Did you know that God cares about every single part of your life? He isn’t only concerned with your spiritual health, but He desires for you to be healthy in every area.
He wants to bring healing to your mind; He wants to help you overcome emotional pain; He wants you to feel good physically and have plenty of energy … not be worn-out from sickness.
I love Psalm 103:2-3. It says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.”
In Exodus 15:26, God told the Israelites, “I am the LORD who heals you.” This promise is for us today! God is the very source of our healing, and we can trust Him to heal the broken areas of our lives.
I’ve learned that if we’re going to live in good health, it’s important to be proactive. There are practical things we can do to stay strong and receive God’s supernatural healing.
First, it’s important to remember that the Lord is our Healer, and the Word of God is our medicine. Proverbs 4:20, 22 says, “My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings … for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their body.”
There is healing power in God’s Word. I encourage you to look up different Scriptures on God’s goodness and His desire to heal you and meet your needs. Choose to purposely think and meditate on these things and even speak out what His Word says about you.
I’ll frequently say things like, “God, You’re my Healer, and by Your stripes I am healed. I thank You that the more I meditate on Your Word, the better I feel. You are my strength and energy, and I believe Your healing power is working in me right now” (see Is. 53:5; Prov. 4:20, 22; Is. 40:31.)
Isaiah 40:31 is one scripture in particular that literally changed my life. It says, “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power…they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired” (AMP).
What does it mean to “wait for the Lord”? It means to actively expect, look for and hope in Him. It includes setting aside time to talk to God, read and meditate on His Word, or simply sit quietly in His presence.
This time with the Lord can do more to restore our body, mind and emotions than anything else we can do. During these times, the Lord empowers us with renewed physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual strength.
If you need healing in an area of your life, I encourage you to begin taking some time each day—even if it’s just five minutes—to stop, get quiet and focus on Him. Just like you would take time to wait at a doctor’s office, take a little time to wait on God, the Great Physician.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ever see a doctor. I believe all medical knowledge comes from God and that He works through doctors’ hands to do great things. But if we focus too much on doctors and medicines, we can begin to forget the true Source of our healing: God.
When we visit the doctor, I believe we’re much more likely to receive help if we go to God first and say, “Lord, I’m looking to You for my healing. I know they can’t help me if You don’t help them.”
Second (and just as important), we need to do our part to take care of ourselves. This includes eating right, getting proper rest and minimizing the stress in our lives.
There was a time when sweets got the best of me. I’d say, “If I eat one of these chocolate chip cookies, I’m going to end up eating a dozen.” Sound familiar? The Lord helped me to finally understand that, with His help, I could control myself. I could make wise choices I would be happy with later.
Of course, sometimes we learn the hard way. For instance, back in the 1980s, I regularly wore three-inch heels at my conferences. Over the course of a day or two, I would probably walk the equivalent of several miles in those shoes.
During that time, the Lord clearly spoke to my heart that I would one day have a lot of trouble with my feet if I didn’t stop wearing high heels all of the time. Unfortunately, I didn’t heed His warning. I thought “looking cute” was somehow more important.
Well, twenty years later (just as God said), I started reaping the consequences. Over a period of a few years, I had to have several minor surgeries on my feet. I learned a tough lesson!
When we make bad choices or don’t take care of ourselves the way we should, the best thing we can do is ask the Lord for forgiveness … then start fresh and begin making choices we will be happy with later.
Friend, it’s never too late to begin making good, healthy choices for your life. And it’s never too late to expect, look for and place your hope in God’s healing power. After all, He is “the Lord who heals you”… and He wants to bring restoration and wholeness to every single area of your life.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times best-selling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc. She has authored 100 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Living Courageously (Hachette). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
