Thy Kingdom Come: A Blumhardt Reader - Plough

gether; and whoever would work on one part must takethe other into consideration as well. Whoever would dividebody and soul may be said to commit murder.it seems to be the first concern of the human spiritthat the body quickly become well; whereas, in silence thesoul should thank God that, in its illness, the body had morerest than in its health—indeed, that it again feels more lifeand power than it did in healthy days. But many peoplebecome almost angry over such a consolation; they are sounaccustomed to being still and considering their lives thatthey forcibly push themselves back into the turbulence ofactivity. Yet precisely in this way do they stand in the way oftheir own health at the very moment God would put themunder spiritual restraint, because he does not want themgiven over to destruction.Harm to the body is the judgment upon man’s drivennessof spirit. Wretchedness and darkening of the soul are judgmentsupon the vagabond life of the spirit. Therefore, it isimportant that every sick person who knows Christ shouldnot make it his first impatient wish to become well...[Rather,]he should first hold back his spirit and tame its wildness sothat, through the person’s own will, Christ can truly receivehim and immediately bind him to God and his truth. Thatis to say, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,and then body and soul will become healthy.Being healthy is, to God, the same as being righteous. Ahealthy body, no matter how normal it may be, is not healthy4