Do our emotions affect our health?
As I listened to the radio on the drive into work, two morning show hosts discussed a study on hugs. They said hugging actually keeps you from getting sick.
Hugs leave us feeling happy which boosts our immune systems. While negativity depresses the immune system and leaves us vulnerable to colds and such.
I have always hated being tired. It’s painful to me. Might be from those early years with newborn twins and a toddler. No sleep at night and no rest during the day. E-x-h-a-u-s-t-i-n-g.
So, when sleep was short and I could barely pull myself from bed, I’d start complaining. Complaining about how tired I was. How little sleep I’d had. How horrible I felt.
When my head finally hit the pillow, I’d glance at the clock and focus on how few hours I had before the alarm would wake me up for another exhaustion-filled day.
But there is a principle that states, “What you focus on, you get more of.”
If I focus on my tiredness, my tired state grows. If I focus on how little help I get around the house, my radar hones in on every dirty plate that made it to the sink, but not the empty dishwasher.
Kicking Negativity to the Curb
But when I choose love, choose peace, choose patience and battle the negativity trying to overtake my thought life, my joy grows. These are weapons and emotions we have access to through the Holy Spirit inside us
(Gal. 5:22, 23).
Love battles fear. Peace battles stress. Patience battles all the little irritations that come at us.
And doesn’t it feel so much better to be a little tired and full of joy, than exhausted and embracing a boatload of negativity?
Negativity doesn’t happen in our lives without our agreement.
Imagine if our spiritual eyes were opened. What would we see? Angels and demons. Light and darkness. Battling over us.
We were designed to enter that battle, but too often we accept our circumstances as our lot in life. We survive, and sometimes just barely.
We’ve heard stories of wealthy people slowly being robbed into bankruptcy by their managers. What if our stories are actually like theirs? We’ve been born into an incredible inheritance, but just out of our line of sight the enemy of our souls is slowly robbing us blind.
Wouldn’t we want to know? Wouldn’t we want vengeance against him?
Often, we haven’t been trained to think beyond what we can see in the natural. Very crafty on the enemy’s part, don’t you think? If he can keep us ignorant about his presence in our lives, we’ll do nothing to kick him out of it.
It would be a game changer if we could see how he’s robbed and stolen from us and understand how to fight back and win.
When we recognize it as a spiritual battle, our perspective on who we are battling changes. Not people—–not the kids who leave the dishes on the coffee table, the husband who isn’t affectionate, or the boss who doesn’t appreciate us—–but the realms of darkness
(Eph. 6:12).
Someone once told me that our fear and negativity attract darkness to us—–satan and his demons. While speaking light and life (God’s truth and grace) attract the kingdom of God and sends darkness fleeing (James 4:7).
Our physical health and emotional well-being is tied to understanding what we are battling and who we are agreeing with.
Prayer
Father, show me where the enemy is robbing me. Open my eyes to see what I’m agreeing with in the realm of darkness. I want to walk in agreement and alignment with Your kingdom. With Your thoughts and Your ways. Teach me how to wrestle my mind into submission to You. Into agreement with peace and love and joy. I break all agreements with negativity and I invite You into the deep places in my life. Teach me Your ways and surround me with Your peace. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Hug by Tania Cataldo via Flickr
By Staff Sgt. James Bowie [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Yes and amen!
Do you know Dr. Caroline Leaf? I am loving listening to her neuroscientist thoughts on our thinking and our health, physically and spiritually and emotionally also.
This really affirms a lot of what God has been speaking into my heart also for my whole life healing. Thanks, Sherri.
I haven’t heard of her, but will look her up! Thanks! 🙂