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.
[1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV]
[1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV]
It is amazing how many Christians out there are not taking care of themselves, and clearly feel terrible for it. Anyone can see this in a person who does not take good care of him/herself from the way they look and the way they carry themselves. You cannot look great if you do not feel great, how you feel will show up somewhere; in your body language, the dull look in your eyes, or even the tone of your skin. Often times it seems people plan to take care of themselves some other day.
There are many reasons why a person will not take good care of him/herself.
- Some do not know how to take care of their physical bodies; bad diets, misinformation and easy access to junk food can jeopardize a person's physical body.
- Poor self Image can cause a person to give up on taking care of him/herself. By setting standards of the perfect person in one's mind, it is easy to constantly feel short of that standard. There's need to reset that internal picture of what an ideal self image looks like.
- Some have become pathologically selfless, thereby become addicted to being selfless even at the detriment of one's well being. It makes the person feel important and valued. Being selfless is not bad but when it begins to take the toll of suffering it is no longer virtue.
- When a person loses support, by not having a good social network or godly foundation to keep the spirit high, it becomes easy to slip into boredom, loneliness and depression. Maintaining a good support network is an important way to prevent bad habits.
Today we are reminded that God dwells in those who believe in Him. Our bodies is our God-given instrument for experiencing life on Earth and for doing God's work. It is the home of your spirit where God dwells and to do the work you were meant to do, you need to keep it in shape. If you let your body get too shabby or sick, it will be a constant distraction as you will not be able to experience the presence of God, His joy and peace in fullness without being pulled aside by the condition of your body. God calls us to cast all our cares upon Him and take good care of His temple.
Prayer: Dear Lord, grant me the motivation and understanding always to take care of my body and not ignore it like I tend to do. Open my eyes to more wisdom on how to take care of my body, and make me fit for your purpose here on it. Dear Lord apply me to all you have called me to do here on earth in full health I pray in Jesus name.
One Year Bible Reading Plan: Nov. 2, 2010 - Psalm 15-16 (OT) , Revelations 14 (NT)
