MindBody Connection Archives - Grace For Healing

Rejoice Always. Is Joy a Requirement for Healing?

The Bible tells us to ‘Rejoice always’ which implies that God expects us to be joyful even when we’re suffering and in pain.

Said at the wrong time and in the wrong context, I think it’s a cruel request. I’m not going to tell someone who is grieving that they need to be more joyful!

So today, I wanted to look at the what ‘rejoice always’ actually means and then I’ll make some suggestions to help in this area.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thess 5:16 – 18

I really struggled with this verse during the first few years of illness. To rejoice was the last thing I felt like doing.

The Man with the Withered Hand

Today’s blog post is about the man with the withered hand. If you know the story, Jesus instructs him to ‘stretch forth his hand’ and his healing followed.

We’ll consider 5 ways we can become ‘withered’ on our healing journeys and in life. Then we’ll look at how we can gradually ‘stretch’ ourselves in a tolerable way that invites healing.

Let’s dive in
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What is the Autonomic Nervous System?

So today we’re going to learn about our autonomic nervous system; more specifically the 6 nervous system states.

Then I’ll offer some suggestions to some regulating resources that will support you in each state.

If you’re believing God for a healing breakthrough, then I believe it’s essential to understand the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and the onset of sickness. (I will discuss this in a future post).

But first, we need to know what the autonomic nervous system is.

God gave us a beautiful autonomic nervous system to help us navigate our way through daily life.
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How to Deal with Anger Biblically (5 Steps)

Today we’re talking about anger, more specifically, how I personally am learning to deal with anger.

Not because I have ‘anger issues’ or an ‘anger management’ problem, but because research shows there is a relationship between repressed anger and chronic symptoms.

I’ll give my understanding on how we are to view and deal with anger as Christians, why and how it causes illness and offer 5 steps to help release any anger so it won’t contribute to symptoms.
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God’s Approval: 5 Steps to Heal Shame

The story of Naaman shows us that God’s approval is able to heal our shame.

Today we look at the relationship between God’s approval and shame. Then I’ll offer 5 steps to help you apply this learning to your own life.

So let’s look at shame:

In my last post I shared of how, as a young girl, I was ashamed of my freckles. They made me different from my friends. In fact on one occasion a girl in my class at school, called me ‘Heinze baked beans face’. I was crushed.

The feeling of disgust towards a part of me arose. I tried everything to hide them, get rid of them or cover them up.
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God Looks at the Heart. Why Shame Hinders Healing.

God knows the healing you need because He looks at the heart.

Today we’re going to look at shame which I believe is often the root cause of our inauthenticity. I’m going to suggest 3 possible masks you might be wearing to cover up your shame.

Mind-Body doctor Gabor Mate says the inauthenticity causes disease. So I pray that as you read this, you’ll develop a greater understanding of how shame shows up in your life and how it hinders healing.
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The Healing of Bartimaeus: Let Go of People Pleasing

The healing of Bartimaeus shows us how people pleasing can stop our healing. I love that Bartimaeus had enough shameless faith to ignore the crowds and pursue Jesus.

Today we take a brief look at the area of people-pleasing and how destructive it is for those who need healing.

Namely because people pleasers unconsciously put the voice and opinions of others above God’s.

People pleasers don’t fully accept who God has called them to be

When I trained in counselling, I was surprised to discover just how much of a people pleaser I was and how my whole life was rooted in shame.
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“Pick Up Your Mat and Walk” Is This Why You’re Stuck?

When Jesus tells the paralyzed man to ‘pick up your mat and walk’, he is instructing him to be the head and not the tail.

When we’re paralyzed, we are

at the mercy of our disability
dependant upon others
we tolerate the situation

I believe God wants us to allow the Spirit in us to be in control whilst you journey through chronic illness. Oftentimes however, our survival skills and coping strategies run the show.

We surrender our empowerment

Do You Want to be Healed? Resolve Inner Conflict

Jesus asked the man at the pool of Bethesda ‘do you want to be healed?’ Sounds like a cruel question, so what was Jesus doing here?

Today we look at the meaning of the question ‘do you want to be healed’ in relation to our healing journeys and I’ll suggest 5 steps to help step out of any unconscious mindsets that are keeping you stuck.