Daily Bible study aligns you with God and provides a firm foundation for your mind, body, and spirit.
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
–Joshua 1:8 NLT
How the body takes on the characteristics of the mind
I firmly believe that what enters your mind will be reflected in your health. I have felt the mental, emotional and physical connection since childhood. However, after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and meeting others in the same situation, I have experienced and witnessed the harsh realities of this truth.
As a society, we cannot ignore or stigmatize the connection between mental and physical health. We are one being with many parts. If one part isn’t working well, it will affect the other parts of our mind, body, and spirit. The connection is why I advocate for autoimmune disease, chronic illness, and mental health awareness.
The human condition is complex, and the world is confusing. Yet, this is why we must use our minds to look to the Creator.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
–Psalm 139:13-16
Keeping yourself steady and balanced with a deep spiritual life is the foundation for all other steps to living a healthy life in mind, body, and spirit. When speaking of spiritual life, I am referring to this definition:
Spiritual life quite simply is the life lived in and with God. Just as physical life begins when our physical heart starts beating, our spiritual life begins when our spiritual heart starts beating.
–Christianity Today
Daily Bible study is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle
I have always believed in God but never understood what it all meant. A year before my diagnosis, I began to pursue a spiritual life with God and was learning the basics. Even though I grew up going to catechism and we had pictures of the last supper in my parents’ home, I had no idea what it meant until I chose to learn more through personal study.
I started reading devotionals and Christian books on depression, fear, and stress. Topics that I needed help to overcome. I learned a lot. However, my understanding grew deeper when I studied the Bible.
It’s been a long process for me. I have always been a slow learner, so please understand this has taken me years and may take you time, too, so please don’t get discouraged. God is continually shaping us into the image of His Son, and we will never get an A+ in our knowledge and actions. However, coming into your own through a daily Bible study practice will align you with God and give you a foundation to stand upon, peace of mind, and understanding to tackle whatever may come.
Peace in the midst of the storm
While living with an autoimmune disease or chronic illness of any kind, you never know how you will feel on any given day. Some days are better than others. For example, you may wake up with stomach issues and are unsure if you have a flare or if it’s just a stomach bug. Feeling these different symptoms causes anxiety. You worry about what is going on in your body, how long it will last, and what triggered these symptoms.
On the other hand, you may have a great day full of energy, and you feel you can do anything! What a great day, you almost feel “normal.”
Our circumstances change daily and even hourly, but one thing remains the same: the Word of God. The Word of God is peace in the midst of the storm and peace when the sun is shining and the air is warm.
A daily Bible study practice connects you to the Creator and helps you build a relationship with Him. When you start your day to grow in faith, pray and apply God’s word to your life, it sets up everything else you do for success.
Receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior
If you haven’t already decided to follow God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, please consider doing so as it is the most important decision and choice you will make in this life, no matter the circumstance.
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
–Romans 10:13 NLT
If you haven’t yet chosen to follow God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, I ask you to check out this article from Christianity Today called, Is There a Prayer for Salvation? How Is One Saved? Christianity Today is a reputable site that can explain everything better than I ever could. So please, take time to read and understand so you can choose God over anything else in this world.
Bible-believing church and fellowship with other believers
Another resource to help you practice daily Bible study is participating in a Bible-believing church and fellowship with other believers. When looking for a church or community, be sure they speak from the Bible at every service and use the Bible to prove concepts of the Bible instead of the preacher or pastor priest’s interpretation. Go to the Bible for proof of all concepts.
Understanding the Bible may seem difficult if you are beginning your spiritual journey. So, be sure to ask God for direction and guidance in finding a church and friends that are Biblically based. Learning is a long process, so take your time and ask many questions. Then, trust yourself if you feel that something is off, you don’t have peace, or blatantly just not right because God is trying to get you on the right path. So be obedient and move on.
Bible study groups
Get involved in a Bible study with like-minded people. You will meet beautiful people from different groups. Many are online where you can meet from the comfort of your home. In these groups, you will learn a lot from others. You’ll find everyone is on a different point in their spiritual journey. No two people are the same. People come from all levels of understanding and are there for the same reason as you. They are seeking God.
Resources for daily Bible study
To begin or continue to practice studying the Bible daily, here are some resources. When I started to seek God, I read a lot of devotionals and books from faith-based authors. Think of these devotionals and books as a gateway to reading the Bible, which is the ultimate goal.
Journal what you read and how it applies to you. You can use the Who, What, Where, Why, When, and How questions to help you journal what you just read. In addition, I’ve created a simple daily Bible study guide for you to download. You can print this document out and fill it in daily. Or, if you don’t have a printer or don’t want to print it out, use the guide as a prompt to help you get started writing in a journal.
Start with a prayer
Regardless of how you seek and study, be sure to ask God to reveal His Word to you before you start. I had a lot of trouble reading the Bible, and one day in a Bible study, I confessed my inability to read, understand and stay focused on what I was reading. It was then that another person told me that before I begin my study, I simply should pray these words: “God, please reveal your Word to me.” Saying this short prayer before I started reading made all the difference, and my understanding and ability to stay focused grew.
Start at the beginning of the Bible with a commentary to help you understand. I enjoy Matthew Henry’s commentary, which you can find online and in paperback or hardcover. I’ve included the links below. Read in small increments or sections. Get involved in the stories like you are reading a book. The stories are fascinating and relevant to you today.
Matthew Henry Commentary: Originally written in 1706, Matthew Henry’s six-volume Complete Commentary provides an exhaustive look at every verse in the Bible. – https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/
Precept.org: Know God. Live Deeply. Differently. Discover Bible study resources, books, and groups.
Bible – https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-New-Living-Translation/dp/1414309473/
Now that you know why a daily Bible study is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle, you face your days and any circumstance with God, who is your firm foundation for your mind, body, and spirit. Whether you are a new or long-time believer, I hope that now that you understand how your first priority is a relationship with your Creator, you’ll apply this knowledge to live a healthy lifestyle.