Oct
13
2011
Another post with my thoughts from reading Health Care You Can Live With by Dr. Scott Morris, founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Chapter 20 of Morris’ book is on forgiveness. This topic is of such significance that it will be the only chapter covered in this post.
Excerpts From Chapter 20 – “Put On Forgiveness”
Paul (the author of many books in the New Testament) knows relationships are going to hit snags. We’re going to annoy each other. We’re going to disappoint each other. We’re going to wound each other. Deeply. We’re going to think there’s no going back.… Bearing with each other, and the forgiveness that results, has nothing to do with deserving it. Paul loves to remind readers of God’s unconditional love for them and God’s unbounded forgiveness. This is the basis of our forgiveness of one another. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We offer gracious pardon to those who offend us because we know God’s gracious pardon of us.
“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
Forgiveness is healing to the one who was forgiven. This we experience most fully in God’s forgiveness of us. God’s forgiveness of our offenses restores our relationship with God, and we have a picture of the healing we can offer to others in forgiveness. This gift keeps us in community with people who care for us by building bridges rather than tearing them down and walking away.
Forgiveness also is healing to the person who forgives. This we experience when we forgive others. When we offer forgiveness, we received the healing that comes from letting go of the grievance and being no longer held captive by a thirst for vengeance. This means less anxiety and depression and a better overall sense of well-being. It means having more energy to devote to what brings joy to you rather than wasting energy on what does not. Read more of this article »
Jul
12
2011
This morning, during my quiet time with God, I was reading Psalm 32 and was reminded of the connection between sin, guilt and health. In this Psalm, David writes that when he refused to confess his sin that he felt weak and miserable and that he groaned all day long. He also writes that his strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Today will be one of the hottest days we’ve experienced in Charlotte this summer. The temperature is to reach close to 100° and the humidity levels are to be very high. After reading Psalm 32, I knew that I wanted to write on this topic of sin, guilt and health and the interrelationship between them and thought that it might help to experience the heat of summer… so I laced up my running shoes and went for a three mile run. When I returned the outside temperature was 88° and I was dripping wet with sweat. Today is a day like David referred to where water could evaporate in the extreme heat.
Guilt and Health – What the Research Says:
When we sin it’s easy to feel a sense of guilt and shame. Imagine how heavy you could feel if you were burdened by guilt and shame for a long period of time. The medical research seems clear that the immune system is not able to be as protective as it otherwise would be when a person experiences chronic guilt and shame.
An article written by the BBC, Guilt – Bad for Your Health, reports the results of a study that indicates that people who felt guilty had lower levels of immunoglobulin A. High levels of immunoglobulin A are associated with a strong immune system, and the ability to fight off illness. The researcher’s previous studies showed that people with low levels of guilt were less likely to go to the doctor, or to report suffering from colds or flu.
Sin, Guilt and Health – What the Bible Says
“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:1-5
Fortunately we have a God who loves us incredibly and because of this, he freely forgives us of our sins when we confess our wrongdoings. Because of his forgiveness of our sins, believers should be able to turn over any guilt or shame that they feel.
God does not want us to experience the heaviness associated with chronic guilt. His desire is that we live in peace and joy which is available to us when we confess our wrongdoings and believe that God forgives us. Peace and joy are health-promoting compared to chronic guilt which can be damaging to our health.
A Few Questions to Reflect On:
Are you holding on to guilt and shame because of some past or current sin in your life?
Are you perhaps weak and miserable or plagued with a chronic immune related condition that could be caused by long-term guilt?
Verse six of Psalm 32 says “Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you (God) while there is time, that they may not drown in the flood waters of judgment.”
If you have not confessed sins which you feel guilty of, I urge you to prayerfully make that confession to God so that you can return to feeling peaceful and joyful, which is God’s will for your life.
Sin, Guilt and Health – Helpful Resources
Blog Post – Guilt, Satan, Disease and Forgiveness
Jan
25
2011
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’.
The writer of the article, Jane Glenn Haas, interviewed Reverend Michael Berry, Director of Pastoral Care at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. Barry is the author of a book soon to be published titled “The Forgiveness Project: The Startling Discovery of How to Overcome Cancer, Find Health and Achieve Peace.”
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!
Related Resources
Blog Post – Guilt, Satan, Disease and Forgiveness
Article – Forgiveness: A Spiritual Exercise for a Healthier Heart
Dec
16
2010
As the holiday season gets into full swing, often there are angry meltdowns in stores, restaurants, airports and elsewhere. Many people are exhausted, stressed and worried about money. The December 14th issue of the Wall Street Journal included an article in their Relationships column on anger.
Anger is a protective response to a perceived hurt, says Dr. James, a psychologist. The article indicates that the emotional center of the brain has a much greater influence on us than the part of the brain that controls our conscious thinking. This is a partial explanation why our anger often presents itself as publicly it does.
The referenced article is focused on what people can do when someone in your life often becomes very angry in your presence. Here are a few of their suggestions:
Managing The Anger of Others
- Don’t be silent
- Validate their feelings, but not their behavior
- Set boundaries
- Explain why their behavior bothers you
Anger and Our Health
Medical research is clear that chronic anger impacts in a negative way on our health. Read what WebMD has to say about anger and our health.
The Scriptures on Anger
A gentle answer will calm a person’s anger, but an unkind answer will cause more anger. Proverbs 15:1
Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim. Proverbs 15:4
“In your anger do not sin:” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26
He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends. Proverbs 17:9
A relaxed attitude lengthens life. Proverbs 14:30
Anger Management – What We Can Do
It’s inevitable that those we are around, our loved ones and we ourselves will have hurt feelings, and those hurt feelings will occasionally be expressed through our anger. It’s how we go about handing the hurt feelings and associated anger that will make all the difference in our relationships.
In that light, my prayer for us all is that we would stay close to God and that more of his love would flow into us and through us to others who are in our lives. I pray that when others get angry in our presence that God would give us a sense of compassion and understanding as to the root cause of the anger and give us discernment to understand how our actions may have contributed to the hurt feelings that prompted the anger. And then God, I pray that you’ll help us to extend forgiveness to others who may have hurt us. Amen.
Mar
02
2010
Occasionally I pass along relevant devotions that I receive. Below are a few lines from tow of David Wilkerson Today devotions on “The Danger of Guilt.”
Day One
“Guilt can eat away at the spiritual vitality of a Christian like a raging cancer. It causes a person to lose control of life; it leads to a desire to quit or retire from spiritual activity; and, finally, it brings on physical pain and disease. Like cancer, guilt feeds upon itself until all spiritual life is gone, and the end result is weakness and a sense of shame and failure.”
Read this brief devotion about guilt and the importance of the spiritual exercise of forgiveness. David Wilkerson Today – March 2, 2010
Day Two
“Lay down your guilt, my friend. You don’t need to carry that load another minute. Open up the doors and windows of your heart, and let God’s love in. He forgives you—over and over again! He will give you the power to see your struggle through to victory. If you ask—if you repent—you are forgiven! Accept it—now!”
Read this second brief devotion online – David Wilkinson Today – March 3, 2010
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9
Have a terrific day!
Resources Related to Guilt
Article – Forgiveness: A Spiritual Exercise for a Healthier Life
Jan
05
2008
Imagine the effect of constantly feeling guilt deep in your heart. Do you think that months and years of a guilty heart would have an impact on your health? 
The BBC reported the results of a study that indicated that people who felt guilty had lower levels of immunoglobulin A. High levels of immunoglobulin A are associated with a strong immune system, and the ability to fight off illness. The researcher’s previous studies showed that people with low levels of guilt were less likely to go to the doctor, or to report suffering from colds or flu.
Not surprisingly, the writer of Psalm 38 experienced the health-related consequences of guilt. The guilt of his sins “overwhelmed him” and was a burden that was “too heavy to bear.” His “exhausted” and “crushed” nature came from an “anguished heart.” Like the author of this Psalm, if our heart is crushed and exhausted and remains this way for a period of time, we will eventually experience an adverse impact on our health. It will look differently for each of us because God made us each uniquely.
The easiest way to prevent any adverse health-related impact is to not sin in the first place. Psalm 119:35 reminds us that when we follow the commandments of God we find happiness. If we follow the guidelines God gives us in the Bible we will be less likely to have a sense of guilt. This guilt-free lifestyle will have a more positive effect on our health.
So, what if you do feel guilty because of doing things that you believe are not honoring to your body or to God? You can ask for forgiveness from God. You can confess your sins to Him and to others. (James 5:16) This can give you a sense of freedom in your spirit and in your heart. This sense of freedom will have a positive impact on your health. (A helpful article appearing in The Christian Century on guilt, confession and mental health is at this link.) That’s one of the values of the Christian walk. We can know that God does forgive us when we ask for forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32 reminds us that through His son, Jesus, God has forgiven us.
What can you do? Try to live a life that lines up with God’s principles that He gives us in the Bible. Minimize behaviors that give you a sense of guilt. When you do experience guilt, confess your behavior to another person and to God. Ask God for forgiveness. Try your best not to repeat the behavior that caused your guilt.
Go have a healthy day!
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