To achieve a vibrant overall health, we need to provide balanced care to all areas of need. God is present in every aspect of our life and desires to bless us in each.
When we don’t know how to take care of ourselves, neither can we take care of others; thus, God cannot utilize us to our fullest potential, to care for the least of Jesus’ sisters and brothers and fulfil our life’s mission.
One of the best indications of our spiritual wellness is the degree to which we have achieved “holy indifference”.
If we fail to take care of ourselves according to God’s design and the way He cherishes us, He will warn us by sounding the alarm of our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Other than illnesses, another clear alarm is our utter physical exhaustion and tiredness to the point of losing interest in other people or things, having feelings of pessimism and resistance, and suffering from emotional turmoil. We cannot afford to ignore these symptoms and we need to pay attention to them and proactively take care of ourselves.
To conclude, being able to master how to balance “doing” and “being”, as well as our physical, mental and spiritual needs, is an important foundation for us to build a healthy spiritual life. Such is a critical lesson in our life.
Reflection
Now, examine your reasons for neglecting, intentionally or unintentionally, certain needs in your life.
In your heart or subconsciously, are there reasons or perceptions that lead you to believe that the Father only cares for certain aspects of your life but not others?
Today’s Prayer
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
It’s easy to know our physical needs as our body will send us signals like feeling hungry or getting tired and it’s not difficult to resolve. Spiritual needs are not easy to detect or the majority fail to recognize their importance especially when we have so many distractions. Even if I am aware of their significance, I am unable to lead a balanced life most of the time as I have a lot of addictions. Grateful to our Lord that instead of giving me what I want, He gifted me with my needs!
God, please help me to persevere in leading a balanced life and not to waste what You have prepared for me.