Living a healthy life

When God created man and woman, his original plan was that they would live healthy and fruitful lives; spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Sin, of course, fractured everything. The presence of evil in the world brings difficulty, pain, and hardship in each of these areas.

The good news is that Jesus came to "re-make" us in his image, to "give us life and life in all its fullness" (John 10:10). Jesus' desire is that we would love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Luke 10:27), and he is passionately concerned with how we are doing in every area of our lives.

We are whole beings and each part of our lives affects the other. Our spiritual health is impacted by our emotional and physical health, our emotional health is impacted by our physical and spiritual health, and so on.

How are you doing, really?

Spiritual Health

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently

- Deuteronomy 4:9

How full is your spiritual battery or gauge? How is your walk with God? How is your daily time with God? What energises you spiritually? What depletes you?

What do you need to do to stay spiritually healthy and full?

Emotional Health

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of
righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit

- Romans 14:17

How full is your emotional battery or gauge? How is your emotional life, your internal joy, your sense of peace, your hope and expectation? Do you know and feel loved? What energises you emotionally? What depletes you?

What do you need to do to stay emotionally healthy and full?

Physical Health

After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church

- Ephesians 5:29

How full or empty is your physical battery or gauge? How is your sleep, exercise, diet, and health? How healthy is your screentime (really)?  What energises you physically? What depletes you?

What do you need to do to stay physically healthy and full?

Relationship Health

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for
one another.

- John 13:35

How are your relationships with significant others in your life? If you are single, how can you prioritise healthy patterns of self-care, appropriate boundaries, and genuine community? If you are married, how can you practice healthy patterns of self-care, communication, intimacy, appropriate boundaries, and biblical headship/submission? If you are a parent, how is your parenting going?

What do you need to do to cultivate and maintain healthy relationships?

Some additional resources to check out;

• The Common Rule
• Emotional Healthy Discipleship

Photo by Finn on Unsplash

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