Who Me?
Major changes take place when Jesus becomes Lord of your life. One of the most significant changes, yet often overlooked, is the fact that your body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit.
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
The truth and reality of this verse should be a motivation for you to take care of your physical body. Engaging in physical activity, eating well, drinking lots of water, being free from drugs and other addictions, and getting plenty of sleep are a few key behaviors that contribute to good health.
Yet keeping up the willpower and strength to engage in these healthy behaviors can be difficult. While there are various reasons, it could be because your focus is your behavior instead of the God who now lives inside you.
“You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)
Jesus Endured the Cross
How often and how deeply do you dwell on the cross and on what Jesus had to physically endure? How frequently are you grateful for the physical sacrifice that Jesus made for you? Paul writes the following…
“As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross my interest in this world has been crucified.” (Galatians 6:14)
While there was certainly a spiritual battle going on, Jesus could have never endured the agony and suffering of the cross without having the physical strength to do so. It should cause us to ask ourselves if there are endeavors we might be spiritual fit for, but we don’t have the physical strength for them.
There are endless resources about choosing nutritious foods, about engaging in exercise, and about habits that are conducive to physical wellness. But those instructions carry no power. They are merely facts.
Paul preached that there is power in the cross, even though it seemed foolish to others. It’s in the cross that the spiritual power of God is released into the lives.
“It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21, 23)
The Reason People Fail
Dietary, physical activity, and other health-related guidelines are there to direct us and provide us with the means to be healthy. Where many of us fail is that we make following these guidelines like laws. We try to live according to these “laws” independent of our relationship with Jesus. And so we fail time and time again in our attempts to engage in healthy behaviors.
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Make the Most of What You Have
The fact is God’s Spirit lives within us, and it’s his Spirit who gives us the grace and spiritual power to make healthy choices. This understanding is key to experiencing the fullness of God’s power in all aspects of our lives.
Our desire to be healthy should not be rooted in ego or self-centeredness, but in making the most out of glorifying God through using our natural gifts and talents to their highest potential.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10)
The beautiful thing is that healthy choices and behaviors will benefit our being used by God. As God moves within us by his Spirit to do something, we will have the strength and capability to do it!
Timely