Supporting Better Health, Prov 3:5-8

There are certain things you can do to support good health in your life.  These are not cures and remedies.  These are Biblical admonitions which will help you to keep from compromising your health.  They will assist you in supporting better health.   To improve your health:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart – Prov 3:5-8 – when you encounter a medical problem you must trust the Lord to direct you.  The temptation will be to go to the internet and read up on the problem to see if you can understand it.  

  • This will cause you to be wise in your own eyes and lean unto thine own understanding.  The stress related to the worry and fretting is not good for you.  The time wasted researching could have been better spent in reading and prayer.  
  • You must acknowledge the Lord, which you do through prayer and Bible reading.  
  • You must fear the Lord.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge [Prov 1:7] and wisdom [Prov 9:10].  Understanding comes from the knowledge of the holy [Prov 9:10] not from increasing your understanding of your condition.  Study your condition only if and as your physician directs you to do so. 
  • Depart from evil.  In other words, if you are doing something that is negatively affecting you, you need to stop it [anger, road rage, stressful thinking, stress eating, drug abuse, etc.].  
  • If you are under doctors care, you must trust the Lord to care for you through your physician.  You must be able to follow the Lord’s direction in making certain clear choices and decisions. God will direct you through the whole process.  Remember, we’re talking about supporting better health, not about cures and remedies.

Read plenty of Bible daily – Prov 4:20-22 – you are to attend [pay attention] to God’s words. You are to incline thine ear to his sayings.  They are to be ever before your eyes and they are to be kept in the midst of you heart.  They are life and health.  People spend far too much time on other things.  They are more knowledgeable of news, current events, politics, social networks, trends and fads than they are of God’s words.  And these are taking a toll on their health.  Right here in God’s words you have the assurance that his words are health to your flesh.  

Seek and follow wise counsel – Prov 12:18 – the tongue of the wise is health.  Generally, when your health is compromised, you have an emotional reaction to the problem.  We can be afraid, angry, and oftentimes, lonely because we are going through it and others close to us are not.  That’s why you need someone who can be rational and supportive at the same time.  And you can benefit from their wise counsel if you will humble yourself and not be proud.  They can help you keep from hanging off the edge of the emotional cliff.  They can help you weigh decisions objectively.  They can help you manage your health.  Pastor Keck said when you get older it takes two to look after your health.  They can advise and encourage you about other things that can help you, like a coach [exercise, physical therapy, proper nutrition, etc.].

Take care of your heart – Prov 14:30 – 4:23 – be well advised about your heart health and follow the regimen that keeps your heart healthy.  The regimen includes not only physical, nutritional, and practical measures but also emotional and spiritual measures [Prov 15:30].  

Cheer up – Prov 16:24, Prov 17:22 – this can be hard when you are really sick, but it is important to maintain a good sense of humor and a cheerful spirit.  It may help to listen to the right music, to enjoy good fellowship, and to avoid cross words at home.  Listen to pleasant words.  As your mind wanders, make sure to only think Phil 4:8 thoughts.

Conclusion: carefully consider what you have heard and add those things to your life that will improve your health.