When I found myself questioning what our culture portrays about health and fitness I dug into God’s word to find some truth on the matter. I found instructions to care for our bodies in 1 Corinthians and I began to explore what those instructions mean for my life.
It is so important to me that you know that God, doesn’t give us instructions as a way to earn our worth, His love, or our way into heaven. We have all those things in Christ. Rather, the instructions inform us of how to live our best life possible while on earth. God extends guidance to us with love and a desire for us to thrive. He wants to walk with us and strengthen us as we follow through on His instruction. God does not extend condemnation or guilt but instead, He extends open arms and compassion. If He is convicting you about taking care of your body know that he does so with grace, love, and acceptance. The following scriptures are instructions to take good care of our bodies.
“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.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the spirit of God lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
“Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be brought under the control of anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12
Paul is addressing the Corinthians about sexual immorality in the above passages but the principle of honoring God with our bodies goes far beyond running from sexual immorality it also includes practicing regular habits that maintain our health. It is important for us to take care of our bodies (the Holy Spirits Temple) so that we are physically able to do the work God is calling us to do. You need to be healthy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually in order to care of your children and your household, play with your grandchildren, work in your career, or whatever it is that God is calling you to do in this life. To maintain our health it is important for us to increase the things that are healthful in our lives and decrease the things that are not. Here are seven ways to honor God with our bodies and keep ourselves healthy.
Moving your body
Regularly moving our bodies is essential to our health. Staying active keeps our hearts healthy and able to pump oxygen and nutrients through our bodies. It helps maintain healthy blood pressure, cholesterol levels and improves blood sugar regulation. Exercise keeps our muscles and bones strong and contributes to our mental and emotional health as well. There are so many options for body movement; walking, hiking, yard work, yoga, weight training, running, climbing, playing tag with your kids, swimming, skiing, canoeing, snowshoeing, just to name a few. When choosing how to move your body try to include activities that improve your cardiovascular fitness (anything that gets your heart pumping) and activities that improve your muscle strength (anything that makes your muscles sore). What is most important is that you move in a way you enjoy. If you have fun moving your body you will continue to do it. There is no need to spend hours on a treadmill if that is not what you enjoy. Just get out there and move! If you’re ready to get moving check out this Guide to Finding the Right Exercise for YOUR Body.
Drinking enough water
Water is a game changer for me. When I drink enough I feel like Super Mom ready to take on the day and when I don’t I feel like the poor lady with Lupus who needs a nap. Maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but I really think hydration effects me that drastically. Most of the chemical reactions in our bodies take place in water. Water plays a role in energy production, is needed for our bodies to excrete waste properly and regulates our body temperature. Our bodies need us to replace the water that it loses in sweat, urine, and breath. So a very simple way we can take care of ourselves is by drinking a few glasses of water every day. If you’re struggling with this go out and get yourself a new water bottle, fill it up and get drinking. You can always add fruit to your bottle if you need a little flavor.
Eating nutritious foods
Our bodies need many different nutrients in order to function. Therefore, it is important that we have variety in our food choices. We can get the most bang for our buck by eating nutrient-dense foods. We want to include foods with a lot of vitamins and minerals in them like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. We want quality proteins and fats from animal and plant sources. Whole foods are loaded with our essential nutrients and it’s important that we include them in our diets. Foods that are more refined tend to have fewer nutrients in them, However, I firmly believe that all foods have a place in our diet. We don’t need to eliminate our favorite donut in order to have a healthy body. We just want to be mindful of the nutrient density of your foods and include a variety of foods in your day.
Seeking proper medical care and following through
It is vital to our health that we go to our regular check-ups, are honest about our health with our providers, and that we ask questions and take a proactive role in our healthcare. If you have a medical condition it will benefit you to learn about your condition. When you go to appointments make sure you get your questions answered and that you feel comfortable with your treatment plan. Find healthcare providers whom you trust and follow the plan you build with them. Find the best way to remind yourself to take your medications or complete treatments. Lastly, if you have an acute health issue don’t put off seeking medical care. We only get one body and it doesn’t hurt to have insight into our health from healthcare professionals.
Taking action to reduce stress in our lives
This will look different for everyone but the main principle is that you take some time to recharge. If you’re a mommy this might mean that you send Dad to the park with the kiddos so you can have a couple of hours to read a book or do whatever it is that fills your cup. How can you schedule some time for yourself? For many, this is finding ways to create work-life balance. Do you need to say no to some overtime or take a vacation day? Reducing stress in our lives often means that we think through commitments before making them. Does this commitment fit in with my priorities right now? How much time will it take? What will I have to give up in order to do it? We have to learn when we need to say no to something. We also have to learn when we need to say no to someone. Sometimes reducing stress in our lives means getting away from negative people or situations. The bottom line is that it is beneficial to take the time to recognize where stress is coming from in our lives and then create a plan to eliminate it or manage it as best we can.
Avoiding things that are damaging to our bodies
There are many things that are allowed and beneficial when they are in balance that can be detrimental to our health if we let them get out of balance. Some examples include; electronics, alcohol, food, TV, coffee, social media, work, exercise, Netflix, etc. Enjoying a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or an episode on Netflix is not a problem, the problems come when we binge on those things. You may find that you don’t feel well if you do a certain thing (or too much of a certain thing), or eat a certain thing (or too much of a certain thing), so although it’s allowed it isn’t contributing to your health. We want to recognize the things that aren’t serving us and make the decision to moderate them or avoid them if necessary as a way of honoring our health.
I’d love to hear how you honor God by taking care of your body. Let me know in the comments below. Don’t forget to share if this resonates with you!
