Is it possible that God will send you a sign through the way your body feels? According to Scripture, yes, this is possible.
However, to truly know if these 6 signs relate to you, you will really need to pray about it. Don’t just assume you feel a certain way because God is trying to send you a message. Sometimes it’s just us living on a broken planet with broken bodies.
With that said, at other times, your body will be reacting in a certain way because God truly is trying to send you a sign. Therefore, here are 6 physical signs God is speaking to you.
1. A Lack of Sleep Can Mean God Is Saying Something to You
Throughout the Scriptures, sleep is seen as a gift from God and a sign that one is resting in his peace. Thus, a lack of sleep is often a sign of a troubled spirit. Whether it be because someone has sinned against you or because your own conscience is bothered by personal sin, God is often speaking to us when we have trouble sleeping.
For example, Psalm 4:1-8 states, “You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! . . . Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent . . . In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Distress will keep you from sleep, and distress is a sign you must pray.
Additionally, sometimes a lack of sleep is simply a sign that God wants to spend time with you. Deep gratitude can keep you awake so you can praise the Lord. Psalm 63:5-8 explains:
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”
Lastly, a lack of sleep can be a sign God is preparing you for a trial. Before Jesus went to the cross, he refused to sleep because he knew he needed to prepare through prayer (Matthew 26:40-46).
2. A Lack of Hunger Can Mean God Is Saying Something to You
Throughout the Scriptures, feasting is a sign of joy from the Lord and fasting is often a sign of grief from the Lord. For example, when David sinned with Bathsheba and God caused a sickness on the child due to their lack of favor with him, David was motivated to fast in hopes of helping the child get better. 2 Samuel 12:21-23 then states:
Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, “Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?” But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.’”
David was not motivated to eat when he had a pressing need from the Lord and when he was repenting of sin. But then that season passed, he accepted God’s will, and he found comfort in God’s eternal grace that the child was in heaven and that God would forgive his own sins so he too could be with the Lord forever. Then he ate.
Likewise, Jesus said that when the disciples were happy with him, they were unable to mourn and fast; but when he would be taken from them, then they would mourn and fast. Thus, a lack of hunger so you can fast is often a sign God has laid a heavy burden on you, desiring that you come to him (Matthew 9:15).
3. The Physical Symptoms of Stress Can Mean God Is Saying Something to You
Stress is an internal issue but it often gets expressed through outward signs, like through muscle tightness, nausea, or paralysis. Stress is a sign God is saying something to you. For example, in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Are your muscles tight because you are carrying a heavy burden in your heart? This is a sign Jesus is calling you to himself, for he gives rest and a light burden that will not cause stress. He gives by grace so we can serve and live without thinking it all depends us.
4. An Aching in Your Bones Due to Grief Can Mean God Is Saying Something to You
Worldly grief is unhealthy because it causes us to sulk due to our sin; however, when we are on the wrong road, God will send us a healthy grief that leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). This grief is so heavy you can literally feel it in your bones. Psalm 32:1-5 states:
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
5. A Sickness Can Mean God Is Saying Something to You
This point is probably the one that could be most easily misunderstood and misapplied. Scripture certainly does not say that every sickness we experience is due to God rebuking us or trying to say something to us. So don’t automatically assume you are sick or someone else is sick just because of personal sin or because God is trying to teach you something.
However, there are special times in Scripture and in our own lives where God has chosen to speak to us through a sickness. For example, in regard to taking communion in an unholy manner, 1 Corinthians 11:30 states, “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”
Additionally, James 5:16 implies that there are times a sickness in our lives is due to hidden sin, thus the solution at times will only be found in public confession, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
Lastly, we don’t know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was exactly. However, it’s safe to assume it did cause physical discomfort and pain; and God allowed this to happen to him to help him in a spiritual way (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
6. A Sexual Desire Is Often a Sign God Is Saying Something to You
As humans, it’s natural to have sexual urges. We can misuse these desires, but the desires themselves are not wrong. However, according to Scripture, when we have sexual desires, we are to interpret these desires in specific ways. For example, in 1 Corinthians 7:9, a strong sexual desire is to be interpreted to mean God is calling you to pursue marriage rather than singleness.
Much more could be said on this point. So if you want to keep learning about this topic, here is a related article called 4 Reasons God Is Not Removing Your Desire for Sex.
