Devotions: Healing or Decay

 

A tranquil heart is life to the body,
But passion is rottenness to the bones.

Proverbs 14:30 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 

So the Hebrew word קִנְאָה qinaw translated “passion” in this verse can actually mean a lot of things, referring to the passionate feelings of anger, envy, jealousy, zeal, etc. Zeal would refer to zeal for the things of God which is a good thing. We are actually commanded in the Bible to have that. Since this verse is referencing something bad, it can be assumed it does not imply zeal, but lends rather to the other definitions. One does not have to look far to see the evils resulting from envy, jealousy or unrighteous anger. Even if those feelings are never acted upon, they still cause unending harm to the one feeling them if they are not dealt with properly. Our emotions can actually cause us to be physically ill. I know because I went to the hospital with heart problems that in reality stemmed from pent up bitterness. It really does cause the body to decay. Interestingly, the word translated “tranquil” literally means healing, cure or wholesome. It is important to remember in Hebrew culture that references to the heart actually more often mean the mind, our thoughts or inner person. The direction our thoughts take will determine our health and physical well being. Of course we cannot stop ourselves from initially feeling anger at betrayal, jealousy for our spouse’s affection, etc. Emotions are meant to be a gauge, the “check engine light” if you will, of our hearts. We can, however, choose what we do with them. We can use them as intended to notice something is wrong and deal with the problem, or we can squander in them, destroying not only our peace of mind, but also our physical bodies. We need to be aware of our emotions, take them to God so we can deal with whatever problem they signify (whether external or in our hearts), and then move on. It is not healthy to ignore them or live in them. Both will lead to physical (and emotional) decay, for ignoring the emotion does not make it go away, but simply buries it so that the rottenness remains in us, free to destroy unhindered. It is like burying hazardous waste instead of disposing of it properly. We may never “see” the effects, but it will leech into others and silently destroy all that it touches. Are you healthy? Do you deal with your emotions in a healthy way, taking them to God and seeking His guidance? Ask His help in dealing with what you feel. Ask Him to help you dig up the rottenness you have buried so that you can deal with it and move on to a healthier life. Ask Him to give you the strength and wisdom to deal with everything life throws at you.

 

 

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Translations of Greek and Hebrew words taken from blueletterbible.org