Spiritual Wellness for Working Professionals

Introduction by Host: Dr. Gee

We are discussing spiritual wellness for working professionals this week on Thriving Generation with Dr. Gee. Do you want to know how the Holy Spirit of God can help you thrive professionally? How can we stay balanced as Christians and as successful working professionals? Helping with this important discussion is our special guest, Pastor John Essegbey.

Guest Bio

Pastor John Essegbey is a Thriving Brother, Electrical Engineer at Cummins Inc., Entrepreneur, and a Minster of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Q: What is spiritual wellness?

(How can we do well in our jobs and in our spiritual wellness?)

I want to start with pointing out that it is easy to relate to physical wellness, since the effects are clearly and immediately visible, but spiritual wellness is very abstract. I want to help people understand what spiritual wellness is. To use an example from my engineering background, there is a difference between observability and controllability.

Sometimes, you have a box and you do not know what is happening on the inside, but you can see what happens outside of it. You can then infer what is happening on the inside. That is observability. Controllability is when you change the effects of a system by manipulating the system itself.

You do not see your spirit, but you do see your body. If you are able to use these everyday understandings, and understand that there are things that you do not see, spiritual wellness becomes more manageable. Pay attention to the things you can observe and what changes spiritually when you make alterations to your physical body and you will be able to assess your spiritual wellness.

Q: Why is spiritual wellness important today?

To paraphrase what Paul wrote, physical exercise helps only a little, but spiritual exercise is profitable for the here and the hereafter. So, if I am minded about how I am doing physically, then I should also be minded about how I am doing spiritually. It has benefits both in the present and in the future. To use an example, an athlete who is training is benefitting from training now, but they have their sights set on the medal at the end.

Q: How can we stay spiritually fit?

There is no one way to stay spiritually fit, but there are some general things that will help us. The two basic things to do are read your Bible and pray every day if you want to grow spiritually. The Bible should be your primary source of spiritual nutrition. Even if you do not remember much of what you read, keep reading The Word. When you start working out, you do not notice yourself gaining strength right away.

Beyond that, we should listen to Spirit-inspired messages from spiritual leaders. Read widely, but be mindful of the books you read. Even if a message seems good or unharmful, it may not be the best thing to dwell on. You can have a little bit of sugar, but having it in excess is harmful to your physical health. Make time for your spiritual health. Set time to read your Bible and to pray. If you are not intentional about making time for this, you will stagnate.

Prioritize going to church. Be a part of small groups in order to discuss the Word of God. We are more effective when we work in teams, both professionally and spiritually. Your spirit will benefit from belonging to spiritual teams. Find places to belong and to serve.

Q: How can we evaluate our spiritual health?

Ask yourself, “Are the Fruits of the Spirit being made visible through me?” The Bible says, through our fruits, people will know we are Christians. If there is love, joy, patience, etc. in your life, then we know your spiritual health is doing well. If not, then you need to judge why that would be.

Q: How do we react to those who do not follow Christ be seem to be spiritually well?

A thing cannot exist outside of its source. If you take a fish out of water, it still will exhibit signs of life for a time. Eventually, if it is not put back in its proper source, it will die. People may appear to be doing well without following Christ, but when challenges come, they will not exhibit the Fruits of the Spirit. They may keep an appearance of wellness for a time, but it is not a sustainable way to live.

Closing Thoughts

God longs to be in a relationship with you. Take advantage of the Holy Spirit. Talk to Him. As you spend more and more time with God, grace and peace will increase within you. As you learn to walk with him and listen to Him, ask Him for help in order to thrive in your spiritual life!