John Wesley had a strong interest in health and wellness. He believed that God is a God who wants to give us inward and outward health. God is the one who heals the body and the soul. In 1747, he wrote a book entitled, ‘Primitive Physic: An Easy and Natural Method of Curing Most Diseases’ to help the poor access healthcare without relying on expensive physicians. Shaped in the 18th century, some of his health advices may not be accurate today, but many of his health principles still offer relevant wisdom for us in the 21st century.
Wesley believed in caring for the whole of the person: body, mind and spirit. For Wesley, health and wellness wasn’t just about the absence of illness—it was about living a life of balance, discipline, purpose, and service in accordance to God’s will. Wellness is a form of holiness, as we care for both the body and the soul which God has entrusted to us.
Wesley paid attention to rest, exercise and diet. Self-discipline is needed to achieve a holistic lifestyle.
Rest:
Wesley’s understanding of health is a unity of both physical and spiritual aspects. His advice was to go to bed early and rise early by keeping regular sleep habits. We are to work diligently but are to avoid overworking.
Rest and recreation are part of honouring God, and not self-indulgence.
Apart from physical rest, we find true rest in God our Creator. True rest and healing begin in a relationship with Jesus, not in remedies. Finding rest in God means trusting Him in all circumstances and being thankful. Let’s spend time with God and enjoying Him through prayers, worship and reading His Word.
“Give me a calm and thankful heart, From every murmur free; The blessings of Thy grace impart, And make me live to Thee.” (Hymn by Charles Wesley)
Application: Let us find rest in Jesus. Let Jesus restore you from the inside out.
Exercise:
Wesley believed in honouring the body through small, daily actions. He recommended doing daily physical activity, breathing fresh air and drinking clean water. To him, walking is the best exercise with sunlight and fresh air.
“A due degree of exercise is indispensably necessary to health and long life.” – John Wesley
Application: Make one intentional choice today to honour your body.
Diet:
Wesley recommended simple diet for good digestion. Eat moderately and avoid overeating, abstaining from highly seasoned food and excessive drinking. Our physical health enables us to serve God and others more fully and with joy.
Application: Choose to take something nourishing for your body.
Emotional Wellness:
Wesley recognized that anger, bitterness, fear, and anxiety could damage both body and soul. He encouraged believers to seek emotional healing through: Confessing of sins to God and to pray to God, to practise forgiveness to others, and to have accountability with fellow Christians. To find satisfaction in God rather than on materialistic things.
Application: Identify one emotion that you have been carrying. Surrender it honestly to God in prayers.
Preventive:
Our bodies are gifts from God and therefore we ought to take extra care of it. Wesley emphasized that we should take preventive measures through cultivating good habits, rather than doing something about it only when illness strikes. Good habits include taking care of personal hygiene, cleanliness and exercise can help to prevent illnesses.
If our lifestyle is not intentionally managed, it can cause physical illness and also spiritual weakness. Wellness, according to Wesley, is not about living a self-indulgent lifestyle but it is about living with discipline for the glory of God. Wesley cared for his health so that he could care for others. When we are healthy and well, we are more able to love and help others.
“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV).
By taking care of our body, we are honouring God and showing him gratitude for the excellent gift He has blessed us with.
“Use all the means which God has put into your hands for the preservation of your health.” – Wesley, Primitive Physic
Application: Make one change to protect your long-term health (limit sugary foods, take a break from screens).
Wesley’s vision of health wellness is about faithful stewardship, intentional living, and loving service to others. Through small daily habits, we can cultivate a life that is vibrant, healthy, holy, and God-honouring.
Reference:
- Rev. Joe Iovino, “Wesley and Physical Health: Practicing What He Preached,” ResourceUMC, July 2016, accessed October 22, 2025, https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/wesley-and-physical-health-practicing-what-he-preached.
- North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church, “Taking Care of Yourself in the Way of John Wesley,” news article, January 29, 2019, accessed October 22, 2025, https://ntcumc.org/news/taking-care-of-yourself-in-the-way-of-john-wesley.