Which activities will improve our heart health? Check out Harvard’s 10 Small Steps for Better Heart Health1 in the headings below to find out! Don’t forget to consult a physician before starting their recommendations.
WHAT ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL HEART HEALTH?
Our spiritual heart health can be improved using the physical heart health tips too! With our loving physician Jesus beside us, we can start improving immediately!
HEART HEALTHY STEPS
1. TAKE A 10-MINUTE WALK.1
A 10-minute walk daily, with physician’s approval, is a good way to begin.
What kind of walk can we do spiritually? How about a walk of faith? Ask yourself daily, “What can I believe Jesus for today?” Then select an applicable Bible verse to strengthen your faith. For example; to believe for food provision select Matthew 6:31-33.
For we walk by faith, not by sight,
2 Corinthians 5:7
2. GIVE YOURSELF A LIFT.1
Did you know that lifting up a light weight, like a book (or a child), several times a day helps our hearts?
What can we lift up to improve our spiritual hearts? How about lifting up our hands in praise? Praising the Lord focuses our minds on Him rather than our problems, lifting our spirits and giving us hope. We are strengthened as we remember who He is, His love and what He has done.
Because Your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify You.
I will praise You as long as I live,
and in Your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise You,
Psalm 63:3-5 NIV
3. EAT ONE EXTRA FRUIT OR VEGETABLE A DAY.1
Consuming more nutritional foods like fruits and vegetables is good for our hearts, right?
How about consuming God’s Word by repetition and memorization? It will increase our joy! Who doesn’t want more joy in their lives? It’s good for our hearts spiritually and physically!
Your words were found, and I consumed them.
Your words were joy and my hearts delight,
because I bear your name,
Lord God of the Heavenly Armies,
Jeremiah 15:16 ISV
4. MAKE BREAKFAST COUNT.1
Don’t know what to eat for breakfast? Seek out nutritional packed food to start the day.
Like starting the day with a good breakfast, why don’t we start the day with the Lord? By seeking Him first, everything else will fall into place.
But seek first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you,
Matthew 6:33
5. “STOP DRINKING YOUR CALORIES.”1
Those calorie- heavy or sugar drinks may taste good, but the extra weight we gain is detrimental to our hearts.
How about habits or activities that are detrimental to our faith? We gain the weight of fear, guilt and shame. Do you want to lose that weight? Cutting out detrimental habits or activities, results in losing that weight and improving our spiritual hearts.
Let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin.
Let us run with endurance the race, (our journey of faith), set before us,
Hebrews 12:1b TOL
6. “HAVE A HANDFUL OF NUTS.”1
Skip the junk and grab the nuts! They’re good for our hearts!
Laughter is good for both our spiritual and physical hearts. So, let’s grab onto something nutty, be silly and add some laughter to our lives!
A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones,
Proverbs 17:22
7. “SAMPLE THE FRUITS OF THE SEA.”1
Swap that red meat for the fruits of sea! Seafood not only helps our hearts, but our brains and waistlines as well.
The fruits of the sea aren’t the only things that are good for the heart, brain and waistline. Let’s swap a few things for the fruit of the spirit! Swapping rejection for God’s love reduces our waistline. Swapping anxiety for God’s joy reduces stress. Swapping calamity for God’s peace clears our thoughts.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law,
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
8. “BREATHE DEEPLY.”1
Slowly inhaling and exhaling reduces our stress and lowers our blood pressure.
For our spiritual heart, why don’t we metaphorically inhale God’s truth and exhale lies we have believed.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
think about such things,
Philippians 4:8 NIV
9. “WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN.”.1
Wash away those germs! It helps prevent contagious diseases that strain hearts.
For spiritual healthy hearts what do we wash away? Let’s wash our hearts and minds of stressful encounters using the cleansing soap of forgiveness.
And whenever you stand praying,
if you have anything against anyone, forgive him,
that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses,
Mark 11:25
10. “COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.”1
Are you angry, worried or stressed? These negative emotions affect our bodies, so let’s refocus on our blessings for better heart health.
Negative emotions not only affect us physically, but spiritually. So, as we count our blessings, remember what God has done. Then in faith believe that He will do it again. When we have faith, then we aren’t stressed!
Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
1 Chronicles 16:12
GOD LOVES US
& WANTS US TO HAVE
PHYSICAL
& SPIRITUAL
HEALTHY HEARTS!
REFLECTION
What can you do to improve your heart health?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write 2 Corinthians 5:7 and say it aloud, reveal how to improve my heart health; physically and spiritually. Give me the resolve to implement the changes I need for my heart. In Jesus name. Amen.
FAITH IS GOOD FOR THE HEART
Comment!
*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
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1 10 Small Steps for Better Heart Health – Harvard Health (Headings only. Explanations have been minimized. See website for full descriptions.)
Photo child, Jessica Horkey
Photo dog, Jane almon
Photo dog bath, Heiko Giesberg
