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
Can you honestly say you are doing everything you can to take care of yourself? Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we were bought with a price. We are special and set apart in the eyes of God. We need to start viewing our bodies the same way God does. Look at the verse above and really ponder what it means for a moment.
Since I have gotten married I have not consistently worked out or eaten healthy. Life gets crazy busy and I’m sure I’m not the only one who has figured this out. If we do some soul searching, we may discover what is stealing our joy is more than just what we consume.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:26-27
I was driving to work this morning worrying about some situations Garrett and I are currently facing. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flock of birds flying and was reminded of the reassuring verse above. Jesus gave us this instruction on worrying. If Jesus instructed us not to worry, we should probably listen don’t you think?
Worrying can affect your sleep, eating habits, relationships, your job performance, and steal your joy. Instead of worrying we should pray and let God know what is troubling us and thank Him for who He is. Then we will receive a reassuring peace that surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)
“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:15
In the verse above Jesus tells us if we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us. If we hold a grudge towards someone it doesn’t hurt them at all; it only steals our joy. If you realize you’re harboring an offense, my advice would be to ask God to give you the strength to forgive them and make peace.
Here is my list of 10 steps to a better you:
- Make peace with others – it only steals your joy if you don’t. This applies for giving and receiving forgiveness even if the other person doesn’t change.
- Eat fewer sweets – you can still eat sweets just not excessively.
- Drink more water – instead of sugary drinks (pop) wasting calories. It’s okay to drink pop if you must. Try to limit how many per day/week.
- Get out in the fresh air – go for a walk at sunset or drink some tea on the front porch. You may see neighbors you didn’t know you had.
- Sleep – if you can’t get enough sleep throughout the week because of obligations, make sure you sleep in on the weekend.
- Stop overeating – you don’t need to eat portions that are for two of you. Don’t eat until it hurts. This means your stretching your stomach to its limits.
- Manage the madness – prioritize your plans for the day or week and set reminders on your phone.
- Exercise – you don’t have to hit the gym to do this. You can go walking or take the stairs more instead of the elevator.
- Take some “me time” – take a bubble bath, or read a good book.
- Stop worrying – trust God to do what only He can do. Rest in His peace.
If you don’t take care of yourself no one will. God won’t force-feed you vegetables, make you manage your time better, or tie you to a treadmill (I wish He would sometimes). It’s completely up to you as to the quality of life you choose and whether you follow God’s command about caring for yourself.
Lord, forgive us for taking our bodies and well-being for granted at times. Please reveal to us what is stealing our joy and show us how to best take care of ourselves. Thank You that we are loved and treasured by You. We give our worries and fears to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.