Lessons from the Body: From Physical Illness to Spiritual Wellness

By Clyde Sanchez CFNP Ph.D and Jo Sanchez RN MSM CNM

What can your physical body teach you about your spiritual well-being? Plenty! This book is a must read for those who work in the medical field, pastors, students, and anyone who would like to understand the interrelationship between physical and spiritual wellness. Learn how to get well and stay well!

The authors cover topics such as liver disease, emphysema, broken bones, mental illness, obesity, glaucoma, cataracts, atrial fibrillation, thyroid problems, and diabetes. Using the Bible as their reference point, they show how these conditions can help us grasp spiritual concepts that we may have had difficulty understanding in the past. You will learn how to communicate with God, where your conscience comes from and how it impacts your life, how to see spiritually, what it means to be spiritually obese, how the regeneration of your liver relates to your spiritual life, how God protects us, and a host of other spiritual concepts we all struggle with.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973620853

Clyde Sanchez CFNP Ph.D

Clyde and Jo have their undergraduate nursing degrees from Cornell University and their masters degrees from Yale University. Clyde is a Family Nurse Practitioner; Jos degree is in Maternal Newborn Health. Clyde also has a PhD in Health Education from the University of New Mexico. His doctoral dissertation focused on the relationship between the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of wellness. Through her background as a nurse midwife and school nurse, Jo brings the caring and nurturing aspects of a relationship with God to this book. Having grown up in rural New Mexico, gone to school on the east coast, traveled to India for mission trips, and raised seven children, they are able to relate to others in a variety of walks of life.

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Copyright © 2018 Clyde P. Sanchez, CFNP, Ph.D. and Jo Sanchez, RN, MSN, CNM.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture use- All verses are quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise stated.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

KJV: Taken from the King James Bible.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-2086-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2087-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2085-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018902453

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/02/2018

To our children and their families.

You have been our inspiration to live well,

both physically and spiritually.

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

What You Will Learn in this Book

Chapter 1: Visual Impairment

Living by Faith, Not by Sight

Prologue

Physiology of the Eye

Spiritual Implications Learned from the Eye

Discussion Questions

Chapter 2: Atrial Fibrillation

The Heart That Is Out of Control

Prologue

Pathophysiology of Atrial Fibrillation

Spiritual Implications of Atrial Fibrillation

Discussion Questions

Chapter 3: Obesity

Too Much of a Good Thing

Prologue

Pathophysiology of Obesity

Spiritual Obesity

Discussion Questions

Chapter 4: Broken Bones

Healing That Which is Broken

Prologue

Pathophysiology of Fractured Bones

Spiritual Implications

Discussion Questions

Chapter 5: The Liver:

Protection, Cleansing, and Regeneration

Prologue

Pathophysiology of the Liver

Spiritual Implications of the Liver

Discussion Questions

Chapter 6: Atherosclerosis

Compromised Circulation

Prologue

Pathophysiology of Atherosclerosis

Spiritual Atherosclerosis

Discussion Questions

Chapter 7: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Ineffective Breathing

Prologue

Pathophysiology of COPD

Spiritual Implications of COPD

Discussion Questions

Chapter 8: Nervous System Disorders

Hindered Communication in the Body

Prologue

Pathophysiology of the Nervous System

The Spiritual Nervous System

Discussion Questions

Chapter 9: Endocrine Disorders

Disrupted Communication

Prologue

Pathophysiology of the Endocrine System

Spiritual Implications of the Endocrine System

Discussion Questions

Chapter 10: Mental Illness

Hardness of the Heart

Prologue

Pathophysiology of the Mind

Spiritual Implications of the Mind

Discussion Questions

Chapter 11: Kidney Disease

Keeping the Body Clean

Prologue

Pathophysiology of the Kidney

Spiritual Implications

Discussion Questions

Chapter 12: The Birthing Process

Hindrances to a New Life

Prologue

Pathophysiology of the Birthing Process

Spiritual Lessons from the Birthing Process

Discussion Questions

Chapter 13: A New Body

Hope for the Future

Attribution of Images

References

Foreword

They were always there. I just bring them out so that others can see them.

Do you remember lying on your back as a child, staring up at the clouds and seeing different shapes? There’s an elephant. See that fish? As we got older, we started seeing patterns in marble floors or tile shower walls. At least I did. One of my brothers is a very skilled furniture maker; he is quite an artist. He makes amazing furniture out of natural woods. They are works of art that can be used as furniture. I remember admiring one of his creations in which various snakes were coming out of the base of a tree and holding up a glass coffee table. These were once the various roots of the tree. I asked him how he comes up with these ideas. His answer was short and direct: I don’t; they were always there. I just bring them out of the wood so that others can see them.

Our lives on this planet are similar. The creation is screaming out the glory and truth about the Creator, but so often we totally miss it. We are so busy with our lives, trying to figure out how to survive, that we miss the very answers that are right in front of us. This book is an attempt to pull out some of the truths that God has placed in front of us by looking at our bodies and how they function. I believe that God is very consistent, and the principles that He has applied in making the physical realm are reflective of the spiritual realm, and vice versa.

Jesus told stories and used examples from nature in explaining spiritual truths. For example, in trying to get the disciples to understand why people do not respond in the same way when exposed to His life-giving words, He explained it to them in a way they all could understand and relate to: planting seeds in various types of soil. When teaching them about trusting in Him and reaching the world for God, He used the fishing trade, something they were very familiar with. Fishing requires much skill and endurance, but no matter how much we know, the results are not in our hands. Luke in his gospel (Luke 5:1–11) tell us this story about Jesus:

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.

Simon answered, Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!

For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Jesus frequently used analogies concerning the body when teaching spiritual truths. One popular teaching was about how the church is made up of different people who have a variety of gifts. He related the various gifts to various parts of the body to show that although each body part has a different function, the entire body worked best if every part was doing its own job well and in a coordinated manner with the rest of the body. God has so much to teach us about His body, the church, and our role in it.

As you read this book, I pray you are encouraged to see God and His truths wherever you go, through all the good and bad experiences in your life. God’s desire for us is that we would be one with Him, as He and His Son Jesus were one. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me (John 17:20–21).

Clyde and Jo Sanchez

Introduction

For this people’s heart has become callused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.

—Matthew 13:15

We are told that our bodies are where God lives, the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore not surprising that our bodies hold a wealth of information that is symbolic of our relationship with God. In the verse above, the eyes, ears, and heart are all referred to in a symbolic way. The Bible is filled with analogies and parables that relate the anatomy and physiology of the human body to a person’s spiritual life. We are told that our bodies are both physical and spiritual. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44). God has given us the responsibility to rule over and care for His creation (Genesis 1:28). A big part of that responsibility lies in taking care of our physical and spiritual bodies.

Jesus makes the analogy of the church body being like the physical body. He then makes the amazing statement that the church body is His body, and He is the head. Each of us make up parts of this body. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27). I might be the little toe; you might be the eye.

In this book, we will be looking at the physical body and considering ways it is like the spiritual body. As we study the pathophysiology of the physical body, we will see parallels between physical disease/dysfunction and problems in our spiritual lives. Pathology is simply a disease or any abnormal physical condition; physiology is the study of the body. Pathophysiology then is looking at the physical explanation of an abnormal condition in the body. It is good to understand how the eye works, but when something goes wrong with the eye, you need to understand the disease if you are going to fix it. The correct diagnosis must be made. You go to your doctor hoping your provider will know what normal and abnormal look like and be able to eliminate the disease.

You need to know your enemy if you want to defeat him. Military schools like West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy spend a fair amount of time teaching their cadets about the enemy. Likewise, we need to know the disease. We are beginning to make progress with cancer only because we are learning what cancer is. Not until we fully understand the disease process can we know how to counter its attacks. God has given us clues throughout nature about our spiritual well-being, and He has given us clues in nature that alert us to our spiritual enemies and how to defeat them. Just as there are many things that will promote physical growth and development, there are also many conditions that can hinder the growth and development of our bodies. We need to accurately diagnose the disease if our treatments are going to be effective.

Some deterrents to physical wellness are physiologic, perhaps the effect of an injury, lack of exercise, or excessive weight gain or loss. Disease can attack our bodies and hinder wellness. Just as Jesus taught spiritual principles using physical analogies, the more we learn about our physical bodies, the more we can understand the implications of their illnesses.

What You Will Learn in this Book

Our bodies are indeed where God lives, the temple of the Holy Spirit. What do physical conditions tell us about how to prevent and treat spiritual conditions?

Some of the things you will discover in this book are admittedly obvious; others you might find very insightful and interesting and sometimes humorous. Here are some examples of things you will discover:

• What is the spiritual nervous system through which God can communicate with you?

• What is spiritual obesity? How can it be managed?

• What are cataracts and glaucoma in our spiritual lives, which cause spiritual blindness?

• According to the Bible, our kidneys are the center of our conscience and desires. What can our physical kidneys teach us about our conscience?

• Bones heal in four stages, and broken relationships do likewise.

• Atherosclerosis occurs when our arteries become occluded with plaque, causing decreased circulation to vital organs. There is similarly a spiritual condition that results in decreased circulation to our spiritual hearts.

• Atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the heart is out of control. This is caused by a bad AV node (the spark plug of the heart). The spiritual heart can develop a similar problem with similar symptoms.

• The liver is an organ that can restore itself if treatment is provided before too much damage occurs. The spiritual liver can likewise be restored.

• The endocrine system is a complex pathway through which hormones direct physiologic processes such as our metabolism, growth, blood pressure, and sexual responses. We have a spiritual endocrine system that works in similar ways.

• We will be given a new body when we get to heaven. God gives us a down payment on this new body by giving us one part of our spiritual body while we are still on earth.

• Mental illness is rampant in the world today. What does the spiritual mind look like? Can we learn from our physical counterpart how to avoid or treat spiritual mental illness?

• The lungs allow us to breathe oxygen, which is required for life. Emphysema is a lung disease that destroys our ability to transfer oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream. What does this disease teach us about spiritual breathing?

These analogies are tools that help us understand spiritual principles that God’s Word, the Bible, teaches us. Our minds are limited in their ability to grasp abstract ideas. Practical, concrete things we see in nature frequently help us understand these concepts. Over the centuries, we have continually tried to explain God by looking at nature and frequently ended up worshiping the creation instead of the Creator. This is obviously not our goal here. We want to understand God’s principles as taught in the Bible. God knows we have a limited ability to understand His ways, so He has given us nature, including our physical bodies, to better understand these things. In our medical practices, we routinely diagnose cataracts, preeclampsia, bronchitis, ear infections, and on and on. In our spiritual lives, we get ill as well. Can you diagnose spiritual cataracts, spiritual lung disease, or spiritual birthing problems?

When I was a new practitioner, I learned to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. I relied heavily on mentors and specialists to try to be accurate in my assessments. As I matured in my practice, I continued to learn, and now I mentor others. I am still learning daily. Some things are second nature to me now, while I still get stumped on symptoms and conditions that don’t seem to make any sense. Likewise, as we mature in Christ, we must be able to assess (diagnose) our spiritual conditions and apply the correct remedy. God is in the healing business. He is called the Great Physician in scripture for good reason.

As a young believer, I made many foolish mistakes. At times, I was like a spoiled toddler, throwing a tantrum if I didn’t get things my way. As I mature in Christ, I still fail, but not nearly as often. Not because I am better than others; no, I have learned to assess my spiritual condition better. I have learned the importance of treating illness before it gets out of control. I have learned the importance of going to others when I’m stumped and don’t know what to do. I have learned what was obvious to others: I am not perfect. I need God and the church.

Life is a great adventure. All along the way, we learn and gather tools that will make us stronger to handle greater and greater challenges. As we travel in this life, we encounter battles that often wound us. If we apply God’s healing to our lives, we can become stronger than we were before. Athletes develop blisters that eventually become calluses, which allows them to achieve feats that would have been otherwise impossible. Spiritually, it is just as true. Are we learning from God and His Word more every day? As we get older, will we be able to understand the mind of God any better than we can now? Will we be better at diagnosing and treating our spiritual illnesses? It only makes sense that we will.

We have only begun to understand the greatness of our God. Do you want to know what is causing you to stumble? What are the devil’s tactics? Why is the devil called the deceiver, and what impact might that have on us? In the physical body, we have an immune system to protect us from disease. What is the immune system in our spiritual body? In the body, when we have an injury, there are very specific steps necessary for healing to take place. What about our spiritual bodies? Are you spiritually blind, deaf, and mute at times? What do these physical conditions tell us about how to prevent and treat spiritual conditions?

Your brain communicates with the various parts of the body through the nervous system. Jesus is called the head of the church. Is there a spiritual nervous system that allows Him to communicate with you? Are you communicating with Him effectively? Is there a breakdown in your spiritual nervous system? In the physical body, we are often given supernatural strength during emergencies through the hormone adrenaline. Is there an analogous spiritual adrenaline? Body parts like our skin, bones, and blood cells are always reproducing themselves. In this way, we are similar to a snake that sheds its skin and grows a new one. Spiritually, are we regularly shedding our old ways and putting on a new life with Christ?

In Psalm 139:14, David stated, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Were we created by God, or did we evolve? As Darwin studied the human body, he apparently was stumped by the eye. He stated,

To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.¹

While we are not specifically tackling the topic of evolution in this text,