Attend Church……. Live Longer
Do you feel you can’t be real with anyone? Are you looking for peace for your soul? Take this free online course on the topic of secrets:
“… so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life” (Deut 6:1-2).
The title of the article, Find Purpose, Live Longer, caught my eye. It was a report on numerous studies all of which have verified that finding something more in your life can mean a big health boost. You can add years to your life by adding life to your years. Insurance company studies show that if someone retires to something rather than from something, they live on the average three times longer.
The article pointed out many ways in which people can add zest to their lives, but the most intriguing to me was the aspect of religion. More than 2,200 studies have been done in this area and the conclusion is that believing in a higher power can boost more than just the spirit. While scientists still don’t have a dependable method for measuring faith, research shows that people who attend church, at least four times a month are less likely to engage in risky behavior, be depressed, or feel chronic stress. The faithful live longer, too….. an average for seven to fourteen years longer and the most regular attendees have the longest life expectancy.
Life Lesson: Time management
Are you still growing spiritually?: Check your compass and let God lead you
A Duke University study of 2391 people who were at least 65 years old found that regular churchgoers who also prayed daily or studied the Bible daily were 40 per cent less likely to have high blood pressure than those who did not. Elderly churchgoers had better mental health and were less likely to have high degrees of a protein associated with age-related illness.
The reasons for this are not hard to understand. It’s not from just being in church. Churchgoers generally are much more restrained when it comes to many problem-causing areas of modern society. Born-again Christians also have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in them to help them avoid the problem areas of life. And because they know they can always turn to God in prayer during times of crisis, this may be the reason there is a lower incidence of stress-related problems in their lives.
So, if you want to be healthier and live longer, attend church, read the Bible, listen to God in prayer and as you go about your daily routine hum that great hymn written by H. G. Spafford….. “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.” ( a thought on life from John Grant )
Father God,
Draw me into Your presence daily and help me hunger and thirst for the things that will bring me closer to You. Thank you for not only the physical benefits this can bring to my body, but also for the spiritual joy it will bring to my soul. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Questions: Do you have purpose in your life? How are you finding peace for your soul?
About this Author John Grant
Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Gentle and Humble, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog
Tags: Bible, church, churchgoers, depressed, Duke University, God, health, illness, insurance, live, purpose, stress
3 Responses to “Attend Church……. Live Longer”
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john, thank you for this devotional.
the Holy Spirit is guiding me in a direction of serving others and the peace I have in my soul comes from delving into scripture where I see it said constantly the word ”forgive”. i had to forgive myself in order to hear God tell me that I had already been forgiven. confession was the key to forgiveness. where one door closed, another opened.
I was indeed disappointed in your article when you claimed that “Born-again Christians” have the advantage of having The Holy Spirit in them to help avoid the problem areas of life. I am an Anglican and a cradle Christian who was baptized and confirmed. The Holy Spirit has always guided my life. It is mean-spirited of you to think that those who call themselves “Born-again” in the modern sense, have exclusive claims on The Holy Spirit. I’m sure all Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists etc. would agree with me.
thank you for reminding us to think of and do for others and to read His word every day