“Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
I’m astounded to think that the Holy Spirit chooses me as his dwelling place, and that Jesus paid such an enormous price on the cross so that I would be included in his family. That is wonderful to consider, especially on days when I struggle with my self-image.
But the part, “So you must honor God with your body,” convicts me. I have overindulged in food most of my life. It’s not because I’m a glutton, though I do take pleasure in eating, especially sweets. The reason I’m 30 pounds overweight, one full year after my baby was born, is that I turn to food when I’m stressed out, and I don’t make time available for exercise.
I faced significant stress last year in several personal situations, as well as adjusting from two children to three. When I felt overwhelmed, I stood in our walk-in pantry with the door closed, shoving handfuls of chocolate chips in my mouth. I did this secretly because I didn’t want the kids to see—and I didn’t want to share! I used food to cope with stress, instead of asking the Lord to satisfy me in those painful moments.
As I read today’s verses, I recognize that when I overeat, I not only suffer from extra pounds, I also dishonor God. He wants me to cry out to Him when I’m overwhelmed or stressed. And He wants to provide the time and energy—and babysitting—for me to exercise too. I’ve been praying that God would help me with exactly that, but I didn’t see how our budget could include a gym membership. However, last week we received an escrow refund check of $600, and it lowered our monthly house payments by $43 per month. The gym membership is $42 per month, and I can pay for babysitting out of the refund check. What amazes me is that God cares about these details of my life, and He meets my needs in such practical ways.
It’s going to be a long journey to lose 30 pounds, but I know that God will sustain me. How can you ask Him to help you honor Him with your body?
Copyright 2009
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Since I've posted this, a few things have changed. The gym raised their prices, and I'm waiting for a month when they run a special to waive the enrollment fee ($175!). Until then, I'm getting up at 5:30 a.m. to exercise on my treadmill. So far I've lost almost 3 pounds in a week-and-a-half! God is still providing for me by getting me up this early and giving me the motivation--to honor my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
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