Every human being at some point in their life is going to struggle in one of the following four areas: mental, emotional, physical, spiritual. Some even struggle in multiple areas at the same time. The question that I now want to posit is, “How have you handled your respective struggle(s) in these four areas?” All too often, “counselors” (which could include psychologists, psychiatrists, secular / Christian counselors, pastors, friends) are sought after to address our struggles. However, of the four areas, many (if not most) “counselors” are really only capable of addressing the areas of “mental”, “emotional”, and “physical” – for they have limited to no experience in the realm of “spiritual”. Additionally, pharmaceutical prescriptions are doled out like “candy to a child” in an effort to quell the symptoms without really getting to the root cause of the problem. (Granted, there are times that medications are needed to address some issues that we struggle with. But, medications really should not be the first solution.)
Our overall “well being” requires balance and harmony in these four areas. If one or more of these areas become deficient in our lives, we struggle in achieving peace, joy, happiness; a state of never being satisfied, always uneasy and searching for some cure to obtain a sense of “well being”. As mentioned above, we are quick to seek help with our “mental”, “emotional”, and “physical” conditions – but, more often than not, our real root cause lies at the door step of our “spiritual” condition. Take for example the story of the man of the tombs in the country of the Gadarenes. Note the man’s condition.
Mark 5:1-5,
“And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”
This man was clearly distraught “mentally”, “emotionally”, and “physically”. The townspeople had tried to address his symptoms, but they were clearly unable to meet his needs. In fact, the passage states, “neither could any man tame him”. This would necessarily imply that of all the helps provided, no physician, no counselor, no “religious” person could bring this man to a sense of “well being”; for neither of them were able to address the root cause – his “spiritual” condition.
Continuing the passage in the Book of Mark we find the following.
Mark 5:6-15,
“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.”
Now note the condition of the man, they found him “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind”. Jesus had addressed the root cause of the man – his “spiritual” condition. Having addressed his “spiritual” condition, this man’s “well being” was no longer impaired.
If you are struggling in one of these four areas, turn to Jesus Christ [first] to address your “spiritual” condition.
Philippians 4:7 states,
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 1:7 states,
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Once you have addressed your “spiritual” condition, the Lord will help you in the other areas of your life – “mentally”, “emotionally”, and “physically”. Are you due for a “well being checkup”?
