As we get into fall, many of us begin gearing up for the season of change that lies ahead. As we start planning for holidays and preparing for colder weather, it is also important to enter into a season of change with a mindset of spiritual alignment.
Misalignment can open you up to problems that extend far beyond your spiritual health. When spiritual alignment is not present, your physical and emotional health can suffer. You are left feeling exhausted and unprepared for what’s on the horizon.
Let’s explore how to recognize when you are out of spiritual alignment and how to regain balance by staying in agreement with God’s Word.
Are You In or Out of Spiritual Alignment?
Let’s face it—Western culture tells us anything that is more or bigger is better. More food at Thanksgiving, more presents at Christmas, a bigger house that holds more of your belongings…
However, attempting to attain more when you are not in spiritual alignment leaves you feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed.
So, when does more truly equal more? When you are in spiritual alignment with God’s design and purpose for your life, you are able to do, have, and enjoy more. After all, look at what Jesus taught His disciples about more…
Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?” So he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’”—Luke 12:16-21
Having a Mindset of Spiritual Alignment…
It’s all about perception. When your mindset is out of spiritual alignment, then everything else in your life can become misaligned. You become spiritually, emotionally, and physically depleted.
In order to be intentional about keeping your focus on God and your purpose, you must be able to assess where your focus gets derailed and learn how to redirect it back to His plans for you.
Four Ways to Tell When You Are Out of Spiritual Alignment…
There are four common distractions that cause us to become spiritually misaligned. By searching your heart to see where you have a tendency to fall into Satan’s snare of distraction, you will be able to recognize them…
1) Bitterness
Have you been burned by this broken world and its broken people? Perhaps you have had negative circumstances lead you down a path of bitterness, but God’s Word reminds us that staying spiritually aligned means turning bitterness into praise.
- “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6-7 (emphasis added)
The Effects of Bitterness on Health:
Psychologists today have linked bitterness with feelings of depression and other health issues such as cardiovascular problems and a weakened immune system.
2) Self-Centeredness
Do you view the world and all the things in it as belonging to God? If not, you may be falling into the trap of believing that you are the one in control of what you have and what you don’t have. God’s Word reminds us that everything is His; we are merely stewards of His property.
- “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”—Psalm 24:1
The Effects of Self-Centeredness on Health:
Biblically speaking, self-centeredness is a symptom of pride, which is a lack of trust in God’s control that prompts you to put trust in your own abilities. This often leads to stress and anxiety, which are known to cause physical and emotional health problems.
3) Fear
Are you fearful of what your future holds? If so, you may not be putting your trust in the Lord. Although fear is something that plagues us all at one time or another, the key is discerning the Spirit’s voice that calls you back to spiritual alignment. You can activate the alignment by remembering His promises to His children.
- “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…’”—Isaiah 43:1-3
The Effects of Fear on Health:
Similar to bitterness and self-centeredness, fear has an impact on physical and emotional health. In fact, science has shown that fear can be passed to the next generation. Science has also indicated that fear and anxiety are multiplied as they pass to the next generation. Your physical and emotional health are directly related to your spiritual well-being, as well as the legacy that you leave.
4) Rejection
Have you been rejected on some level and let that hurt distract you from God’s truth about your identity in Him? If so, it is time to reclaim that identity. Rejection hurts, but no one felt the hurt of rejection more than Jesus did. He was rejected so that you could overcome it and walk in the freedom that He designed for you.
- “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”—Romans 8:31-34 (emphasis added)
The Effects of Rejection on Health:
When you live out of a spirit of rejection, the Bible says the physical consequences are manifested. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”—Proverbs 17:22
Rejection presents itself differently in people, but the fact remains that it takes a toll on your energy and mind. Having a joyful heart actually changes the way you think! Science shows that joy reduces pain, boosts the immune system, and supports longevity, among other things.
Three Things You Can Do Today to Get into Spiritual Alignment
1) Align your mind with God’s mind…
To activate this alignment, begin to pray for what God tells you to pray for. Pray for the fruit of the Spirit to manifest in your life. Pray for the people of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem (see Psalm 122:6). God tells us that we will be blessed when we align with His heart (see Genesis 12:3).
2) Feed your mind, body, and spirit well…
We’ve established the link between physical and spiritual alignment. So, it makes sense that feeding your body well has an impact on everything else you do. Adding olive oil (grown and produced in Israel) to your diet is a great way to align your spiritual and physical being to God and His chosen land.
3) Live aligned!
To live aligned, you must live intentionally. Whether it is the food you put into your body, the spiritual nourishment you feed your spirit with, or the atmosphere you are surrounded by, all aspects are intertwined and intended to work together for your good (see Romans 8:28).
In Summary…
Look for ways to come into spiritual alignment that will not only feed your body and spirit, but also bless the Lord and His chosen people of Israel. Then you will have more joy and strength to carry out your purpose.
Sources:
US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17318008
Healthline https://www.healthline.com/health/affects-of-joy#1