I am guilty of using phrases like, “Once I get stronger or skinnier” or “Once I achieve x… I’ll be happy.” Most of us are familiar with phrases like these… We get consumed with how we look, how much money we make, what people think of us, and so on, but what we don’t realize is how limiting that is! It’s not only placing limits on what can make us happy, but it’s placing limits on a good and faithful God.
In the same way that our minds can limit us, so can our bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."
We were bought at a price! God loved each of us so much that He sent His one and only son to die in our place. (1 John 4:10) The love that God has for us is something we shouldn’t take for granted. We can never repay God, or even come close to “earning” the love he has for us, but we can strive to live a life that brings glory and praise to him. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
One of the ways we can do this is by living a “Holy” lifestyle. Living a Holy lifestyle essentially means that you live “set-apart”. We have the opportunity to dedicate our lives to God and become separated from what is unholy through him. Though, there are many ways to live “set-apart”, I challenge you to focus in on living healthy and stewarding your body well.
We live in a world that is full of toxic diet culture and fitness fanatics with “quick fixes”, but what if we made the decision to be different; to be set-apart? Being healthy has many components, but there are 3 routine habits we can’t ignore: Eating, Exercising, and Sleeping.
Eating: Instead of trying a new diet out of punishment for what you ate yesterday, find food that nourishes your body! God intended for food to sustain, fuel, and energize our bodies so that we are able to fully live.
Exercising: Instead of viewing “fitness” as a box that needs to be checked first thing in the morning, view it as a form of worship. Move your body because you find joy in the movement, and not because you want to like what you see in the mirror. Allow exercise to be an expression of your gratitude for the gift God has given you - your body!
Sleeping: Instead of having the mindset, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”, take time to rest when you need it! Sleep lowers your risk of serious health problems, reduces stress, improves your mood, and helps support your immune system (among many other things). This God-gifted activity is needed for survival!
Eating, Exercising, and Sleeping are just a few “stewarding” decisions you have control over on a daily basis. Allow these daily decisions to turn into healthy habits, and remember; Living Healthy is Holy.
