“Oh, my aching body” was the prevailing theme at the table of a recent event I attended. The chatter included details of operations, diseases, and drugs; and almost everyone professed to have a bionic body due to knee or hip replacement surgeries. Along with discussing the ins and outs of the ailments themselves, my friends referenced various sources – physicians, medical journals, online medical information sites – as authorities they turn to for help.
This got me thinking about who or what is an authority when it comes to our health? And, what am I responsible for?
What if, instead of all these authoritative health resources, there was just one consistent and proven place my friends could turn to? Would that be helpful to them? After all I heard that day, I have to say: “yes!” My friends seemed to have it all figured out, though it was also clear that they often ran into conflicting advice about their health. And, that was my experience as well for many years of my youth and young adulthood. So, when I found myself feeling unsure about what to do about my health and unclear about conflicting recommendations, I decided I needed to do something differently. Since I had long turned to God to direct many aspects of my life, it seemed natural at this point to do so with my health.
In-depth study of the Bible and a textbook on healing through prayer by 19th century spirituality and health pioneer Mary Baker Eddy, led me to clarify in my own thinking that God was the only authority on my health. That made sense because he created us in his image - and did you ever hear of God having a health problem? The healing ideas I came to understand from these two books helped me overcome a number of health problems over the last 22 years. For example, I had migraine headaches as a teen and young adult. They were healed shortly after I changed who and what I saw as authority over my health even though my physician back then told me this would follow me the rest of my life.
You might be thinking that turning to God as my health authority seems like a radical thought for today, right? Not necessarily….
More and more research shows people are experiencing improved health outcomes when they tend to their spirituality. To some, this tending means just taking a more natural approach. To others, it means adopting a practice of meditation. And, to many like me, it means gaining a better understanding of God and of ourselves as his loved children. For years now I’ve seen that the more spiritually healthy I am, the more physically healthy I am.
Isn’t it time to take responsibility for your own health? Maybe it’s time to try God as your own natural health authority...for when you connect with the Divine, you may find that health isn’t as complex as you have read or been told….it’s natural.
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Debra Chew is a self-syndicated columnist and writes about the connection between thought, spirituality and health. She has been published in the chattanoogan.com, Memphis Commercial Appeal, The Jackson Sun, and in the UK. She is a Christian Science Practitioner and also the media and legislative liaison for Christian Science for TN. You can contact her at tennessee@compub.org.