Health: Body, Soul and Spirit

Battling weight issues has taught me much over the years.  Made in the image of God, we human beings have three parts as well:  body, soul and spirit.  For health, all of those parts must work together.  Weight and health are body issues that have helped me delve down to glimpse deep truths!  As the holiday (e.g. EATING) season approaches, some great opportunities for learning are sure to come our way!  At my age, dieting for appearance sake does not captivate my attention.  Serious health concerns help me listen up, but understanding eternal truths is what gets me excited and keeps me focused over the long-term.

Recently, I spent some time learning about the hidden processes of diabetes because the disease is rampant in my family.  While I knew my eating and exercise habits allowed me some control over the disease, it shocked me to learn that my eating habits literally changed the physical processes in my body.  A light bulb went off for me:  The longer I choose to ignore the needs of my body—and the God-designed purposes of food—the greater the damage I cause to myself.  My body is designed to utilize food and even enjoy occasional treats; it is not designed to do whatever it desires.  Repeatedly stressing my body with excess foods damages the actual function of my body.

Repeatedly ignoring the design of God for whole-health damages me–and the world around me.  Spirit-led living is His plan…I am not to be directed by my body, my soul (e.g. emotions, self-will or mind) or unholy spirits of lust or other evil.  We, as Christians privileged to have the very Spirit of God dwelling within, are not at the mercy of our habits, our family inheritances or our culture.  When we fail to live as designed by God, natural law kicks in and outside in consequences help us seek whole health.

Much of life seeks to gain control over us:  heartaches, anger, and earthly battles seek to direct our thoughts, emotions and even actions.  When we allow unhealthy responses (instead of the Spirit to direct us), we form habits that dig trenches of pain.  Just as repeated times of elevated insulin cripple the ability of our body to function in a healthy way, poor habitual responses bring destruction into our lives.  Efforts to regulate the pain instead of treating underlying issues compounds the troubles.

Long-standing unhealthy patterns require life-time changes.  There are no quick fixes for whole health in the physical or soul realm.  It all begins with the Holy Spirit having His God-designed place at the center of our lives.  The Spirit, aided by tools such as the Word, other Christians, and circumstances, shines the Light of God into our troubles and begins the healing process.  As we walk in the ways of the Word (in faith of His goodness), we become reflectors of His light instead of reactors to the world.  We enjoy the peace of His presence and the victory of faith.    The love we absorb from Him then flows into our world bringing healing to ourselves and to others.

The Spirit leads us into whole health; let’s listen to Him!