16. Spiritual disciplines can bring healing to the diseases of my soul.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

IF IT IS TRUE THAT OUR UNHEALTHY AND UNWANTED BEHAVIORS COME FROM A DEEPER BROKENNESS WITHIN US, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THOSE BEHAVIORS IN YOUR LIFE?

WHEN JESUS FORGIVES US OF OUR SINS, DO YOU THINK THAT THIS ALSO HEALS THE BROKENNESS INSIDE OF US?

IS THERE A DEEPER CHARACTER FLAW OR DEFECT IN YOU THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF?

There can be many reasons we choose to engage in spiritual disciplines. We want to come closer to God. We may wish to add virtuous behaviors to our lives such as loving a hard-to-love neighbor. Or perhaps we desire to correct an unhealthy action we have become aware of. Another goal of spiritual disciplines can be to bring healing to the deeper diseases of our souls. “Diseases of our souls,” is a medical metaphor that illustrates the difference between behaviors and the root causes of those behaviors. Diseases have symptoms and our behaviors are like the symptoms of a disease. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe medication to treat a symptom, like giving aspirin for a fever, but greater attention is usually given to finding the cause of the symptom and treating the disease.

So what are the diseases of the soul? There is no authoritative list of soul-diseases, but we can identify a few obvious ones. The diseases of the soul that will typically manifest themselves in us are:

1. an unhealthy thirst for approval;

2. an obsessive need for power or control;

3. an overactive pursuit of pleasure; and

4., a continual striving for security.

Some see these as their APPS: approval, power, pleasure, and security. We can identify our disease by the symptoms that manifest. A person with the disease of approval will strive for attention and affirmation, often in inappropriate ways. Those with the disease of power will need to be in charge of things and take action to make sure that no one has power over them. The disease of pleasure is seen in actions that focus on gratifying experiences and feelings and often lead to addiction. Finally, the disease of security can be seen in those who never have enough and are always gathering and holding tight to things like money, possessions, or positions.

Many vocations or positions in our culture attract people with these diseases. Approval people often work in the helping professions: doctors, nurses, caregivers, teachers, social workers and pastors. Power people need to find something to lead: they become CEOs, presidents, entrepreneurs, and tend to dominate whatever situation they are in. Pleasure people are the partiers: they often abuse what was meant for good, things like food, drink, sex, or wealth. The security people never have enough: they obsess about retirement and savings accounts, and they worry much about tomorrow.

These examples demonstrate that the disease takes something that is not necessarily wrong, but places too much emphasis on it. We are vulnerable to this because a disease is our way of addressing something we feel is lacking in our identity. We sense a deep unmet need and we compensate for that lack with unhealthy and often destructive behaviors. These diseases lie deep within us and may have been there since birth. We might compare them to the idea of original sin or our basic brokenness. Those who become aware of their disease often recognize that, though they may experience some healing for their disease, they rarely become completely cured. As with any wound, a scar remains. We may be reminded of Jacob, who after he wrestled with the Lord, nevertheless walked with a limp the rest of his life. Our diseases often become the limp we walk with.

The first step towards healing our disease is to acknowledge it, embrace it, and let it remind us of our need for the Healer. But there are also specific spiritual disciplines that can help work at healing our diseases. The discipline of secrecy, doing things without letting anyone know, can help us moderate our need for approval. The discipline of submission, intentionally placing ourselves under the authority of someone else, can help address the disease of power. Fasting, going without food, or conveniences like cell phones, microwaves, etc. are spiritual discipline used by those who want to address the disease of pleasure. Generosity, giving away things we treasure, sharing them with others, can help curb the disease of security.

The Psalmist David in Psalm 103:3 says of God, He forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases (NIV). Our sins are the unhealthy and incorrect behaviors that come from our diseases. God not only forgives these inappropriate behaviors, but He also desires to heal what causes these behaviors, the diseases of our soul. And as our Heavenly Healer, God, invites us into a “therapy regimen,” He often utilizes spiritual disciplines to treat our disease.