Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Cor 3:16)
As a writer and editor, I live a sedentary lifestyle. I sit all day, staring at a computer screen. I have to make a concerted effort to get up and move, and I fail at this most of the time. I have a FitBit that will buzz at me once an hour for twelve hours to remind me to move if I have sat too long. The bad thing is that I tend to ignore it.
One of the best methods I’ve found to motivate myself is to get up in the mornings and walk my dog. Lilly loves to walk and is often up before I am. I hear her nails clicking on the hardwood floor as she comes into my room to wake me up. When I walk with Lilly, I feel better, both physically and mentally.
I believe that the Lord wants us to take care of our bodies, whether that’s by eating healthy or exercising or both. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul writes, “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.”
I’m far from perfect in these areas as I love chocolate too much and don’t like exercise, well, at all. Exercising feels like a chore. It’s just something to be completed on my to-do list.
Recently, I decided to start listening to podcasts on my walks. I allow myself to listen to these podcasts only when I walk or when I’m working around the house. In other words, I have to be moving. Listening to writing podcasts takes the chore of walking and turns it into a productive time of learning. Sometimes, I listen to worship music, which again turns a chore into a fun time of praise and worship. The last few weeks, I have walked with a friend, and our time together has been uplifting and encouraging. All of these activities lift my spirits, and I see the results as I feel better and have a more positive attitude.
Until recently, I didn’t connect my struggles to eat healthy and exercise with a spiritual battle. Now, I realize that my spiritual health is often reflected in the food and exercise choices I make. If I am stressed, I eat. If I am happy, I eat. If I long for companionship, I eat. Instead of turning to the Lord with my anxiousness, praise, and loneliness, I turn to food for fulfillment. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” When we focus our thoughts on God, we can allow him to help us make better choices – not just in food and exercise, but in all areas of life.
Dear Jesus, thank you for the words in Scripture that urge me to take care of the body you’ve given me. Please forgive me for turning to food instead of you. Help me to redirect my focus onto you. Amen.