At the end of the movie, the film’s two wildly adventurous uncles have died in an attempt to fly their biplane upside-down through their barn door. When the local sheriff breaks the news to their nephew, Walter, the sheriff says, “They had a good, long run. They went out with their boots on.” A young boy who had heard stories of the uncles’ adventures turns to Walter and asks, “They really lived?” His response: “Yeah. They really lived!”

In the last few years, the word “wellness” has become fairly trendy, so it’s important to know what it means. The dictionary defines wellness as “a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease,” but there’s more to it than that. Wellness isn’t just about the absence of sickness; it’s about “really living,” and pursuing excellence in every area of life by giving God total access and control.

What I believe and teach is that God made us to be five-dimensional beings—spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, relational—and that our relative health in each of these dimensions will determine how well we live.

Let’s examine each one and find out how to really live our lives!

1. Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness can only be experienced through a connection to Jesus and by being controlled by the Holy Spirit. In His Word, God tells us to abide in Him, surrender to Him, and to serve Him and others. This can only be accomplished through our intentional pursuit of Christ on a daily basis.

Take a look at the chart on the right. Each verse listed tells us a specific truth about real wellness. Regarding the spiritual dimension, the verses tell us that it’s not our life to live, but God’s life to live through us. We see that we are “dead to sin” but “alive to Christ” and that we must deny ourselves and follow in His footsteps in order to be spiritually well.

2. Mental Wellness
Many people think about mental health in terms of continuous learning and academia, but true mental wellness involves having the mind of Christ. It implies a purity and purpose of thought, and it indicates a surrendering of our personal will to the direction of God.

The verses listed under mental wellness tell us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, to take every thought captive, to set our minds on heavenly things, and to meditate on His statutes. We are called to protect our minds from the garbage of the world and, instead, to fill it with the righteousness of God.

3. Physical Wellness
Just because we look healthy on the outside doesn’t mean we’re healthy on the inside. Even if we’re not sick, it doesn’t mean we’re fully well. Optimal physical wellness requires proper fuel, training and rest.

The Bible tells us several things about physical wellness. The verses listed tell us that physical training has value, a disciplined routine is a must, and that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit.

4. Emotional Wellness
Being emotionally well goes beyond just managing stress. Ultimately, our words, attitudes and actions are great indicators of our emotional condition as they reveal what’s really going on inside of us.

The verses in the emotional category tell us that we must let no unwholesome words come out of our mouths and that we should let love, joy, peace and patience ooze out of us, especially when we’re under pressure.

5. Relational Wellness
True relational wellness is about being right with God and others. We all have to handle conflicts with others, but we don’t have to be controlling, manipulative or judgmental when doing so. Healthy relationships are characterized by devotion, serving and humility.

According to the relational verses, forgiveness, grace, mercy and love are the cornerstones in this area.

Self-Assessment
Now that you know more about true wellness, take a few minutes and do an honest self-evaluation. On a scale of 1 to 5, how are you doing in each dimension? Being honest in your answers might just help you take the right actions to get on the road to a full life—one in which you are able to “really live!”

Medical Disclaimer: All information in this article is of a general nature and is furnished for your knowledge and understanding only. For serious health symptoms, always consult a physician or health professional.