In this article, we’re talking about soul food. The faith and health connection and why your faith could be the defining factor in your health.
I’ve dabbled with faith and health here on the blog {and podcast} but I haven’t done the whole shebang. Drawing out why this is such a critical component in lasting health and how you can use faith to create a new view of your health.
But if I had to sum up health, this would be the foundation. Yet often, it’s the most overlooked. We talk all day about nutrition, movement, even relationships, self-care, balance, and mindset but rarely do we hear about spirituality and the faith connection.
Today, I want to state my belief, that being planted in faith. Because without it, we are without hope and hope is the driving force behind our change, our joy, our happiness and our health.
The good news is these aren’t just my “thoughts” but researched truths that are popping up all over the scientific community. Of course, they are using religion as a general terminology in the belief of a higher power.
However, my belief is that there is only one true power and that is Jesus – believing in Him above all other things transcends all hope because He backs it up with the truth of His promises. Which I’ll be sharing a few of my favorites below.
For now, you have to listen to the podcast on why faith matters and how this can change your entire view of health. Foundational, I promise.
Listen on iTunes | Listen on Stitcher | Listen on Google Play | Review the Podcast
hopelessness
Health and wellness have to be some of the most talked about subjects in the history of subjects. At least in the last 50 years. But health is also one of those topics that can be really good or really bad, depending on where you stand with it.
Honestly, this topic has become more prevalent in my life the last five years as I work with clients and receive e-mail after e-mail of broken people, torn, devastated and hopeless because of their health.
That’s one thing I know to be true about health. It can come in and wreck you in a matter of what feels like minutes. It can steal your life, your joy, and rob you of your family, happiness and a future. There are times, situations and circumstances when health feels hopeless.
But what we know about health is that we’re all going to end this race because our health gave out. We’re up against a losing battle. Not that it should scare you but the reality is this, 100% of humans will die. That’s a known fact and statistic.
the hope
That is why faith is so important to health. Because it provides hope that there is something more worth living for. Even though our bodies may fail us, our careers, our hopes, dreams, friends, and family may all come and go, there is one foundation that will never leave, that is our faith, our belief in Jesus and what He provided to get us to eternity.
As John Piper states:
“Your eternity is ten million times more important than whether you get well now. What matters is if you get well eventually and stay well forever, satisfied not mainly by God’s gifts but by God himself.”
This hope is what changes our health. Because our brains are actually hardwired to live for hope.
the science
There are countless scientific studies coming out stating that spiritual people are more likely to have happier brains, healthier bodies, and longer lifespans {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7} The belief as to why has been shown on brain scans. They have found that focusing your mind on God, you are able to get out of yourself, your rut and your negative thoughts.
You are able to see life beyond whatever seems hopeless and this hope fires resiliency, happiness and contentment centers of your brain.
Again, the mind is hardwired for hope.
This hope provides countless benefits to health including:
- Restores Purpose and Positive Emotion
- Enhances Relational Health
- Provides Resiliency
- Helps Manage and Deal with Stress
- Improve Immune Function
- Enhance your Ability to Think Clearly
You can get more research on the podcast as we talk about brain scans and other analysis’ that have shown massive change from faith alone.
bring back faith
Wherever you stand with faith, we have to add more back into our life. It really is the foundational component on which all the other pillars of health stand. Without it, we’ll always be wavering and in some cases hopeless.
So how do we add more spirituality to life? Here are five ways to enhance your faith to enhance your health.
- Know what you believe in and really believe it – As my good friend Carlos Whittaker says, Gaze at God and Glance at Life. Spend more time getting to know Him and His deep love for us. Make your faith your own.
- Find a community – I always support the local church and a community of friends who can help you walk this journey. To dig in, know more and unleash more. To help you live unafraid of the future but accept it as your one source of hope.
- Read, pray, meditate and fill yourself.– We can’t give out of an empty vessel. We have to fill ourselves up first and that means filling yourself up with hope. Because just as physical food provides energy, so does soul food. Take time daily to fill yourself up, grow and pray.
- Let go of the perfect life, perfect health and enjoy the journey of learning and growing – There is nothing perfect in this life but Jesus alone. Trust in him and let go of your own need to control, your own need for perfection. Accept where you are and choose to keep walking the path of hope.
- Remeber God’s Promises – this is what provides the hope which changes our heart, driving our emotions leading to action and outward change. Let His promises fill you, guide you and change you. Repeat them as often as needed {for most of us this should be daily}.
God’s Promises
There are hundreds of hope-filled promises in the Bible. Here are some of my favorites.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24).
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31–32).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).
Dig in and find some out for yourself!
other helpful resources
If you want to know more, you can check out some of my other faith-based posts. It’s a journey and one that is worth traveling on.
- What if Your Health Was Missing Faith
- 6 Ways to Have More Confidence
- How to Actually Love to Eat Healthily
- Fight Fear and Overcome Anxiety with Alli Worthington
