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Physical and Emotional Wellbeing

When God ministered to Elijah in the desert, He started with Elijah’s physical wellbeing. Elijah’s encounter on Mount Carmel and his arduous flight to Beersheba had placed tremendous physical demands on him, and he was utterly spent. Perhaps it surprises you that God would first take care of Elijah physically before addressing his spiritual wellbeing, but actually, physical wellbeing is often a good place to start a counselling or wellness journey. Your body matters. Even though God is Spirit, He chose to create a physical universe, and gave us physical bodies to live in.

While God provides for our physical needs, He also calls us to be good stewards of our bodies. It’s worth assessing the quality of your sleeping, eating, and exercising and acknowledging how each of these areas of your life affects the others. A good night’s sleep improves attention and learning, increasing emotional, mental, and relational wellbeing. Elijah felt better after sleeping – and so do we. Research proves the importance of a healthy diet. Without making calorie-counting an idol, we need to remember that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we should treat them accordingly. Perhaps, like Elijah, you get hangry? Think about the eating habits you could build into your schedule for your sake and the sake of those around you. And, of course, keeping your body healthy with regular exercise honours God. The benefits of fitness are obvious and well-known. If you’re not exercising regularly, think about one thing you could start doing this week.

Closely linked to physical wellbeing is emotional wellbeing. Emotions are God-given. Jesus displayed a range of emotions (without sinning), and this should free us to express our feelings too. Elijah wasn’t just physically exhausted; he was also emotionally depleted. He feared what Jezebel might do, and it robbed him of joy, peace, and courage. He was disappointed that, despite the stunning victory on Mount Carmel, there was no permanent turning of the whole nation back to the Lord. But God sent an angel to reassure Elijah that He was still with him and for him. Loss of hope is one of the primary reasons people burn out. Thankfully, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we’ve been reborn into a living hope. Our hope of an eternal future with God wonderfully influences our hope levels in the present.

The four keys to emotional health are (1) living with greater self-awareness, (2) opening up our lives to significant others, (3) being brave enough to deal with root issues, and (4) entering God’s rest. Consider which of these you need to pay attention to.

How are you doing, physically and emotionally? Do you need to sleep more deeply, eat more healthily, or move more freely? Have you been crippled by fear, disappointment, or some other blindsiding emotion? May the Holy Spirit minister to your needs in your unique life circumstances. He loves you and longs for you to turn to Him and be well. May you know the deep peace and joyful rest that only Jesus gives.