Wellness Devotional: Beliefs and Your Health

Last week I made a blog entry on Beliefs About God. During my personal quiet time today I read Charles Stanley’s In Touch Magazine devotional titled Know What You Believe, based on 2 Timothy 1:12-14. Because this devotional speaks directly to what I wrote about on the 31st, I thought it would be helpful to include it here for your reading in it’s entirety:

All people have a belief system, whether they realize it or not. Even those who claim there is no God have faith that He does not exist. What we believe affects every area of our lives and shapes every decision we make, yet few of us take the time to really think about what we accept as true.

All belief systems have a foundation. Some people base their convictions on what fits their lifestyle, reasoning, and desires. However, Jesus calls His followers to adapt life to their faith in Him and the authority of His Word.

Anytime we add other philosophies or ideas to Scripture or pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe, we create our own version of faith based on personal reasoning. God’s Word is the only true and reliable foundation for belief, because it contains the recorded thoughts of an eternal, all-knowing God. All other concepts must be measured against it to determine their validity.

Knowing what the Bible says is essential for developing a sound system of beliefs founded on the truth and wisdom of God. This world will offer you a variety of philosophies which sound good but are laced with lies. A faith anchored in the Scriptures is your protection against deception.

Each time you face a problem or decision, search for the answer in Scripture. Begin your day by reading the Word and asking God to help you understand what He is saying. He loves communicating with you, and as you spend time with Him, He’ll open your mind to know His thoughts.

I also read a short piece by Oswald Chambers in His Utmost for His Highest devotional that was titled Intimate Theology based on John 11:26. He wrote about the importance of our most intimate personal beliefs.

Because our beliefs serve as the basis for our behavior, and our behaviors largely determine our health and well-being it’s critical that we know what we believe and why we have those respective beliefs.

Thinking about this topic caused me to consider the following question I will challenge you to reflect on.

Questions to Reflect On:

What is your single most important personal belief that has the most significant impact on how you live your life and effects your health? Is there a supporting scripture that this belief is based on?