Spiritual Arthritis: A Test and Known Cure
Light shone through the panel, highlighting the x-rays and problems of my lower back.
You see, sporting flip flops while jumping to worship songs (and the Hokey Pokey), alongside 1500 students, proved harmful to my adult body. And add a friendly competition on the conference stage with other youth directors when I out jumped them all.
So, three days later, my back went out. I needed help just to walk.
Thus, I required complete dependence on my family.
Yet, I waited until the second episode to see an orthopedic doctor. And he showed me an anatomy model of the sacroiliac joint.
My injury tore away cartilage from these joints that connect the spine to each side of the pelvis.
The space between bones of the joint narrow or rub against each other…arthritis.
That was seven years ago. Today, I still deal with the back issue and a few more joints where arthritis set up residence in other areas of my body.
Types of arthritis affect all ages, even children. Though the condition is more common in aging people. It not only causes pain, but may also be debilitating through swelling, stiffness, decreased range of motion, and permanent damage. Treatments include activities to strengthen surrounding muscles, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicines, and hot-cold therapy. (arthritis.org)
But, another form of the condition exists—spiritual arthritis.
Arthritis keeps joints from functioning properly, as intended and designed by the Creator. And spiritual arthritis fails to function properly in the body of Christ. Click To TweetSpiritual Arthritis
The Apostle Paul describes the body of Christ in Ephesians 4.
First, in verse 1, Paul urges believers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling.” Then he describes how to equip the body to function properly.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
(Verses 11-16, emphasis mine)
Take the Test
Reflect on these questions to determine spiritual arthritis. While there’s no score to calculate, let the Lord shine His light on these areas, highlighting problems.
1.) Am I walking in a manner worthy of my calling with humility, patience, and bearing others in love? (Verses 1-2)
2.) Am I eager to maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace within the body? (Verse 3)
3.) Do I let Christian leaders equip me for ministry and then help build up the body? (Verse 12)
4.) Does every wind of doctrine carry me or am I maturing in Christ? (Verses 13-14)
5.) Is Christ the “head” as I grow up in every way into Him? (Verse 15)
6.) Is my part of the body of Christ functioning properly, making the body grow, building it up in love? (Verse 16)
The Cure
Although there’s no known cure for arthritis, the spiritual kind has a cure. So, follow this antidote:
*Complete dependence on God for help in walking worthy.
*Connection and unity with other believers of the faith in a local church.
*Strengthening and equipping through pastors and teachers.
*Constant and consistent growth and maturity in Christ as the head.
*Increase range of motion through laboring in ministry, building up others in the body, speaking the truth in love, and exercising spiritual gifts.
What areas resonate most with you?
Part of the cure for spiritual arthritis: increase range of motion through laboring in ministry, building up others in the body, speaking the truth in love, and exercising spiritual gifts. Click To Tweet
I speak on this topic and others. Visit my Speaking Events page and contact me for your event.
First photo by Austin Schmid on Unsplash.
Second photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash.
Last photo by Val Vesa on Unsplash.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Debbie Kitterman/#Dare2Hear, Lori Schumaker/#momentsofhope, Jaime Wiebel/#SittingAmongFriends, Crystal Twadell/Fresh Market Friday, Kelly Balarie/Purposeful Faith, Patricia Holbrook/Soaring With Him, Meghan Weyerbacher/TeaandtheWord, Lyli Dunbar/#FaithOnFire & Crystal Storms/Heart Encouragement.
© 2019 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Good morning, Karen, as I wait for my computer to update, I am blessed by your words. There is no doubt I have the beginnings of arthritis as does my husband and mother in law. So thankful for Christ who embraces us fully when we totally surrender. Oh I have areas of my heart I still need to open, and I trust Him to help. Thank you and may He bless you today, dear Karen.
Appreciate you sharing your thoughts, Julie. Yes, the most common arthritis comes with aging. But I know children and teens diagnosed with some forms. And anytime there’s an injury, arthritis almost always sets up in the joint. 🙁
I like your thoughts of total surrender…that really will help take us through all the treatment sessions we need for any spiritual arthritis! Blessings, sweet friend!
Thank you, Karen, for this good word that my arthritic self needed to hear. 🙂
As the Bible leader and lay minister in a small rural church without a pastor, I feel the most aches and pains from “Strengthening and equipping through pastors and teachers” as I’m sometimes called to be the one who does that strengthening and equipping of others. So please join me in prayer for God to strengthen and equip me, and all who are called to pulpit life – especially those of us who have to be helped up to get there.
May God continue to bless your good work in Christ.
So glad the Lord used this message to encourage you, Mary. Those of us in ministry, in your case especially, labor tirelessly to strengthen and equip others. So much so, that it takes a toil on us and may become draining. So, yes, I’m agreeing with you in prayer, and just prayed over you, for the Lord to strengthen and equip you as you do the same for the saints.
I pray for you and the church…”the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:16, ESV)
Dear Karen,
I too, suffer with multiple back problems, including arthritis. So I understand the issues of ongoing pain management, range of motion, stiffness, etc. What a powerful analogy to compare with spiritual arthritis using this scripture passage! We need the constant spiritual “upkeep”, much like the constant bodily care. It is our soul-food. God bless you and your ministry!
Hey Melissa,
Sorry to hear you’re in the back and arthritis club. I like how you said we need constant spiritual upkeep…relating it to our body. So true! I pray for our physical bodies and that our part of the body of Christ is functioning properly, making the body grow, building it up in love!
Blessings!
With my word for the year being “lean,” I’m particularly moved by the first cure – complete dependence upon God. It’s the first step toward achieving all the other steps that follow. So sorry to learn, Karen, that you struggle with arthritis. It is so debilitating, and I pray that the treatments you are getting are helping your pain issues.
Blessings!
Thank you, Martha! I am doing well with all the things I do to maintain wellness and nothing is debilitating at this point.
And I can see why your word, lean, relates the most to total dependance on God. When I was down the most in my back…the first 2 episodes, unable to even make it from one room to another, it was hard to be that dependent on others. I like to just go and do and not have to be in that situation. In the same way, my spiritual self has to strive to be dependent on the Lord and not independent of Him. When I go my own way and do my own thing, I’m in trouble! 🙂
I love the illustration of connecting a physical ailment to a spiritual one. I’m seeking to trust my place in the body of Christ in my local church. This is encouraging to keep at it. Thank you for sharing.
Jodie, thanks for your encouraging words and sharing your thoughts. I pray as you find your place, you continue to increase range of motion through laboring in ministry, building up others in the body, speaking the truth in love, and exercising spiritual gifts.
I love the analogy. I use orthotics to help my feet and knees, but there’s little to do for the pain in my fingers after sewing and typing too much.
Spiritual arthritis? Attitude check. Love your test. Thanks and God bless!
Nancy, thank you. I have friends whose hands and fingers bother them, too. I’m sure sewing and typing affect you. I have a wrist issue that causes some tasks to be bothersome when it’s flared.
I hope and pray we are just as intentional to not let spiritual arthritis stay unnoticed or ignored. But instead, use the antidote Paul gives us in Ephesians 4.
I’ve never considered this concept before, Karen. Good analogy! I would say that I am in an interesting time in my faith. I would like to think I’m growing and maturing. Others might think I’m being blown about by the winds of doctrine. The key for me is that I’m trying to look more like Jesus, so in that process, a lot of things that don’t look like Jesus are getting dismantled and tossed. It’s a tough process, and it’s causing some tension in relationships. I just haven’t had a season like this in a while, so I’m waiting to see how it all comes out.
In the meantime, I’ll trust God with the process and the end result. I’ll just do my best to stay out of his way.
Thanks, Chip.
I like the place you’re in with your faith. And it sounds like a process all of us need. Because looking like Jesus is the most important part of the Christian journey. When we miss that, we’ve missed the pure meaning for “Christ-ian.” May we not be blown about by winds of doctrine, but blown away by Jesus himself!
Karen, I too suffer from back and neck pain and fibromyalgia. So I appreciate how you take the experience around arthritis and physical challenges how we need to keep moving and exercising and taking care of it to continue to remain healthy and compare it to how we need to focus in a similar way on our spiritual health. Being in God’s Word, praying, serving others are excellent ways of exercising and stretching our souls to ensure that they remain flexible, are able to be strengthened and stay healthy. Thanks for the post!
Anne, sorry for your physical suffering. And I love how you said God’s Word, prayer, and serving are ways to exercise for our spiritual health. Good word! I pray we walk in a manner worthy of the calling! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Your question, “Does every wind of doctrine carry me or am I maturing in Christ?” I may not be specifically swayed by another doctrine, but I can often experience ‘arthritis spiritually” when I’m carried away by every other person’s wind of expectations. I hurt myself when I give in. It is a constant balance of doing what someone needs and remaining within the limits of God’s specific calling in my life. It’s not easy to balance this tension, but with intentionality, it can be done. Thank you for the questions, Karen!
That’s a good one, Marcie. We are often tossed to and fro by the expectations others place on us. And it could take us out of the boundaries of where God has us. Great insight. May we mature and grow in Christ staying in His perfect will. 🙂
I love the parallels of physical and spiritual dependence, Karen. We need each other — both to hold us up and to walk with. Pray you continue to stand strong, sweet friend.
Thank you, Crystal. We do need other believers in the body as we walk shoulder to shoulder on this journey. I pray we help build up God’s body, so it’s built up in love.
Karen,
What a perfect analogy. I especially love “the test” and “the cure” you provided. The one that God impressed upon my heart is this: *Increase range of motion through laboring in ministry, building up others in the body, speaking the truth in love, and exercising spiritual gifts.
It’s great to be in the Word and prayer daily, but I believe God wants us to exercise what He is pouring into us.
Thanks, Karen!
I agree, Beckie. God’s Word and prayer are foundational to our faith and relationship with the Lord. It is part of the maturing process. But, yes, pouring into others and serving is a key element to our faith as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Karen. Since I am getting older and experience some arthritis myself, I can really appreciate your analogy. The doctors recommend to keep the body moving even if it hurts. This is true with our Christian walk too. We must keep moving through the pains that come our way. I, too loved your test and I plan to work on the cures to feel my best.
Amen! Keep moving…and building and growing and loving and serving! And keep functioning in the proper way as our part of the body of Christ, working together. Appreciate your thoughts!
Thank you for publishing the cure for spiritual arthritis, Karen. I am so glad there is a cure for it! Love the comparison to the body of Christ.
You’re welcome, Laurie. If nothing else, it gets us reflecting on Scripture and acting on God’s Word. Thanks for stopping by.
As a chronic back and neck pain sufferer, I can totally relate. I received a call today, saying that the latest procedure my spine doctor wants to perform has been denied by insurance. I’ve been on this route before. The doctor will contact the ins. company to explain the situation with my spine. All will work out according to God’s plan. Today, my back is not hurting as bad as when the latest scans were done. Even with my pain, I want to make sure I don’t have spiritual arthritis. What a great message! 🙂
Oh, so sorry for your painful spine issues, Melissa. You really do get it and understand. When I had physical therapy several years ago, she told me the best thing I could do is strengthen my core. That way I won’t be using my back for tasks it was never meant to do. Instead using my arms and legs. And I think that relates to our spiritual life as well. Staying strong in our core: the basics of Christianity, the gospel and Jesus.
This is a wonderful post about maturity and how our commitment to our local churches and to the body of Christ across the world equips us for maturity and fruitfulness. That you tied it to your injury and arthritis was very clever! You seized the teachable point to good purpose! I hope you’re feeling better. These injuries linger and our bodies begin to wear our, yet still we press on to serve Jesus and his church. God bless you, dear sister! Your posts are always a blessing!
Thank you, Melinda. Yes, I go for tune-ups, regular monthly maintenance once a month to a spine center/chiropractor who uses a tool called the pro-adjuster and does manual stretches on my hips, back, and neck.
I pray we depend on God, walk in a worthy manner, connect to a church, get equipped by pastors/teachers, grow in Christ, and build up the body of Christ. Truly a supporting joint that is functioning properly!
Amen and Amen! Words of wisdom to reflect on…and to put into practice! These are words to live by…relatable and true!
Oh how I can relate to that stiffness and pain physically…and at times spiritually…but thank God for the body of Christ, his anointed presence that flows through us as we mature and grow with grace and strength in Him. When we do what we are supposed to do…the balm of Gilead is applied to the joints and marrow of the soul; by studying his word…prayer and being faithful, and having a teachable spirit… We grow up in Him…so that Arthur…can not settle in or have a foot hold in the body…Amen! 🙂
Love how you said, “having a teachable spirit” we sometimes forget that part. And as we grow in Him, arthritis won’t settle in our have a foothold in our body. Thanks for adding to the conversation, Marla. You always bring fresh insight.
Spiritual arthritis … the phrase captures our attention and for good reason, Karen!
Your six questions and our willingness to be honest with ourselves and Him are a helpful antidote … and one we need to sit with often.
Bless you.
Thanks, Linda. I pray the term spiritual arthritis captures our attention AND we stay there a while and often to really do something about it as you beautiful state. Our ignoring the issue or staying immobile only worsens the damage. I pray we are supporting and healthy parts of the body.
What a great illustration, Karen! My husband had a SI joint injury a couple of years ago and it was excruciating. This example hits home for me and it does relate so well to spiritual health. I find the test so helpful, and appreciate how it’s based on scripture, allowing God to use His Word to examine our hearts and align them with His. Thanks so much for this relatable post!
Elaine, SI injuries are painful for sure. PT really helped me at the time and I put steps in place in the present to keep the problem from worsening. I, too, love using God’s Word to examine our hearts…and in this case x-ray our lives to diagnose any spiritual issues we’ve let fester and cause pain.
This is a great analogy, Karen. It really helped bring the verse to life for me. Thanks.
God’s Word is living and active, may the whole of Scripture continue to come to life for us, Stephanie. Changing us from the inside out, from the heart to the mind, from the hands to the feet, and from the whole body so it works properly in Christ Jesus! 🙂
God help His church! May we be diligent and sincere in our pursuit of holy things. May the church of Christ be one! Thanks for sharing, Karen. Blessings to you!
Amen! Like how you said “diligent and sincere in our pursuit of holy things.” Such a great way to state it. Blessings!
This is a great analogy, Karen, and I like the list of questions to help us consider our place in the body of Christ!
Thank you, Lesley. I hope we reflect on those and practice healthy living within the body of Christ.
This is certainly a better solution than ibuprofen!
Thanks for wisdom that prevents creaky joints and immobility!
Michele, ibuprofen won’t touch this kind of arthritis! 🙂 We need the soothing balm of the Holy Spirit to heal our issues from the inside out!
Love this perspective Karen. I definitely have to do some spiritual checks to ensure my body and movements are in align with God’s plan. These are a great set of questions to use to really check in.
Brittany, thank you. I pray that speaking the truth in love, we grow into Christ as the head, and become a supporting joint to build up the body of Christ!
What a great message! We all need to check our spiritual connectedness on a regular basis and you have pinpointed the most critical areas.
Thank you. Checking our connectedness on a spiritual level is always a good thing and as you said, on a regular basis! Appreciate your thoughts!
The soothing balm of the Holy Spirit, and if I may add the blood of Jesus, I wrote about healing and grace. It sure takes His grace, as well.
Amen! The blood of Jesus and grace! Thanks for the reminder, Rebecca.
This was a great analogy. I love how the Lord uses the mundane to bring out spiritual truths.
Thanks, Nylse. I hope the Lord’s prayer and to resemble Jesus in every way becomes and stays our number one desire.