Have you ever walked into a brick wall when you’re trying to get healthy? And then tried to scale that brick wall to get over it? If you have, you know just how hard it is, whether you’re trying to get healthy physically, mentally, or spiritually. Today, my guest and dear friend, Stacey Muff, has some great encouragement for you. Read on.

“Healthy” Takes Work
by Stacey Muff

I’m on a quest to be healthy!  Healthy spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Why am I on this quest?  Because as I grow in my pursuit of God, I realize He is all about healthy. His amazing Word, the Bible, “renews” our minds, or in other words produces true and healthy thinking. This new way of thinking can bring health to our relationships and in the end, enable us to pursue our individual purpose God has laid out for us without those heavy chains of unhealthy thinking and beliefs weighing us down.

My quest started with a declaration from a gifted medical professional that told me, “You are a train-wreck, girlfriend. I’m pretty sure you have fibromyalgia. But if you are willing to do the work … I can help you.”  Fast forward a year and I am fibro-free, not in constant pain, and I am not a train wreck!  (I have occasional derailments, but no all out wrecks!)  I feel better than I have in years!

The journey this last year was not easy.  It took work, time, commitment, and healthy thinking.  But through it all God has shown me that “healthy” takes work and time, but it is worth every minute!!

This reminds me of my marriage. My Hubby and I have been married 21 years. We’ve had ups and downs, good times and bad. We’ve worked really hard and invested a lot of time in our relationship in order to make it healthy. I can honestly say that I love that man more today than I ever have. Through pursuing God, praying for our intimacy, and for our own spiritual growth, we have resolved and are in the process of resolving many issues.

It would have been a lot easier to just to live our busy lives day in and day out and not focus on growing our relationships with God. It would’ve been easier to not plan to go to a marriage conference every few years. We had plenty of reasons not to. Money was tight, babysitters were hard to find and expensive.  And further more–is it really okay to leave the kids for two days? What about dealing with hard topics?  That certainly isn’t fun! We frankly still struggle with that one. But it seems whenever we start to really grow weary of doing the work, when we start to wonder, “Is this really worth it?” and “Are we really doing okay?” God reminds us of how blessed we are. We enjoy a laugh together, a victory together, an intimate connection.

I imagine I’ll never reach the ultimate, complete “healthy” in any area of my life here on earth. But God says to persevere, don’t give up, run like you are to win the prize, and don’t grow weary! Jesus came to give us life … an abundant life!

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT).

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT).

God is perfect, holy, healthy, true, and I could go on and on. We, on the other hand, are broken. He is our Father and wants to help us with all of our needs. He loves us and wants to be as close to us as possible.  That is why He sent Jesus to save us from our brokenness. When we first trust in Him, God sends the Holy Spirit to counsel, comfort, and guide us every day of our lives. What an incredible gift! And that, my friends, is the secret to pursuing a healthy marriage and a healthy life!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.  This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8, NIV).

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Stacey Muff is the wife of 21 years to her High School sweetheart, Will.  She is also a Mother to two fun-loving teenage boys.  Stacey loves to spend time with her family, cook nourishing foods, talk about God’s Word with her friends at Bible Study and take walks in the sunshine!

Stacey and Will help lead Re/engage Marriage Ministry at Reality Church in Papillion, Nebraska.  If you are interested in working hard for a healthy marriage go to www.marriagehelp.org to find a Re/engage Ministry near you.

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Let’s talk about this: Boy, do I ever know the struggle of becoming healthy in body, mind, and soul. How has God been faithful in helping you past your brick walls? What actions, books, or Bible verses helped you work through getting healthy? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below or at Living by Grace on Facebook. We all need one another!