Continuation of "My Body. Stop Obsessing."

Confession—part of the reason I had to make the last post “to be continued,” was because, I wasn’t sure what the answer was for my issue of obsessing over my flabby body. 

I had an idea of what I should be thinking about instead, but I needed to take time to pray about it and look in the scriptures for what I should do.

The bottom line is that I know there are better things to be focusing on, there are more important things to be thinking about, and there are precious people out there who could benefit by the energies I am frittering away on my desire to “slim down” or “firm up.”

People are what matter—Souls are what matter.

We met these sweet friends when we were 15 years younger
and a bit thinner with a bit more hair…but when I think about
this recent visit, I remember laughter and connection.

So, I first decided that each time I felt discontent with my body, I would instead think about and pray for another person.  I even considered writing people’s names in sharpie on my thighs to remind me.  But since I do have to wear a swimsuit in the next couple of days, I decided that would draw too much attention to something I want to forget about (namely, my stretch-marked thighs.)

Other people are more important than my egotistical focus on the state of my curves, so I truly want to care about them and think about them more than this shell that is my body. 

God confirmed that, yes, people are more important but “people” includes me. 

Wait, what?  You thought I was supposed to stop focusing on myself?  So did I!  But this was different, when I think of friends and family being valuable to me, I don’t think about their calves, wrists or earlobes.  I think about their personality, their spirit—who they are inside. 

So, God reminded me that while I am attempting to stop thinking about how I can improve my body, I am allowed to think about how I can improve my spirit—-my character.

Therefore, in place of constantly worrying over my pear-shaped body, two things needed to come to the forefront of my brain—

1.     Others

2.     Character

So, when I glance in the mirror and feel discontent at the reflection, I literally picture names on my legs.  Danielle, Ilissa, Jennie, Diana, Debbie, Ginger, Kirby, Brad, Abbey, Alexis… With my imagination, I mark myself all up with the names of people I care about,

people I am praying for,

people who need me.

Yep, there are people who need me.  And since I am not a model or an actress, they do not need my body to be thin, firm, cut, or toned.  Rather, they need my body to be healthy enough to house my soul in order to connect with them and serve them and love on them and laugh with them.  

Therefore, it is my soul that needs some work.

My spirit that needs toning.

My character that needs strengthening. 

So, I went through the Bible and found some edifying words of wisdom regarding our bodies and souls. 

HEALTH

As I mentioned before, I do want to make healthy choices, which allow me to live well so that my body won’t be a distraction or a burden.  So, I am praying that I will continue to stay relatively active as a daily habit, not a two hour work-out for the purpose of being skinny. 

Stay Active~

The book of Proverbs gives us several interesting principles regarding health.  For example: Completely avoiding, recoiling from, going the opposite direction of evil will keep you healthy. When I couple that with submitting to God, I am nourished all the way to my bones!  Proverbs 3:7-8 

Eat Right~

Proverbs also reminds me that more important than super greens, I need to be ingesting the wisdom of the Lord found in scripture.  Proverbs 4:20-22  “My [daughter], pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight.  Keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” 

FADING AWAY

I also need to remember that my body is fading away.  Proverbs 5:11 reminds me (rather bleakly) that  “At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.”
  Yep, that groaning, it happens to everyone…even if you stay “fit” until the day you die, you still die.  Sorry to burst your bubble. 

King Solomon reminds us that youth and vigor are meaningless by themselves.   Ecclesiastes 11:10  “So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.”

FOCUS

I need to be mindful that I can keep my body full of light by what my eyes focus on.  If my eyes are on magazine covers, I will certainly feel discontent or even depressed.  But, when my eyes are on Jesus, I will feel loved and full of light.

Matthew 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”

I can ask God to keep my heart at peace whenever I feel envious of someone else because all envy does is rot the bones.  (Eww.)

Proverbs 14:30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

CLOTHES AND THE TRUE BODY

And now, I give you an extremely difficult fact:

I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO WORRY ABOUT MY CLOTHES BECAUSE THE BODY IS MORE THAN WHAT I WEAR. 

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

What is the body for if not for clothes!? 

Well, whenever Jesus said the word “body” he wasn’t asking the disciples if his calves looked to thick or if they noticed his six pack.  When Jesus mentioned his body, he was talking about giving it up for us.  If we follow his example, then our bodies should be given away in service.

Mark 14:22

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

Luke 22:19

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Giving our bodies up means using them for what God wants.     

PURITY—We can honor God with our bodies by keeping them pure.

 1 Corinthians 6:13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Romans 6:12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

HUMILITY –We serve the body by not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought.

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.


LOVE—The most important component to what we do with our body and soul is love.

1 Corinthians 13:3  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

CHARACTER IS KEY

Proverbs 12:4  A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Proverbs 31:10  A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

Romans 5:4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

IT’S THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS

Romans 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

 ~~~~

As I age, I pray that my soul will grow more beautiful and that my body will remain healthy for service to our King.  And fortunately, I have one last breath-taking truth for you:

GOD WILL COMPLETE OUR SPIRITS, and GOD WILL GIVE US A COMPLETELY NEW BODY! 

1 Thessalonians 5:23  May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:21  who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

So, I’m going to stop believing the lie that says my body has to look a certain way.  Instead, I’m going to focus on people: rich conversations during long hikes, laughter over coffee, truths revealed on the telephone.  Because, yesterday when the girls and I snuggled on the porch swing and watched a thunderstorm roll in, they didn’t care what I was wearing or how thin I was.  They cared that I listened.  They cared that I affirmed.  They cared that our souls connected.   Therefore, I will be mindful about toning my character and I will let the Lord beautify my soul and enrich my spirit for His glory.

Who’s with me?