CLERGY CORNER: Is Your Spirit Healthy?

Posted on 26 September 2014 by LeslieM

The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit? Proverbs 18:14

Life’s challenges can be successfully overcome when one’s spirit, inner being, is strong and healthy.

The power of one’s inner drive is undeniable in attempting and accomplishing great feats.

Mental fortitude, control of one’s thoughts, disciplined reactions, and an optimistic outlook are traits of a healthy spirit.

Solomon’s observations about life revealed that even physical sickness cannot break down a person whose spirit is healthy. The will to live and survive often sustains the one facing an infirmity.

The importance of the spirit to our management of life however, is shown in the reality that when it is broken, life is unbearable. If a healthy spirit enables us to face unhealthy situations in life, how are we to go on when our spirit is unhealthy and broken? When the thing that you rely on for support becomes unstable, what do you do?

We live in a world where many things threaten to break our spirits. Stress from work, financial, family and personal issues are taking a toll on far too many. The pressures of life have driven some over the edge and left others teetering close to the brink.

Solomon does not offer a solution so much as make the observation, but perhaps he wanted us to consider the need to maintain a healthy spirit. Our bodies are kept in health by a proper diet and exercise. What are we feeding and ingesting in our inner being? What are we listening to that may be affecting us for good or for bad? What kind of thoughts are constantly streaming through our minds informing our attitude and disposition? What do we possess internally that will help us to address the external issues that we face daily?

It has been discovered that a common trait among successful people is that they meditate at least once a day.

The ability to sit silently, close out the world, and concentrate on one’s inner self has been proven to be therapeutic and advantageous to a person’s wellbeing. Meditating upon God’s mercies, His love, and His plans for us help believers to maintain a healthy spirit.

Solomon’s father, David, remarked in one of his Psalms, “I would have fainted had I not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). Thinking about and anticipating God’s favor upon his life sustained David in some harrowing experiences (facing a lion, a bear, a giant, and a jealous king).

If your spirit is unhealthy or broken, you can regain vitality by feeding it with the instruction and promises of Scripture.

Connect or re-connect with God in a relationship that recognizes His sovereignty and your dependence upon Him. Meditate upon His truth and strengthen your inner man through obedience and faith. Allow your thoughts to be directed by what is good, pure, right, just, honest and lovely. Let your attitude inform you how to respond to adversity, rather than be emotionally driven by the circumstances of your life.

Live selflessly and learn to love your neighbor as yourself.

Be thankful for the good things you have experienced, for lessons learned in adversity, and for the people who bring out the best in you.

Practice kindness and hospitality daily. Laugh often and smile consistently. These are the types of activities that promote a healthy spirit.

Strengthen your spirit and transform your outlook. Transform your outlook and watch how it will affect your life.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the Pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, 954-427-0302. The Church just celebrated its 90th Anniversary over Labor Day weekend — 1924-2014.

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