3 ways to take care of your body

We were made in God's image, so since God is made up of three (Father, Son, Spirit), it makes sense that we are also made up of three (mind, body, spirit). In order to take care of ourselves, we must be healthy spiritually, physically, and mentally. If one area struggles, we struggle as a whole.

How do you take care of yourself in these three areas? I’m glad you asked. 

Three Areas to Consider When Trying to Be Healthy

1. Spiritual Health

Paul write in Galatians that “if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). Paul is saying that in order to be healthy spiritually, you must live in such a way that it is revealed in your daily life. So what does this look like?

Just like we need to eat daily to stay physically healthy, we need to nourish ourselves to stay spiritually healthy. Spiritual nourishment comes from time spent with God in His Word (Deuteronomy 8:3). Every time we read the Bible, listen for Jesus' voice, and do what He says, we are feeding ourselves spiritually.

Second, we need the community within the church. Paul writes that we are the body of Christ and that one member can’t function without the other members (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).  Just like physically the body can’t function properly without one of its members, spiritually we can’t be healthy apart from each other. We weren’t meant to do life alone. We were made for community. 

2. Physical Health

Paul writes that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Because of this, it is important to stay healthy physically. What does this look like? Getting serious about eating well and exercising regularly. 

You’ve probably heard the saying “garbage in, garbage out.” What you put into your body, you will get out of it. That doesn't mean we all have to be like Popeye, eating only spinach and swearing off all treats. But we can watch what we eat. Maybe instead of eating something fried, have it grilled. Maybe instead of eating something with a lot of fat, eat something with protein and carbohydrates. Instead of saving room for dessert, maybe finish the meal and skip out on dessert. Little tweaks can lead to big peaks.

In addition to being good stewards of what we put in our bodies, to be physically healthy we also have to exercise. This looks different for everyone! Maybe you run a few times a week. Maybe you like to ride your bike or lift weights at the gym. Whatever it is, commit to starting somewhere. Start small and work your way up to doing more. The most important thing is to be committed. You probably won’t see any results in a week. It might take up to a month before you start seeing some improvements, but whatever it is that you set out to do, the key is consistency.

3. Mental Health

Your thoughts are vital in taking care of yourself. What we think about is so important to our health that Paul teaches that the way our lives are transformed is through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). Paul later writes to the Philippians with practical instructions for how to do this: Think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Do your thoughts consist of these things? Jesus says the prodigal son went from eating with the pigs to eating at his father’s table when he changed his thinking (Luke 15:17). Don’t allow corrupt thinking to pull you down. Renew your mind daily.