Stress and Disease
Dr. Billy Boring is a physician in Texas who for many years has traced the diseases in his patients to their mental and emotional stresses. He estimates that at least 70% of the diseases he treats are stress-related.
Building a
Belief System
for Health
Many people try without success to control their thoughts, words, and actions. The problem is that they are trying to use their intellect, will, and emotions to do it. Our thoughts, words, and actions come from our heart, as Scripture states, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). This manual provides key passages of Scripture for each of the seven stresses. When they become part of our heart's belief system, they will influence our thoughts, words, and actions.
A "Mystery" of Disease
Dr. Ryke Hamer is a German physician. In December 1978, his son died as a result of a gunshot wound. Dr. Hamer was overwhelmed with the grief and sorrow of this tragedy, and he soon developed cancer.
He wondered if there was any connection between his cancer and the unresolved stress of his grief. After conducting a study that involved more than twenty thousand patients, he was able to draw a direct correlation between various types of stress and specific diseases. Dr. Hamer also observed that when a particular stress was resolved, the related disease often cleared up.
When we learned of the possible connection between specific stresses and diseases, we concluded that if it was true, it would be presented in Scripture. We went to the powerful Sermon on the Mount, and there we saw that Jesus explained seven specific areas of stress: anger, guilt, lust, bitterness, greed, fear, and envy. Then we realized that there are seven primary systems of the human body and saw further evidence throughout Scripture and medical science that there is a direct correlation between these stresses and the bodily systems. This is further explained in the book How to Resolve 7 Deadly Stresses.
Stresses Related to
Bodily Systems
1. Anger — the cardiovascular system
2. Guilt — the nervous system
3. Lust — the endocrine system
4. Bitterness — the digestive system
5. Greed — the immune system
6. Fear — the respiratory system
7. Envy — the musculoskeletal system
These mental stresses are one of five major causes of diseases. Therefore, we cannot conclude that if a person has a specific disease, that they automatically have the related stress. However, each person with a disease can determine within themselves whether there is a connection between the stress and the disease.
Next » Conquering Stress