Does joy actually have healing properties as the bible suggests?

[jennifer_bloom]

I've been doing loving kindness meditation more than usual this week and I can see God removing emotional scars from my spirit. This is great cause its way cheaper then therapy.

[BCRanger10]

According to the Modern Catholic Dictionary, "joy" is defined thusly...

"In spiritual literature, the feeling aroused by the expectation or possession of some good. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Joyful emotions affect the body, but they are essentially in the higher faculties of the soul. Differs from pleasure, which may affect the human spirit but originates in some bodily sensation. Thus joy is possessed by angels and human beings, and its source is the rational will."

Joy is persistent, whereas pleasure is only temporary. It's possible for a faithful Christian to be joyful, but not necessarily in a good mood. We have our redemption and the hope of salvation in Christ, the knowledge of which ought to produce a sense of persistent joy. But we still have bad days. We get sick, our kids shriek for hours on end in the middle of the night for no reason (*coughcoughmydaughtercough*), but joy helps to make things like that bearable.

And if you look at studies, people who are happier age better, are less stressed, and are generally healthier. I don't know how much that does anything in the way of healing from injury or illness, but I'd think there has to be some connection or influence.

[BCRanger10]

Thank you for MHO 🙌

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Science says so too. It's not all fully understood but mood and attitude have been shown to have an undeniable impact on health.

Yet another thing the Bible correctly predicted.

[Mybeachlife8888]

The Bible and religion is just a way to enslave and control society.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Mybeachlife8888 religion has been adulterated overtime by governments to those ends. The purpose of religion is much more profound and important.

One day it will be clear to average people because the same thing they did to religion is happening to science right now. It's happened as far back as the days where the shape of the earth was a debate which could see you beheaded and it happens today where scientists are ostracized for rejecting or criticizing string theory, climate science and until recently, microplastics. That's just naming a few.

Anything can be turned into a cult to control thousands or even millions of people at a time. When your opinion of something comes from knowledge rather than genuine understanding, it's much harder to see.

[Dargil]

I definitely think it can.