They [our bodies] were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:13 (NLT)
Wrong thinking about my physical health landed me in dire straits. For too long, I allowed my schedule to override my body’s need for exercise. I don’t have time to take a walk now, I reasoned as I worked at my computer desk. I’ll walk later. But later never came. At the same time, I justified eating chocolate bars—big ones.
My brain’s tired from thinking so hard, so I’ll give it a little boost, I thought. One bite led to another and then another. Before long, I’d eaten the entire bar. Oh well, that’s no big deal. I’ll walk off the calories later. But later never came.
Wrong thinking said I could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wished and exercise was only for athletes. The ever-increasing number on my bathroom scale, chronic pain, and the loss of mobility for three months convinced me to make a change. I learned the hard way. But I learned a new way of thinking that transformed my life and restored my health.
Correct thinking about our physical health comes from understanding that we don’t own our bodies. God does. He bought them with Jesus’s bloodshed on the cross (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Now we are Jesus’s temple, His dwelling place, and we’re responsible to be wise stewards of its care.
Since Jesus willingly paid for our bodies with His life, they must be worth a lot. Let’s value them with proper nutrition and exercise. Don’t learn the hard way like I did.
Faith Step: Identify one wrong thought about your physical health and ponder its influence on your behavior. Now identify one step you can take to improve your health beginning today.
