Change of Heart Leads to Heart Healing

Most people reading the words “heart healthy” would probably think they referred to the quality of food or maybe some sort of exercise. Are there reasons to believe that what we think has an impact on the health of our hearts?

There is actually a significant amount of research taking place showing the effect of one’s thoughts on health. Bruce Lipton, PH.D, a cell biologist and former Stanford research scholar, studies and writes about the impact of our thoughts on our cells. In a recent video he says: “Before we blame the cells, we must first look at our thoughts, our beliefs and our behaviors because these are more important to our health than the genes.” He concludes: "When we change our thoughts, behaviors and beliefs, we can change our biology. We are the masters of our lives not the victim of our genes."

Then there are the many medical studies of the effect of religion and prayer on health. Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University concluded after his department reviewed many reputable medical studies that “prayer can prevent people from becoming sick--and when they do get sick, prayer can help them get better faster.”

The experience of a friend of mine illustrates the potential of prayer. She had severe symptoms of heart disease when her son was a baby. At this time she had been reading a book on the subject of health and religion by Christian healer and author Mary Baker Eddy, that brought out more of the Biblical definition of heart. Perhaps alluding to Jesus statement that it’s not what goes into a man’s mouth but that which comes out of it that defiles him, Eddy’s book defines heart as “mortal feelings, motives, affections, joys, and sorrows.” This gave my friend the idea that she could spiritualize her life and thinking, and this might help her health.

She worked at calming emotional reactions and reducing or eliminating anger. Greater unselfishness, forgiveness, and gratitude began to replace self-centeredness and painful memories.

She began to understand God to be the source of all intelligence and entirely good, imparting good thoughts to man. She learned to listen more for these good thoughts which naturally included love for others and an expectation of good.

Gradually she began to realize that gaining dominion over her body came as she gained dominion over her thoughts. And, she began to understand somewhat that, as the Psalmist says: “The Lord is the strength of my life”.

Her symptoms quickly disappeared. Today, her son is grown and I know her as a vigorous and joyous woman. She changed her thoughts and behavior, improved her belief to a greater understanding of who she was as the child of God, and this had its effect physically, curing the symptoms of heart disease.