Denise wakes up to the sound of her alarm clock at six a.m. Even before she shuts it off, she begins her inventory. She stretches, noting that her shoulder isn’t as sore as it was yesterday. She slides a foot out of bed. Yup, there’s definately a sore spot in her arch too. She shuts off the alarm and heads for the coffee pot. As she pours her first cup, she wonders if drinking coffee predisposes one to cancer. As she takes her morning vitamins, she questions if she’s taking everything she should. There’s a daily vitamin, vitamin B blend for energy, St. John’s Wort for anxiety–but is it the right brand? Did she hear that Nature’s Abundance is best or was it Good Green Healthy that Sarah recommended?

As she drove out the suburb for her day’s work at the outlet mall, she wondered if she should call the doctor’s office again. She seemed to be fatigued all the time. Maybe it was mono. Maybe she should be taking iron supplements. After all, she told herself, better to catch something early than to wait until too late to do anything.

If we could monitor Denise’s daily thought patterns, even she would be surprised how much she contemplates her physical health. She takes many preventative measures to stay in optimal condition, calls her doctor at the slightest strain of muscle, and hopes that one day her doctor will find whatever condition she’s sure she has. Never mind that Denise is a healthy 32 year old woman and her doctor can find nothing wrong with her. Never mind that every time she calls his office, his receptionist rolls her eyes before she picks up the phone with the all-too-familiar number on the screen. If half the people the doctor currently treats could improve to Denise’s health, the doctor would count himself a miracle worker. But she lives her life always on the alert for anything about her physical health that could be fixed.

Denise is considered a hypochondriac, someone abnormally anxious about their health. She spends more time fearing health issues that could arise than being grateful for what she has. She plies her doctor with questions about how to fix little problems, like sore knees, and he wishes he could professionally advise her to not fixate on trivial matters like that.

Within the church, we take preventative measures to make sure we stay healthy. We teach from the Word, practice it and believe it, but sometimes our spiritual mentality falls closer to Denise’s physical mentality than we would like to realize. We may over-analyze ourselves–are we selfish? Do we need to work on being more servantly? Should we do a 30 day Bible study on pride and invite accountability partners?

Of a truth, we “have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.” Scripture indicates that while we can live above sin, in our humanity, we are also prone to falling. This is much the same as a child learning to walk; they focus on taking the next step, not at the cracks in the sidewalk to distract them. They take the next step.

While there may be times that all those spiritual disciplines are necessary, I do not believe we should be fixating on our spiritual health as priority. We should be fixating on Jesus, allowing Him to grow us, not fretting about all the little things that should be fixed. We don’t find out the exact moment a cell divides, our nails grow, and our body absorbs nutrients. Nor do we need to. We don’t know the instant our faith is stretched or our selfishness withers. Growth happens as we focus on life, not on sickness.

In the same way, focusing on slight ills can actually keep us from growth. How about rather than obsess that you worry, turn to Jesus and rejoice that you have a confidante and a sovereign Lord in control of your life? How about instead of fret over lack of patience (“I’ve just got to slow down and be more understanding of others”) how about we thank God that He has the patience for us when we lean into His character? How about we focus on taking the next step instead of the little things that distract us? It is then that we will take our eyes off ourselves and focus on the greatness of our Lord.

When our eyes are on ourselves, Christianity is a me-centered philosophy and not a saving grace. When our eyes are on ourselves, Christianity becomes a self-improvement program, not a way to share Jesus with others. God is so much bigger and He deserves our focus.

As you see character flaws, address them, yes. But do not go around looking for them, like a spiritual to-do list. Christianity is not “Seven Steps to a Better You.” Christianity is falling in love with the character of God and leading others to Him. When we anxiously review our spiritual condition and search for areas in which to improve, our focus is misguided. Let’s gaze upon Jesus and as we behold His glory, we will absorb His likeness. We should not have an obsession with our character flaws and our self-improvement lists, like a nervous hypochondriac. Instead, let us be the un-selfconscious toddler excited with new strides. God desires our focus and through a proper focus, our thriving growth.