Have you ever started to choke, cough, sweat, impatiently rubbing your behind on the bench, and/or experienced sudden high blood pressure, when the preacher quoted God’s word? If so, you have shown symptoms of a severe disease numerous Christian are suffering from: BRSS – Bible Related Stress Syndrome.

In an unofficial and non-representative survey 50% of all believers I have asked, suffered from this disease already. Many were able to relate to the very verse, which caused these stress symptoms in me.

1 Cor 6,19 „Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?“

At the time, I was first confronted with this verse, I have been a Christian only for a few months. During 11 plus years of depression I gained in total about 150 kg in weight. (If you are choking now, it is not BRSS.) Looking down at me, there was nothing I would consider a worthy temple for the Holy Spirit. Some leaders were using this verse to me, in order to explain that I would need to lose weight. At least this is what I was hearing. „If you do not lose weight right away, you’ll never be a worthy temple of the Holy Spirit!“

For years, I could not get over it.

Finally, last Christmas the miracle happened. I started reading the ONE NEW MAN BIBLE. It has an extremely well written glossary, explaining the Jewish roots of many words and their actual meaning.

It hit me like lightning. This stressful verse actually is an expression of God’s love. HE, the creator of heaven and earth, and everything that breathes, considers me worthy enough to let HIS spirit dwell in me. How cool is this?! He considers me worthy and He loves me.

Maybe, just maybe – if I got this verse wrong, those leaders actually meant the verse as a motivation to care better for myself. And maybe, just maybe – they already knew this verse is an expression of our heavenly Father’s love.

I felt the urge to repent for misunderstanding Him; and did so. Having disconnected myself from this misunderstanding, I invited HIS truth into my heart.

Every day since then, my eating habits changed for the better. Instead of swallowing 5 rolls for breakfast, 2 were enough. Lunch consisted of some fruit. Dinner also ended at a reasonable volume. Most of the days at least. Last night we had a Shabbat dinner at our house. Lot’s of great food. Fantastic wine. I good only one plate of food, instead of two or three. Sipped at the wine only. – I pray this wonderful effect of understanding His love for me continues and even grows, in order for every day to become like most of the days.

Preparing a morning devotion for the ministry in Hamburg, I read a verse in 1 Cor 6 that made me laugh: 13a „Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods.“ How about this as an excuse to start eating without self-control? Well, you better read verse 12 too. „All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.“ Eating is fine, but letting your life be under the power of it is totally uncool.

So, here is the cure for BRSS: Reevaluate your understanding of scripture that bothers you. Give God some credit that he means well with you. Ask His Holy Spirit to relate the true meaning to you. Give those people some credit, which have thrown stressful verses at you. Maybe, just maybe, they meant well too. Try a different translation of the Bible.

And after all: Be patient with yourself and do not condemn yourself for getting it wrong. Love yourself as HE loves you.