The Slow Work of Healing: A Better Way Forward
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
3rd John 1:2
When your soul is well, your health responds. There is a growing body of research showing how deeply connected our inner life is to our physical health. When we carry stress, anxiety, unresolved grief, or internal unrest, our bodies feel it in very real and measurable ways.
Take stress, something most of us could relate to. It may begin in the mind or the heart, but it quickly spreads through the body. Under stress, the brain signals the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These chemicals are good, and designed to help us respond to danger in short bursts. But when stress becomes chronic, it keeps the body in a state of low-level emergency1.
See if any of the following symptoms relate to you.
This prolonged state has been linked to a host of health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer. Stress can wreak havoc on your digestive system, causing stomach aches, nausea, or flare-ups of conditions like IBS2. The tension often settles in the body through headaches, migraines, or muscle pain.
Sleep is also shaped by the condition of the soul. When your mind is racing, when you’re holding onto fear or regret or trying to suppress emotional pain, rest becomes elusive. The body’s natural rhythm is disrupted. Stress hormones interfere with the production of melatonin, which signals the body to sleep. Instead of winding down, the body stays alert. Over time, poor sleep affects everything; your memory, your immune system, your ability to regulate emotions, and even your long-term brain health3.
Beyond physical and neurological effects, the state of your soul shapes your mental and relational well-being. Inner turmoil doesn’t stay as well contained or hidden as we may like to think.
It shows up in how we relate to others. People who are emotionally exhausted or spiritually dry tend to become more reactive, more withdrawn, and more prone to conflict. It becomes harder to connect, show empathy, or maintain close relationships.
On the other hand, those who cultivate peace, gratitude, forgiveness, and purpose tend to be more resilient, more present, and more able to love themselves and others well.
Caring for your soul is more than just spiritual health.
It is about the whole person. Soul care affects your body, mind, sleep, and relationships. Science has been affirming what the Scriptures have long taught. When your inner life is whole, your outer life flourishes. When your soul is at peace, your body breathes easier.
Healing the whole person has had a complicated relationship with the church. There are four common approaches that are either incomplete and/or can become deterrents to change.
Let’s begin by deconstructing them, so we can reconstruct a path to the slow work of healing.
