by miss hibiscusWe at Revelife say that this is a community for the "heart, mind, and soul." But what about the body? I mean, literally, our
physical body?
I was taught that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and back in the day, the temple was an extremely sacred place. It was to be kept pure and clean; it was to be respected. But all too often today, we disrespect our physical bodies. We feed it unhealthy things, don't keep it in good shape, and defile it in other ways (i.e., harmful drugs, sexual promiscuity, etc.).
I'm not one to be legalistic about how to maintain one's body as a temple of God. I definitely do my fair share of eating bad stuff and don't exercise as much as I should. I also drink alcohol occasionally, have piercings and a tattoo, all of which some people see as defiling the body. But I still maintain the belief that we should take care of our bodies, by doing our best to be
healthy,
fit, and therefore
happy.
In the words of Elle Woods,
"Exercise gives you endorphines. Endorphines make you happy. And happy people just don't shoot their husbands. They just don't!" [
Legally Blonde]
In all seriousness,
does your health and physical fitness affect your Christian faith and
how?
I do
try to go to the gym a couple times a week and eat balanced and reasonable portions of food. I definitely feel happier after exercising, and sometimes I listen to a sermon or pray and work out my issue with God while on the elliptical machine! I have often come out of the gym with a renewed perspective on my problems/life. Even when I eat better (i.e., I'm not overstuffed and feeling gross and slothful), I'm in a happier mood.
So what do you do to maintain good health*? Exercise? Eat/avoid certain foods? Rely on your good genes?
*Please note: I am assuming most of us have a reasonable definition of "good health." I do not encourage severe and drastic weight loss for vanity's sake. If you have concerns about your health or weight, please consult a physician. If you or someone you know might have an eating disorder, please seek help.
Comments (6)
I know that, personally, when I feel good about myself I can worship better. I did deal with a little bit of an eating disorder for a few years. At the time, I was going to a church where I didn't fit in anyway. The church was (and still is) stuck in the 1920s. They treated women with no respect, and my mother and I are the type of people to take charge and try to get things done. So I was having trouble with the church in the first place (I didn't have anyone to connect with after my friend Michael graduated.) We switched to a different church (the church I currently attend) and I started getting out of that train of thought. My pastor, Jake, really took an interest in helping all the kids. He knew everyone by name and would always greet everyone. When he left to follow a calling to Gunnison, I kind of fell back into that until I really became friends with the guy who is now my boyfriend. While I was back in that thought, I felt myself getting further from God again. When I finally found someone (my best friend/boyfriend) who really liked me for who I was and who wanted to help me, I started eating better and feeling better. And then I got much closer to God.
I owe some to my health, but mostly I owe it all to my boy. And I owe finding my boy to God. My boy is helping me get involved with better people (one of my church friends I met and really got to know through him at school).
This big mass of words really breaks down to this: Taking care of yourself (both physically and mentally) helps your walk with God. I really and truly believe that.
@mileyfan08@xanga - thanks for sharing this! i'm so glad things got better for you in terms of church, relationships, etc.
it's funny b/c sometime exercise is what helps me love God more and God is who helps me love my body more. interesting how things work. anyway, keep taking care of yourself sister :)
I don't mean to say that we should trash our bodies, but according to paul the only sin against ones own body (this is also in the context of the body being a temple, I'd get the reference, but I'm lazy, and it's actually bed time) is sexual sin, all other sin is outside the body. so while gluttony is bad, it is not a sin against the temple of God.
this post has lots of content from my last anthropology class, such as Cartiesan Dualism and the body image of many people throughout the world. However, I am just starting this site tonight because I have lost my will to live and I am really depending on these people to give me reason to go forward in life. I have recently lost my best freind to such immorality and premiscuty out of wedlock. This is a private revelife account; nobody knows about it, and nobody expects to; I feel like i need it extremly private so i can dump my deepest secrets and let eveyone know why i feel i am drifting away. i am not going to slander my best friend, i am just going to write about how he is immoral and a hypocrite and i will rely on comments. I hope to get insight and learn a lot about faith and my own life at revelife. I know i will breakdown and cry at some posts here, if it wakes me up to start living then thats good.
I totally agree that staying healthy does help your walk with the Lord. I'm just wondering why you would drink. I mean there's no benefit to it and it causes your body harm. I'm not trying to be desrespectful to your beliefs with this issue just trying to see your point of veiw. My friend was killed in a car accident a few years back. She was hit head on by a drunk driver, so it's just hard for me. If you could explain that would be great!
@Lauren_Nicole94@xanga - hi lauren_nicole - thanks for commenting! i don't think you're being disrespectful with that question; it's very valid considering the world we live in today. drinking (alcohol) seems to be viewed differently by christians depending on what part of the country/world we're from. for me, and where i'm from, drinking has always been part of normal social behavior. i enjoy a glass of wine or a good beer with friends and i don't see anything wrong with that as long as it's in moderation. it's a nice way to unwind and i actually really enjoy the taste of a fine wine or a well-brewed beer. there are some health benefits when taken in moderation as well, but that's not the reason i drink.
anyway, that being said, i'm very sorry to hear about your friend. drunk driving is irresponsible, stupid, and unjustifiable. so i understand why you would abstain from drinking altogether, and that's totally respectable. although i think it's a personal preference and not an outright sin, it should still be practiced in moderation and with some restraint.
i hope that answers your question. feel free to message me or revelife if you want to talk about it more. - miss h