Look After Your Body!
by David Steele
I was recently teaching in Serbia on ‘Steps to Freedom from Addiction’. As I spoke about the fact that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit I got convicted myself!
How well do you look after your body? Do you exercise regularly and eat healthy foods?
As I was teaching I felt God reminding me that He’s chosen to dwell in my body by His Holy Spirit. He’s chosen to use this physical shell as His vessel, and He wants to glorify Himself through me. If I don’t feed it properly, or keep it strong, I may be inhibiting what He can do through me on the earth.
Some of us don’t exercise because we’re simply lazy, or we over-eat because we’re greedy. We need to recognise that this isn’t looking after our bodies, and we need to exercise more discipline. No amount of friendly encouragement will fix this. We need the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and then to simply respond with repentance!
But for some, discipline is not the answer. Some of us know we’re not looking after our bodies properly, but we’re over-eating because we’re looking for comfort. No amount of discipline, will power or beating ourselves up about this will bring healing. We need a touch from the One who came to heal the broken hearted. Often that healing process starts with forgiving those who’ve hurt us, and with taking our pain to Father God.
It’s interesting that emotional pain is also behind the opposite extreme. The person who over-exercises and is too severe in their dieting is probably also covering pain. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal what’s driving our behaviour, and lead us on a path to freedom, so we can enjoy the abundant life Jesus came to give us!
The people in Serbia responded sincerely to what I was saying, and the Holy Spirit came in a very special way. Some were in tears as they handed their pain over to God and received the healing and comfort that only He can bring. God is the great restorer of broken lives, and He wants to restore yours too.
The morning after I returned to England I went for a run. Well if God speaks to us and we do nothing about it, I don’t need to tell you this: it’s no help at all! Can I encourage you to make an effort to start looking after your body today? There are many people in your life who need you to be strong and healthy, so you can reflect Jesus to them, and fulfil God’s plan for your life.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the body You have given me. I am so sorry for the times I have not looked after it properly. I am also sorry for the moments I have sought comfort in food and others things rather than looking to You. Thank You for choosing to dwell in me by Your Holy Spirit and for turn my ordinary life into an extraordinary existence. This is a tremendous privilege. Please reveal to me any areas of my life that need Your healing touch and help me to trust You to be my source of all comfort. May my body be healthy and strong and ready to be used by You for Your purposes! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
David Steele is a young man who is passionate about teaching the Word of God and declaring a gospel that is full of power to change people’s lives. After serving for 7 and a half years at Ellel Pierrepont, David, his wife Hannah and their two daughters moved to Hungary in 2016 and are working with Ellel 'Central and Eastern Europe Development' (CEED) where they are teaching, ministering and training ministry teams across that region.
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