In my time alone with God this morning I read: A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
jealousy is like cancer in the bones. (Proverbs 14:30 NLT)

I believe one of the reasons for the widespread problems with people’s health today is the lack of “a peaceful heart”. I’m also fully aware of the fact that our health is affected by our eating & exercise habits, but this verse reminds us that a peaceful heart leads to HEALTH.

Yes, there are times I’ve allowed stress to affect my physical, emotional and spiritual health. For me, this is a symptom of failing to trust Christ with that particular situation; where I’m trying to control it instead of allowing Him to control me. It’s also symptomatic of my choice at times to allow worry or anxiety to replace prayer. When I pray through a situation, it puts me at peace because I know God is for me.

I believe one reason for a lack of peace is the fact that many of us do not rest in Christ and His promises, and we don’t pray through those promises. One of my favorite passages is Phil 4:6-8 which states that I can replace my anxiety with the peace of God when I pray with thanksgiving and focus my mind on Him and His blessings.

Jesus tells us in John 15 that apart from Him we can do nothing, but when we’re vitally connected to Him, He’ll produce His fruit in our life. One of the fruits He produces as we yield our lives to him is “peace” (Gal 5:22)

Jesus often told His disciples things in order to give them peace. In John 16:33 Jesus said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We find what Jesus says – what He has to tell us – in His Word.

One of my favorite promises from Jesus is found in John 14:27 where He reminds us: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

I’d recommend you start keeping a list of all the promises of God related to peace as you read His Word. You might want to take it a step further and do a word search on a website like Biblegateway.com where you can type in the keyword “peace”. You’ll be blown away by the number of verses in Scripture that relate to peace.

Today – I’m claiming His promise: A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body!