Take Back Your Health

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

─ 1 Corinthians 9:25 NKJV

Why are Christians just as unhealthy as the rest of the planet? You were created by God and your health is a gift from Him. Your health affects your faith, family, finances and work. When your health—the physical aspect of who you are—is not taken care of, your spirit can be drawn down and relationships can become stressed.

To honor Christ in our health—or what we eat—requires constant, daily follow through. The Apostle Paul shares that as a follower of Christ we are to be temperate in all things (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Paul goes on to say, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV). Paul gives us a powerful overview of the spiritual significance of caring for our bodies and using self-control—in this case—in what we eat.

If we can focus on this as a spiritual matter, as something I can do to bring pleasure to Christ, it can make a big difference in our motivation to succeed.

Two things you can do to help you take back your health:

1. Write down everything that you eat. Carry a little notebook in your pocket or purse.
2. Prepare smaller portions. One way to do that is to use a smaller plate for your meals. Plate size makes a difference.

Self-discipline in any area of our lives requires an honest look at our strengths and weaknesses. It’s a steady course of focusing our appetites toward God’s purposes. When we choose to be very intentional when it comes to what we put in our mouths, it can make a difference.

Today’s One Thing

Choose an accountability partner and pray with that person for God’s help in redirecting your focus. Then follow the two things mentioned above over the next 30 days to take back your health.

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