Nurture Your Body-Soul-Spirit Connection

Corrie Thomas is a young woman of God with compassion and the skills to meet many physical needs, but in this Health UPGRADE, she reminds us—there is a spiritual connection too.

As a trained medical professional I am always assessing my patients needs every moment of the work day,” Corrie said, “but although they come to the hospital for physical symptoms, I realize at the end of the day they all just really needed Jesus in some way or another; the only true Comforter and Healer of their body, soul, and spirit.”

I (Dawn) am so glad Corrie gets and promotes this connection. So many people focus on physical, mental and emotional needs without ever considering how the spirit might be crying out with even greater needs. Our Heavenly Father wants us to center all of our life in Jesus.

Corrie continues... 

As much as doctors and health professionals attempt to treat physical symptoms, they often miss the primary symptom of the hurting spirit: a desperate need for love, peace and meaning which can only be perfected in God Himself through the redemption and healing of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the Cross.

Long-term feelings of loneliness, anxiety and longing can enable people to seek fulfillment in food, drugs, alcohol or cigarettes. All of these substances cause a variety of debilitating issues and diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, liver failure, lung cancer, or schizophrenia.

These feelings and behaviors are toxic to the body and remind us that choices can affect our bodies in small and big ways. Even the elderly remind us of the limits of our physical bodies as we observe the aging process.

Whether you consider yourself a healthy person or not, we can all recognize the limits of our physical bodies, and those around us.

God has amazingly given us a soul (our thoughts, mentality, heart), a spirit to connect with Him, and an amazing body to do a million different functions.

Each of these facets of our being are intertwined.

Unfortunately our physical bodies do not last forever, but God says our spirit can last eternally in Him, and we can choose today to continually recognize our need for God's forgiveness, mercy, and love as we make choices to function in our earthly bodies. 

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

It is difficult sometimes to make time to nurture a strong and healthy soul, spirit and body. Most of us are very busy and our time is limited. We may even choose other “good” extracurricular responsibilities to get done, but eventually our minds and bodies start to tire out, and our spirit is depleted as we attempt to connect with God.

There are two things you can do right away to nurture your body-soul-spirit connection:

1. Pray about Connection.

A good place to start in this process is a willingness to draw near to our Lord who loves and desires us. Ask, “How can I connect with God and hear His voice today?”

Remember that Jesus, our example, often retreated away to connect with His Father.

Sometimes this "retreating" might include reading and hearing God’s written Word, or meditating on God’s characteristics. Or simply saying to God, “Help, Lord. I need You.” Maybe it’s a combination of all these things.

2. Get Moving!

While there are many fitness and nutritional plans out there that can overwhelm us, just get outside and move. It will give your body energy and help your mind focus on how to live healthy in this world. This physical activity might be walking, running, gardening or swimming.

I think these are two great places to start in pursuing healthy living as you seek to nurture a strong and healthy soul, spirit, and body.

What are you doing today to nurture your eternal spirit? How can you turn around an unhealthy physical, emotional or mental habit?

Corrie Thomas is a practicing RN who has a B.A. in Communications and a B.S. in Nursing. As a follower of Christ, she finds joy in helping her patients in practical ways and through teaching. Corrie has been actively involved in missions from the time she was in high school. In 2012, she led a team of nurses to Uganda, where the medical team met health needs and shared the love of Jesus. She is married to Mike, and as a couple they serve their community through their local church.