The Healthy Spiritual Journey • July 2026: The Spirit Factor

“… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23a

It is an honor for me to be a member of the “Coalition for Physician & APP (Advanced Practice Provider) Well-Being” board. This summer, we are hosting our sixteenth Joy & Wholeness Summit to foster clinician well-being through a series of presentations – followed by reflection, reconnection, and collective renewal. Many organizations are helping to do the same, admitting that caregivers cannot be exceptional at helping others if we are not exceptional at helping ourselves. At the Coalition, we define well-being in terms of wholeness – the state of being complete, unbroken, and undivided. Unlike some definitions of well-being, ours does not just include the body and the mind, but The Spirit Factor as well.  

The importance of The Spirit Factor was made clear by Dr. Harold Koenig at the Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health. They found that approximately 80% of patients with serious illnesses rely on spirituality to cope, and a significant number of patients actively desire that their spiritual needs be addressed during their clinical care. My faith tradition, Christianity, is not the only spiritual lens through which The Spirit Factor can be utilized. There are many ways of approaching spiritual health that are not religious, including meditation and mindfulness. Thus, my reflection and recommendations to follow are only a small part of an important conversation about The Spirit Factor.

The Christian Apostle Paul introduces us to The Spirit Factor when he lists “the fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These virtues can yield a harmonious expression of well-being which humans can use to radiate God’s presence. The Spirit Factor is the quiet, transformative work which allows God to be visible through us. It is said that we are God’s hands, feet and voice in the world. Our spirits can be healthier when we acknowledge what Christians call “the Holy Spirit” within us. In so doing, we are better able to share the fruit of the Spirit, those powerful virtues. When God’s work, with the help of the Holy Spirit, becomes our work, we and those for whom we give care are better for it. It’s a win-win! 

The Spirit Factor begins with love. When we try to emulate God’s love, it changes how we see people, how we respond to challenges, and how we understand ourselves. Joy is the deep assurance that God is present and at work even when life feels heavy. Peace, patience, kindness, and generosity can shape our interactions so that our lives become a blessing rather than a burden to others. Faithfulness and gentleness anchor us and remind us that quiet strength is powerful. Finally, self-control helps us to make the right life-choices. When we welcome the Holy Spirit to work within us, the virtues we share can bless our families, our communities, and our world. The Spirit Factor adds harmony to a healthy body and healthy mind – joy and wholeness are the result – and these virtues will become manifest: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You can’t go wrong! 

In God’s love,

Lanny F. Wilson, MD

"Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit." B.K.S. Iyengar – Yoga Master