Surviving spiritual flu

This year, flu season started a month early and is expected to the have highest severity in 13 years. That was a headliner in the Washington Post in October. Experts are bracing for a rough year with both the flu and Covid being rampant in the fall and winter of 2022. We are constantly reminded to wash our hands, to fight the virus by eating chicken soup, fruits and vegetables (especially those loaded with vitamin C) and to stay well hydrated with water. Those recommendations never change from year to year no matter what strand of flu is passing though the country.

But this article is not about the flu or Covid. It's about the same recommendations that work for physical flu, that can be adapted for spiritual flu. Spiritual flu has symptoms like an aching and fearful heart, depression, debilitating fear, and a tormented mind. God offers a cure for spiritual flu.

Rule one: Wash your hands to reduce your chances of getting the flu.

The same advice applies spiritually. Just like we must constantly wash our hands to avoid an illness, we need to constantly wash our inner being by the washing of the water of the Word to significantly reduce our risk of spiritual flu. (Eph 5:26).

The first and foremost antidote to any spiritual problem begins in the heart of man. "Keep your heart with all diligence (all your strength and mind) ... for out of it (the heart) spring the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). In an earlier verse, Solomon said, "Keep them (the Word) in your heart for they (the Word) are life to those who find them."

Rule two: Consume plenty of vitamin C.

Just like we fight physical illness with something proven to work, we must also fight spiritual attacks with something that's proven to work. The Word of God is the vaccination for spiritual renewal and a broken heart. Many times, Jesus said, "I am the Bread that came down from heaven". He also said, "I am the bread of life." And, "I am the vine, you are the branches."

Prayer is like a double dose of Vitamin C. Experts say vitamin C helps our immune system and it helps us heal from scrapes and bruises. Isn't that just like prayer? Prayer is an antioxidant against all kinds of spiritual and physical ailments. When we pray, we are asking God, by His knowledge of all things, to use His wisdom and His ways to solve our problems (to hold all things together). Faith, like a vitamin, takes time to build up in the heart and soul and make you strong. So don't stop taking your spiritual meds.

Rule three: To expedite healing, drink plenty water and keep your body hydrated.

If it takes 8 glasses of water to hydrate our body, why do we think just one drop of the Word will hydrate our spiritual life? A one-hour service on Sunday morning may not be enough to ward off spiritual illness. Read your Bible daily. Hydrate your spirit with the washing of the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26).

Physical health and spiritual health are somewhat alike. The doctor cannot give you a healing medication unless you decide to go to him. In the same way, God cannot give you spiritual medication unless you decide to go to him. Take care of your physical health but don't forget to maintain good spiritual health as well.