All too often we take our blessings for granted and most of the time we do not even realize it. When we do notice these things, it is because we have fallen into a time of misfortune in which we are missing those blessings such as our health, family support, or even a steady paycheck. I want to encourage you to look into your life right now and find the blessings that God has bestowed upon you and thank Him for those things in this very moment. I, myself, thank the Lord for my health, the fact that I woke up this morning, the ability to care for my family, and my ministry.
One of the things many of us in this day and age tend to overlook is our health. I know that I have even been guilty of this. You get so busy with work, kids, social media, paying the bills, taking care of others that you tend to disregard the base of all of these tasks.
You must realize that being able to do all of these things for others is dependent on your health and abilities. If you do not take care of the body God has blessed you with and its health, then how do you expect to fulfill your other Christian duties for others? How can you effectively share the gospel and God’s everlasting love if you cannot function? Don’t get me wrong, it is good to be selfless.
The Word tells us in 1 Timothy 5:8, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” This scripture in itself tells us of our responsibilities to take care of our family and household and the severity of its importance. Sometimes we take this a bit too far and forget that we need to take care of our own health also (Check out health sharing plans). How can you care for others and your household if you are too sick?
The Lord also tells us in 1 Timothy 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”
Our bodies are not our own. We were created and bought for a price, “the precious blood of Jesus.” So, how then can you honor God and glorify Him with your body if you are running it ragged to the point of exhaustion on a constant basis, never giving it rest or nutrition that it needs? Is that truly honoring God? Do you think He is happy with the way you are treating the body that He gave you?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should follow the ways of the world and this “selfie” obsessed generation and become self-absorbed. No, that is the opposite of what I’m saying and what God is saying to us. We need to honor our Creator by taking good care of what He has given us in this life. He has given you the ability to see and read this article. Perhaps He has given you the ability to walk and therefore exercise. Has He blessed you to be in a country that offers healthy food options instead of junk? Then show the Lord that you honor Him by using what He has provided you with and taking care of your bodies. This way you can bring more honor and glory to God’s name by going out into the world as a vibrant, able-bodied Christian and give your testimony, help others in need, preach the Word, volunteer in missions (at home and abroad), or even just show God’s love to someone who may have never seen it before.
Can you stand before your Creator and tell Him that you have taken care of this body you are in right now? If not, then I challenge you to stop what you are doing (finish this article of course) and create a plan to get yourself into better health. Fuel your body with good nutrition not just fast food and sodas. Get up and move around and exercise. Rest your body when it’s needed. (Eating healthy leads to more energy.) Show God how much you love and appreciate Him by caring for what He has blessed you with.
God bless you a lot for this beautiful write up about caring for our bodies, so as to be fit and able to do God’s work in every facet. Lots of Christians neglects caring for themselves even when they are broken in health. Many are expecting a miraculous healing but I believe that being able to care for one’s self through healthy diets and regular exercises is no doubt an unconscious miracle.