Thoughts on the Christian Faith & Healthy Living
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For those who know me well, they know how passionate I am about healthy living! My interest in nutrition & exercise began in middle school/high school as a cheerleader & gymnast. I had a fantastic cheer coach who positively encouraged us in our healthy living pursuits. It continued into college as a cheerleader & dancer & a lover of many health-focused things. I enjoyed running trails in the Mohican State Forest, running road races with friends, & working out whenever possible. When I got married, I began to learn more about the specifics of food & what we were actually consuming. YIKES! Some of it was super good for you, while other items were NO GOOD! I started learning about nitrates, hydrogenated oils, etc… And as our marriage has continued, I have learned more about the food & health connection. Essentially, how we fuel our bodies and the type of fuel we place in our bodies can hurt or help it!
But with all of this being said, there is SO much more to health & wellness than food & exercise. Drinking water, managing stress, and getting good sleep daily is vital for living a healthy life.
Everyone knows that as human beings, we cannot ever get it all right. Something is bound to lack simply due to the fact that we cannot do it all as humans. Even though this might sound discouraging, there is SO MUCH good news!
Our journey to healthy living must begin in the soul/heart. We can have each one of the above in working order, but not have our heart right with God. If this is the case, we are living a healthy lifestyle ALL in vain. There is no purpose, no ultimate goal for what we are pursuing. I would encourage people who want to seek a healthy living lifestyle to first look at their soul.
Do I know the God who created me?
Am I right with Him?
Am I living for His glory?
The Creator is the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. He can heal any pain, redeem broken places, & give joy & hope to our days. But most importantly, He saves us from our own muck & mire! We can seek healthy things, but we cannot make our soul right with God. We need a perfect Savior who can do this! This is the beginning of a healthy life - trusting in our Savior to wipe away our sin & live a life for Him!
In 1 Timothy 4:8, we see that ”for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
How do we see faith and healthy living meshing together?
In Daniel, we see him asking to not eat the King’s food & wine, but eat vegetables. After 10 days, he was healthier & better fed than those who ate the King’s food. Wow! There is something to be said about eating the whole foods that come from the ground that God created. There is plenty of research on the power of fruits & vegetables on the human body. What a blessing that God knew exactly what He was doing when He created them! Eat more plants!
Romans 14.20 says, “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.” This verse MUST be paired with the rest of scripture. God has declared all clean. Therefore, it is okay to occasionally eat potato chips and drink a Coca Cola. For many people, the idea of “all in moderation” when it comes to food is a healthy principle. A friend shared that she likes to live by the 80/20 Rule - 80% of food being healthy, while the other 20% is considered unhealthy. May I encourage you to live in grace and liberty when it comes to food? By God’s grace, enjoy the food the Lord has given you, but guard against all foods being clean as a justification to overindulge in unhealthy food!
In 1 Corinthians 6, we read, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Specifically, Paul was explaining holy sexual relationships here. Although, we can see the importance of caring for our bodies - in all ways! Our body is a gift from the Lord; we are to be good stewards of it. We must glorify God in our body! As a side note, we never want to make anything an idol in our life - health things included. What a gift that the Lord has said to glorify Him. This helps us to stay focused and not let the idol of health take over.
God has given us brilliant doctors & scientists who study the human body. Since God is a God of order and not chaos, He has created our bodies to work in an organized and working fashion. Due to sin & the human condition, our bodies will naturally go south. Thank the Lord we have people who have much knowledge due to their study of the amazing processes in which the body works and can give options to help heal our bodies. It is good to read & read some more, trust God with making a decision, then go for it! Ultimately, our health is in our dear Creator’s hands. We can do the best we can and trust Him with the rest. What freedom this brings!
Lastly, food is fuel! I have often looked at food as a way to enable my body to be fueled to do what God has purposed for me! When I eat yucko food, I feel yucko :) I don’t have the energy or strength to do what is in front of me. It is even hard to take care of the kiddos! What a gift God has given us with a variety of healthy, wholesome options from the land! Exciting!
One last thought… may I encourage you to not live a legalistic life in regards to your health & wellness journey. Our lives are created for relationships - with God & others.
As much as we do need to do our best to stay healthy, we must not do so out of a selfish/self-seeking spirit or a spirit that does not value relationships.
Legalism & idolatry must not get in the way! Pray for the Lord to keep your health journey in the correct place. Our first aim in life as believers is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. How amazing that is!
I know there are MANY who have food allergies, sensitivities, or a history of abuse with food. May the Lord give you much grace, hope, & strength as you walk your health journey & see the Savior walking with you through it all. Our family has a variety of food challenges, so I dearly understand.
Today as you take your jog or drink another quart of water, please remember that your goal is to be right with the Savior who created you. Then with God’s strength, care for your body and love people!
In His Grace - leigh anne
