide links to two posts I’ve previously made on this topic.
When I learn of information that I think will help others, I’m likely to pass it along more quickly than more slowly. This is one of those times.
About 5 years ago I read a book by Dr. Kara Davis, a practicing internal medicine physician, on the secrets to losing weight. It was based upon the application of the different “fruits of the spirit” addressed in Galatians 5:22-23.
I’ve read the introduction and the first of the 50 four-page chapters and scanned over the remainder of the book. One thing is clear - Davis’ heart is that people know the loving God of the Bible and that they be in good health. This book would be great to read read as a devotional over a 50 day period and I suspect could be a life-changing experience for some of you.
“For He (God) has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He (God) has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
Questions to Reflect On:
Are struggling with your weight and ready to grow more deeply in your relationship with God and yourself? If so, I strongly recommend you read this book.
Do you know of a friend or family member who is challenged by their weight? Consider sharing this post and book with them.
I’m pleased to announce this free 1-hour webinar, or online seminar, on September 3rd, at 7:00 PM EDT. As of Wed, Sep 2nd, we have over 40 people participating. Hope you’ll join us.
My intent and heart is to provide an overview of the Spirituality-Health Connection from a Christian faith perspective in an interactive session. I’m looking forward to using this technique to share my insight about this very interesting and relevant topic. Hope to meet with you on the 3rd!
Topics Covered will Include:
God’s Design for Man – How the spirit, soul and body interact
Your Most Basic Needs – How your choices affect our health
Life, Stress and Your Health
Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life
You can pre-register for the webinar by providing your email in the box below. After you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the Webinar on the day of the event. (A phone number and link to view and hear the presentation will be provided.)
In late August I’ll be starting a 4-week webinar series addressing unhealthy behaviors and the role of faith in changing those behaviors. I’ll be sharing my insight about the faith and health link from the Christian perspective and equip you with skills and knowledge to change unhealthy behaviors – with God’s help.
The first session of the 4-week series will be an introduction to the spirituality and health connection and will be free.
Help me determine which of two focuses to have during the remainder of the series by answering the poll below. I’ll announce the series focus and provide details on how to register soon. Stay tuned.
Know Others Who Struggle with Unhealthy Behavior?
If you have a loved one or a friend who struggles with unhealthy behavior, perhaps you’ll consider forwarding this post to them in an email.
This Q and A with Billy Graham appeared in the Charlotte Observer newspaper today.
Question: I’ve tried every trick in the book to get rid of some of my bad habits. A friend tells me to try God. What difference would God make?
Answer: You’ve learned you don’t have the strength to overcome these habits. No matter how hard you try, their grip on you is too strong.
Even if you’ve never thought about him very much or had him as a part of your life, down inside you know God is much stronger than you are. You need him, because he can give you the strength you need to overcome these habits. He wants to help you – and he will, as you turn to him and submit your life to Christ.
Begin by telling God that you know you have sinned, and you know you need his forgiveness and help. Then ask Christ to come into your life and help you. He’ll give you a new desire to live the way you should, and strength to resist temptation.
Then surround yourself with friends who will help you instead of pull you down. Flee from temptation when it first appears. In addition, fill your life with good things that will push out the bad.
God created each of us – you and me – as His masterpiece, His workmanship, to do the good works He planned for us long ago. This is what scripture tells us in Ephesians 2:10.
But there’s a catch. It’s only by accepting Jesus as our savior that we become “new” people and have the capability to do these good things that God has planned for us to do. Romans 3:22-25 tells us that we are made right in God’s eyes when we trust in Jesus to take away our sins and our sinful nature. Without the transformation that occurs through the love of Jesus, we will not be able to do what God created us to do. We will not have the ability or the power that God gives us in the form of the Holy Spirit that lives in a believer of Jesus.
It’s the grace of God – our salvation through the death of Jesus is one way He has demonstrated His grace to us – that gives us continual power through the Holy Spirit that enables us to live the kind of life that is pleasing to God and that glorifies Him. Without God’s grace we would not have the ability to make the day-to-day lifestyle choices we make that affect our health. It’s God working in us that enables us to apply our will to make these healthy choices. By nature, we’d want to chose things that our flesh desires which typically would not be as healthy for us. These same unhealthy choices would not be honoring to God and His temple – our body. See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
So, how do we do the good works that God planned for us long ago? How do we know what He wants us to do? How can we become equipped to do these things? The answer is found in scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
It’s only by becoming familiar with God’s principles as laid out in the Bible that we can become equipped to do all the things that He wants us to do. You and I each have a role to play in God’s kingdom. He has given you different gifts and abilities than He has given me. He wants us to use these gifts in a way that makes a difference in this world. God wants us to love on people and He wants us to share His truths with people who don’t know Him.
The healthier we are and the more energy we have the better we’ll be able to do all the things He wants us to do. I would submit that it’s by living according to His guidelines found in scripture that will enable us to be healthier.
If you haven’t become familiar with the Spiritual Exercises I have identified, you may want to read more about them. I have also developed a Spiritual Fitness Assessment that assesses the degree to which your life is in agreement with these Spiritual Exercises and you may find it helpful to spend some time reviewing it.
Believe that God loves you…. because He does. He has, and continues to dempnstrate His grace towards you and He’s given you guidelines to live life by so that you can do all the special things that He planned for you to do so long ago.
Application:
Believe that God love you… because He really does.
Receive God’s love and grace.
Get to know God’s will for you and become better equipped to live life by reading the Bible regurlarly.
Your old nature was crucified on the cross with Jesus
Have you realized substantial victory from your old and sinful nature since you’ve become a Christian or are you still “stuck” in a major rut by your old thinking patterns and unhealthy behaviors?
Romans 6:6 is a reminder that your “old” nature, your “old” manner – your “old” self – was crucified and died with Jesus when He was crucified on the cross. In reality, it is a done deal! Romans 6:7 tells us that anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Since your old nature has died, you are now free from sin and the way you used to live before you accepted Jesus into your life.
Our old nature, our old self did things apart from God. This old nature was inherited from Adam and Eve who were the first sinners. (Romans 5:12) We used to live life without the help of God’s Holy Spirit, who now lives inside of us. We were unable to live the kind of life that glorified God. We were unable to make behavior changes that we knew would be healthy for us… healthy in mind, body and spirit.
But because of what Jesus did on the cross at Calvary, we now have a new nature and we can live in triumph over death and sin and our old ways of living. (Romans 5:17-19) You and I are in right-standing with God. We are now righteous because of what Jesus did and our faith in what the Word of God says. We are free to live in the power of the cross. This, accompanied with the power that we have because God’s Holy Spirit is in us, enables us to live life more fully. It should enable us to live life with less of a struggle. Sure, we will still struggle in some areas, but we should be able to have significant victory over the way we used to live because of the cross and because of the power that we have. We have the same power in us that raised Jesus from His tomb! The Holy Spirit living in us gives us that same resurrection power. (Ephesians 1:19-20)
This power is to enable us to live in a way that glorifies God and that honors His temple, our bodies. ( 1 Cor. 6:19-20) This power can enable us to make the kind of behavior changes that we know we should make to be healthier.
I am learning that a key in this area is to admit to God, in prayer, that I am unable to make these changes in my own strength… in the abilities of my old nature.. and that I am strongest in my weakness and that I can have the ability to make these changes in God’s strength and power… in the Holy Spirit’s power. (2 Cor. 12:9 and Isaiah 40:28-31)
Thank you Jesus for what you did on the cross because you love me. … thank you for making me whole again!
If you didn’t listen to the song, consider opening this link now … and know that God loves you!
Points to Ponder:
Have you fully recognized and understood that, if you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior, your “old” nature died on the cross with Him? Are you living life from this perspective?
Are you appropriating, or have you appropriated, the power of the Holy Spirit in your life to make the lifestyle changes you desire/desired to make?
Are you regularly admitting to God that you do not have the ability to live life to the fullest and that you need Him and His power to do so?
If you do not have Jesus in your life but recognize your need for Him, follow this link.
POWERPOINT FOR PURCHASE
Preview this 85-slide package. Includes permission to administer a Spiritual Fitness Assessment & a 30-page booklet, Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life. Fully customizable.
When I was enrolled in my master’s degree program at Indiana University, one of my favorite courses was the The Growth and Human Development of Children. David Gallahue, PhD, was the professor. He went on to be the Dean of the Physical Education department. Gallahue shared with us that to learn a new sport or skill, three essentials were involved – effective instruction, lots of practice and plenty of encouragement and support.
Our beliefs about God and spiritual things are the most important beliefs we have because they can have the most impact on our lives – as we live day to day and for all eternity.
At 5:18 PM EDT the Fall season begins here in Charlotte, NC. It’s called the 
This Q and A with Billy Graham appeared in the 
God created each of us – you and me – as His masterpiece, His workmanship, to do the good works He planned for us long ago. This is what scripture tells us in Ephesians 2:10.
