July 22, 2019
Time for a Spiritual Checkup
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV).
Friend to Friend
I have struggled with weight issues since I was a little girl. Part of my struggle is rooted in “fluffy” genes lovingly passed down to me through several generations of “fluffy” relatives. The remainder of my struggle is firmly rooted in the fact that I hate exercise, take medications that cause weight gain, enjoy eating, and sometimes use food as an emotional outlet and reward.
I was a young adult and living on my own before I realized that part of the creation process included green things called vegetables. The motto in our family was, “If it ain’t fried, it ain’t right.” Gravy was a condiment and potatoes a staple at every meal. No bread? How can you have a meal without bread? And dessert was a necessity. Get the picture?
Over the years, I have tried just about every diet I could find. I could always lose weight. I just could not keep it off. The day came when I threw in the towel.
My name is Mary, and I am a Carboholic.
I was done. I was burned out on diets and quick fixes. I didn’t want to be a certain size. I just wanted to feel good and to be as healthy as I could possibly be at this point in my life.
I went to a highly-recommended Christian nutritionist who asked me to complete a packet of 500 questions (not kidding), did an EKG, ran more blood tests than I have ever had run in my life, and introduced me to the coolest machine that measures fat and muscle in the body. After all the tests were in, Dr. Tague smiled at me and calmly said, “Mary, you are a malnourished woman.”
My mouth literally fell open in shock. At the time, I was at least 50 pounds overweight and ate pretty much everything in sight whenever I felt the slightest twinge of hunger. How could I possibly be malnourished?
The doctor went on to explain that I was indeed eating … but I was eating all the wrong things … at all the wrong times. In fact, I was dangerously low in several key vitamins and minerals. He handed me a small paper cup filled with a mixture of those vitamins and minerals to take before leaving his office and said, “If you were my patient in the hospital, I would not release you until some of these levels came up.” Now he had my undivided attention.
God often works the same way.
I spend more time working on ministry checklists than I spend in God’s Word.
Prayer is more often a drive-through event than the sit-down-at-His-feet experience it should be.
I give God the leftovers of my day when I should purposefully plan my time with Him.
Rather than investing time in relationships, I follow friends on Facebook or text them to ease my guilt.
I choose what is easiest and more convenient in ministry instead of choosing the best part of ministry, which is often messy and inconvenient.
I often allow the hedges of protection to go untended, resulting in a lack of boundaries and margins in my life.
I allow myself to become a malnourished Christian.
God then lovingly but unquestionably gets my attention in several ways - a crisis that knocks every prop but Him out from under me, or an illness that rips every choice out of my hands and really makes me stop. I can then get the spiritual nourishment that really feeds my soul. Nourishment like sustaining time in the Word of God … significant, life-giving time in prayer … nurturing time with encouraging friends … opportunities to give myself away in service.
After following the carefully laid out plan of my nutritionist for two years, I have lost 65 pounds, but that is not the best or most important news. I feel better than I have felt in many years! My blood work, EKGs, and BMI (body mass index) are all perfect. And the doctor has now pronounced me a well-nourished woman.
I want to be a well-nourished Christian. I am taking the next year to get my spiritual ducks in a row. I am seeking God on what I should and should not do. I am setting boundaries and asking my husband and accountability group to hold my feet to the fire in keeping those boundaries firmly in place. I am practicing saying “no.” I am bringing order to any areas of chaos. I am resting beside the still waters. And I know He will restore my soul just as He has restored my body in so many ways.
How about you? Are you a malnourished Christian? Today is the day to take a step toward spiritual health!
Let’s Pray
Father, I celebrate the amazing truth that You chose to live in me and that my body is Your temple. Please forgive me when I abuse that temple. And I am so sorry for the many times that I neglect You, Lord. Forgive me when I fail to spend time in Your Word and at Your feet in prayer. I need Your strength and power to practice Godly discipline. I want to become healthy in every area of my life – for my good and for Your glory.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Evaluate your physical and spiritual health. Use the lists below to help you get started. What steps do you need to take to be healthier? Make a plan to get started today.
Physical
___Diet
___Exercise
___Sleep
Spiritual
___Time in the Word
___Prayer
___Service
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