The Gut Soul Connection
There are numerous verses in the Bible that reference death, defilement, and destruction by way of the belly. The gut is obviously a point of great weakness in our being and too often holds more authority over us than it should. After all, it is by eating that the human race first fell to sin in the Garden of Eden. There are three critical points of spiritual connection between the gut and the soul…thoughts, fear and powerlessness.
Phil. 3:19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
In a discussion about leaky gut, my 9 yr old made an intuitive conclusion…”leaky gut leads to potty thinking”! The gut function impacts the brain function and vice versa…they are directly connected…and every part of your entire being is intertwined with your soul.
When our mental focus is consumed by “earthly things” then much of our thoughts will be negative (a.k.a. potty thinking). Science has now proven that for every thought or feeling you experience, your body produces a protein molecule (neuropeptide) that goes out into the body and attaches to your cells. Once attached to the cells, these neuropeptides have the power to change your cellular function throughout the entire body.
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Prov. 23:7
Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ... 2 Cor. 10:5. Negative thinking gives way to worry, which grows into fear. Fear and Stress are essentially the exact same thing within the body. Fear lends itself to doubt and doubt gives way to powerlessness. Powerlessness leads to poor choices that negatively impact gut health such as eating foods that are not in God’s original form*, eating too much or too little, or eating to soothe emotional discomfort.
* (processed foods, genetically modified foods and/or foods that are full of unnatural chemicals and additives)
Be anxious for nothing…Phil. 4:6. Fear (a.k.a. stress) directly impacts digestion and hinders the digestive process by slowing gut mobility, hindering enzymes and acids that break down food, and reducing nutrient absorption and utilization. The gut cannot heal until stress and fear are reduced or removed. The opposite of fear is faith…take your worries to God in prayer with confidence that He will take care of you as He has promised. It’s helpful to take a moment each day to reflect on your life and remember times when God has protected you, redeemed you, helped you, guided you and answered your prayers. It builds your faith to remember He has and He will! Remember to be thankful…gratitude changes the attitude…even in the most difficult seasons of life :-)
Be Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might…Eph 6:10. An unhealthy gut creates an unhealthy, malnourished, weak body-mind-soul. We are well aware of what power Satan likes to exert over our weakened flesh…he has come to steal, kill and destroy! This state of physical compromise reduces our overall ability to resist temptations and make good decisions.
Research has shown that properly improving the nutrition and health of imprisoned criminals and those arrested for substance abuse crimes, reduces their return to crime or addiction by up to 80%.
Imagine for a moment what happens when YOU combine the restoration of your physical health with the renewing and restoration of your mind and soul through Christ!! That is an intensely powerful thought! As you make decisions to positively alter your lifestyle with a goal of healing your gut and your overall body please remember where your true source of power comes from…
…your strength comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth…and you! He will sustain you and give you power to overcome your cravings, weaknesses and challenges. Ask Him for help! Be encouraged…nothing is impossible for you through Christ and Christ died so that you can prevail over this flesh!
