Soul Healing

Soul healing

May 15, 2011

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

(Matthew 5:8)

Physical vs. soul suffering

The other day someone told me they don't want to suffer, but enjoy life. This person has a congenital disease and has been having bronchitis-like symptoms for his entire life. Difficulties with breathing, frequent colds, coughing, nasal polyps, thick mucus forming in the lungs. It's hard to live with it, and until I've experienced a sinus infection this winter myself, I couldn't imagine how hard it is, specially if you have to live with it on a daily basis. It definitely diminishes the quality of life. He of course doesn't want to suffer and sometimes is fed up with it.

But he doesn't turn to God for help because he doesn't believe he could get much help there. Specially after having lost his younger brother to the same kind of disease. He doesn't really believe God is around or that He cares. I told him I suffer too because of certain health problems, but my soul doesn't suffer, because I love God and I know God loves me. My body suffers, but my soul doesn't.

Another thing is that I know I am responsible for my health problems for the most part, by having engaged in unhealthy habits and refusing, for far too long, to make constructive changes in my life. I let myself be consumed with non-will, with apathy and lower passions, and it left its toll on my health. So I see a clear cause and effect, and don't blame God for it.

Why, God?

With him it's different. He doesn't understand why he had to be born like that, and believes that if it's not the works of some evil god, then it must be stochastic. He cannot connect a loving God with a congenital disease. So he asks: if there is God, why does He allow these things to happen?

I told him I don't know why, there could be many reasons. I don't want to claim that it's because of some past karma. Because it might not be. He absolutely refuses that as a reason because he says if he doesn't remember what he did in a past life, how can he amend it now. He finds it cruel.

I told him – your suffering won't cease if you shut away God from your life, or make Him irrelevant. Healing begins at the soul level. Unless you heal the soul first – by returning to God and forgiving him and realizing He loves you – you can't heal the body. I believe he heard me, it made sense to him.

Because otherwise, it's a catch 22. You cannot heal – not truly, on the soul level, without God. It's very difficult for some people because they say "I did nothing wrong, why are you punishing me, God?", and so they distance themselves even more from God. They run away when they should come closer.

On fire for God

I admire those who are born with a severe illness, and they still find meaning and joy in life. Take for example Nick Vujicic, a young man who was born without arms and legs. He suffered a lot, and as a child even thought of committing a suicide, but then he found Jesus and is now preaching the Good News all over the world. When one sees him, one really can say "My problems are nothing to what this man has to live with. God, I am grateful for the gift of life". It puts things in a different perspective.

We can't heal without being grateful for life, grateful that we were born and given this amazing opportunity, no matter how hard it may seem. With gratitude and love starts the healing of the soul. And then maybe healing of the body too, if God wills it. But it's much more important to be at peace with God than to have a healthy body. There are many saints who had severe illnesses and physical disabilities, and yet they were on fire for God. The fire of the heart is what makes us alive, what can awaken the hearts of others as well. Love for God is the key, as always.