By Rose Martin original 1/25/13, reposted 7-26-2022
Recently, a client was complaining that she had terrible joint pain that would flare up and then go away for a while, but then came back. She was eating healthy foods and taking good supplements to handle the physical aspects, so we were in a quandary as to what was causing this pain in her joints.
After talking and praying, we realized that she was experiencing a lot of hurt and pain and guilt and condemnation from relationships that had gone bad. She would forgive the people, and forgive herself, but then would have bouts of self doubt, hatred, rejection, and condemnation that she would replay over and over in her mind. She finally made the connection that when she was ‘beating’ herself up mentally, the pain in her joints increased.
Once we made the connection, we focused on thinking encouraging, forgiving and non-condemning thoughts. She focused on loving and forgiving and feeling good about herself. ‘Miraculously’ the pain in her joints decreased.
To further investigate the root of this problem, I refreshed my understanding of auto-immune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, which I knew had roots in self destructive thoughts. And what I read jumped out at me and helped me make the connection as to what was happening with my client.
In Prescription for Nutritional Healing (Balch) it states, “Proper immune function is an intricate balancing act. While inadequate immunity predisposes one to infectious illness of every type, it is also possible to become ill as a result of an immune response that is too strong or directed at an inappropriate target. Many different disorders, including allergies, lupus, pernicious anemia, rheumatic heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes have been linked to inappropriate immune system activity. Consequently, they are known as autoimmune, or “SELF-ATTACKING-SELF,” disorders.” (emphasis added)
The connection became clear! Our bodies respond to what we think. When we beat ourselves up with destructive thoughts, the body responds and starts to attack itself! And the root of the symptoms of the illnesses mentioned above is the body ATTACKING ITSELF.
If we go one step further, to the spiritual root, it is a condemning spirit that is attacking us. It is Satan attacking us – the accuser of the brethren. He comes at us accusing us of the worst, and if we allow ourselves to entertain those thoughts, it starts the cycle of self hatred and condemnation which manifests in not only the way we act, but pain in our bodies.
If we go even one step further to uncover the root, it is the disconnect from the realization of God’s unconditional love. God loves us more than we can ever imagine, but many times we feel rejected by Him and allow the thoughts of fear and abandonment to get stirred up because of what others have done to us.
As you can imagine, this is an involved process, and I have written several articles about the emotional roots of sickness (found at www.TheRoseLifeCenter.com), but the main point of this article is to highlight that if you are experiencing flare ups of pain in your body, or some of the symptoms of the auto-immune sicknesses listed above, then take a look at what you are thinking about. Are you beating yourself up mentally about a loss or failure of some sort? If so, your body is taking its cues from your thoughts and joining right in.
Ask the Lord to forgive you, forgive the person who hurt you, and most of all, forgive yourself! Discover, speak and think about Scriptures that align your mind with the Mind of God. Treat your thoughts right, and your thoughts will treat your body right! Renew your thinking. Your health depends on it!
Scriptures to meditate on for starters:
“…For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” Revelation 12:10-11
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” Romans 8:1
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13
