“When I work out, it is a spiritual discipline for me. It’s not separate from my relationship with God - it’s an expression of my relationship with God.”
I’ve been a church-goer and Jesus follower for over 30 years, and in that time, I’ve noticed that there’s something that almost NEVER gets talked about in church.
Stewarding our bodies and physical health.
Don’t get me wrong, the church talks plenty about healing of disease (Jesus was kind of known for that!)
and the church talks plenty about what we do with our bodies when it comes to our sexuality.
But beyond that? Diet? Fitness? General health and wellness?
I’ve never heard it talked about from the pulpit, and I don’t understand why, because the bible is pretty clear about how we are supposed to treat and use our bodies.
In these next couple of blog posts, I’m going to break down how I think Christians should think about their relationship with their bodies, based on what we see in scripture, and through Jesus’ life and teachings.
So what does the bible actually say about our bodies?
Let’s start at the start.
The opening chapters of the bible are a beautiful Hebrew poem about the creation of the universe. You’re probably familiar with it, or at least the general story of the Genesis creation narrative.
God is highlighted as the creator. Of everything.
He goes bit by bit, crafting and creating the universe and life as we know it.
He creates the stars and planets and calls them good (Genesis 1:16-18).
He creates the plant life and calls it good (Genesis 1:11-12).
He creates the animals and calls them good (Genesis 1:21).
Then he creates his masterpiece. The human being, male and female (Genesis 1:27).
Scripture tells us that humans are made in the image of God, and God declared us very good (Genesis 1:31).
So right in the opening chapters of the bible, you have God extremely pleased with his creation. We are created, we are loved, and it’s very good to be human.
Later in Scripture, the psalmist writes that he is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) - created with intention and purpose, in a way that evokes a sense of wonder.
The psalmist is saying that you are a walking miracle. Your body is a work of art. All of its systems, and functions - extremely complex, yet extremely elegant, all working together to produce life and sustain you.
So take a second and appreciate that.
The fact that your heart beats.
Your lungs breathe.
Your body metabolizes food for energy.
All of this is going on underneath the surface without any input or direction on your part.
It’s incredible.
Jeremiah writes that God “knit [him] together in his mother’s womb.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Before he ever took a breath, God designed him with purpose.
The same is true of you.
So the first thing we can learn from scripture is that your body is a gift, given by a good God (James 1:17).
Before you are anything else, you are the recipient of a great gift. You didn’t ask for it. You didn’t control it.
You were just suddenly born one day. Given this body, and this life.
I wonder if you’ve ever viewed it that way? Your body as a gift, I mean.
Maybe you resent your body. Maybe you’re pretty focused on all the ways your body isn’t what you want it to be, or is letting you down.
I’d encourage you to flip your mindset and begin to see the ways you are appreciative for your body.
Start to notice all the things it does to sustain you and give you opportunities to engage with life.
It’s a gift, and God doesn’t give bad gifts.
And what is the appropriate response to receiving a gift?
Gratitude. Immense gratitude.
I think that the best way we can demonstrate this gratitude is by offering up a prayer of thanks, and then committing to being a faithful steward of the body you’ve been given (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
By honoring our bodies, we honor the Gift Giver. When we mistreat our bodies, we disrespect the Gift Giver.
But what does it mean to steward your body well?
It means you pay attention to what you put in it, and give it the fuel it craves, rather than just eating for pleasure (1 Corinthians 10:31). (God gave you tastebuds too, so the pleasure of eating is part of the gift!)
It means that you take care of your body - you don’t neglect it.
You listen to your body and give it what it needs.
You move your body and find joy in the movement (something we talk a lot about in H40).
For me, part of stewarding the gift of my body well means exploring its potential. When I work out, it is a spiritual discipline for me. It’s not separate from my relationship with God - it’s an expression of my relationship with God.
I am helping my body become all that it could be.
I’m keeping my body strong.
When I sweat and pant, I’m experiencing the thrill of being alive.
For me, this is all part of what it means to be a good steward of the gift I’ve been given.
I’m not a perfect steward - nobody is. And this isn’t about some legalistic prohibition of yummy foods. It’s about an attitude that acknowledges the Creator in all things, including what we eat, and how we move.
We explore this concept in our 40-day Health Sprint H40. It’s a 40-day guided sprint to better physical, mental and environmental health. It’s not just another fitness program, it’s a 40-day program to help you build a life you love, establish habits that are going to sustain you long term, and help you experience deep gratitude for the gift of life that you’ve been given.
Our next sprint is starting towards the end of July this year. It’s free, and we would LOVE you to join our community of people committed to better health.
If you want to sign up, or find out more, click this button!
In the next post, we’ll explore the biggest misconception Christians have about fitness and the body. It’s a misconception that goes back at least 1900 years and we need to be done with it. Stay tuned for the next post!
Live Free,
Greg
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