Written by Débora Rodrigo de Racancoj
My daughter has always been a very healthy little girl. Thankfully, we have had to go to the doctor with her only a few times. She almost never complains of stomachaches, headaches, earaches or any other ache. Even when she was a baby, I rarely heard the characteristic cry of pain as in the first few months of life.
On one occasion, I remember her playing with her hands, smiling and babbling happily as babies do when they are happy. As a mother, I could not resist caressing her face, and then I realized that her temperature was not normal; it was warmer than it should be. Immediately I put the thermometer on her, and she had a fever! How could she not complain and play merrily as if nothing was wrong?
Our spiritual health is often similar. At times, entertained and distracted by the chores of our lives, we cease to take care of our spiritual health and we neglect ourselves, thinking that we are healthy since we do not feel any big worrying symptoms. We ignore the rising degrees of "spiritual fever" that will cause problems if we do not treat them in time.
We may have a close friend or relative who perceives those small symptoms and has the courage to make us aware of them. But the truth is that the first one responsible for checking the health of our spirit is our self. So we should have the "spiritual thermometer" on hand and check our symptoms regularly.
We are spiritually healthy when we are a welcoming home for the Holy Spirit, who lives within us. If this happens, the fruits of the Spirit, as the fruits that they are, will spring up and develop naturally in our day to day lives. We will be loving women, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled (Gal. 5:22-23). Are you failing in any of these attributes? Maybe this is the symptom you needed to see in order to start taking the "medicine" you need.
Observe your behavior and the way you talk and treat others. Look for the fruits of the Spirit in them. If they do not come easily, you should probably do a spiritual checkup. Do not let your illness advance!