Most of us realize that taking care of our bodies is extremely important in order to enjoy a healthy life, and hopefully a long one too. But what some of us have overlooked is the importance of christian faith in maintaining a healthy spiritual life as well. Both physical and spiritual health share some of the same challenges in modern society, namely a lack of time in hectic days where both husband and wife are frequently working and the unfortunate distraction offered by the electronic devices so many people have turned to (those televisions, iPods, computers and video game systems that clutter up all of our homes and lives). In order to be considered physically healthy, people have to wean themselves off of these gadgets, gizmos and mindless entertainment and put their body to work. Spiritual health and receiving salvation, God’s gift, also requires putting in effort, whether it be through attending church services or bible reading. However it should be clear to everyone that God’s salvation is a gift not freely offered; if you choose to ignore God, playing Guitar Hero every day instead, you cannot expect to receive salvation when the time comes.

In some ways, spiritual health is even more complex than physical health. Not only are there many physical temptations to lure people away from actively practicing their faith, but there are also a myriad of emotional, conceptual and intellectual challenges that can waylay the unprepared. Among the most common of these pitfalls are:

• Doubt.
• Fear.
• Worry.
• Human reasoning when lacking spiritual understanding.