Most of us have grown up with the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I’m sure there’s some truth to it. It’s actually something I’ve done for years. And I’m still here!
I want to look at some truths today that are a little less cliché.
Throughout the past several years, as various friends have dealt with health challenges, some of those friends clearly believe in the benefit of having a positive outlook as they face their difficulties. And I want to be right in that camp with them.
We can go a bit too far down the wrong road, however, if we put ultimate power in our positive thinking. Believing that the single act of declaring ourselves or loved ones as healed is all that’s necessary to achieve it, is a dangerous habit. We take God, the ultimate Physician, out of the picture and can become utterly discouraged when the circumstances don’t match our declarations.
A former pastor of mine used to call this, “having faith in faith.” It essentially says that If we just believe strongly enough, any of our desires will come to fruition. Who of us hasn’t prayed as hard as we can that God would grant us a certain outcome when we’re faced with hardship? Of course we do! Praying earnestly to God is absolutely biblical.
But putting all of our hopes in the strength and/or frequency of our prayers is a recipe for disappointment.
But lest we go overboard and “throw the baby out with the bath water,” let’s not completely dismiss the biblical admonition to have a positive outlook through our difficulties.
Speaking directly into this phenomenon is this scripture text from Proverbs 17:22:
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
In an article on positive thinking from www.hopkinsmedicine.org, I found this interesting paragraph:
“The mechanism for the connection between health and positivity remains murky, but researchers suspect that people who are more positive may be better protected against the inflammatory damage of stress. Another possibility is that hope and positivity help people make better health and life decisions and focus more on long-term goals. Studies also find that negative emotions can weaken immune response.”
Part of me wants to write to Johns Hopkins and suggest that the “mechanism for the connection between health and positivity” might in fact be Almighty God!
We know God is the creator of our incredibly complex bodies and minds, and for there to be a connection between them makes complete sense. If it didn’t, we wouldn’t find Proverbs 17:22 in the Bible!
So how do we sort through all these seemingly conflicting messages and land in a healthy, balanced place when faced specifically with medical challenges?
This is the posture I strive for, and I hope this can be helpful for you as well.
- Whether praying for myself or others regarding health challenges, I absolutely will beseech God for healing (or whatever outcome I’m desiring).
- Then I will let go of the responsibility of that outcome and place it where it rightfully belongs – in the hands of our sovereign God.
- I will maintain a biblically-instructed, positive outlook, knowing that God can absolutely answer my prayers for healing.
- Repeat as necessary!
- Once the final outcome is known, I will either praise and thank God for his gracious healing, or trust that he will walk beside me as I strive to accept his ultimate will in the circumstances.
May God fill our hearts with his joy, regardless of our circumstances.
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.
Psalm 94:19
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