“Beloved , I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health , just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2 NKJV
Have you ever heard the statement “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? This statement explains to us that the cumulative effect of what we do on a daily basis contributes to our overall health.
Our anchor scriptures help us to see that God is not only interested in our spiritual health but also in the health of our physical bodies.
Our physical body houses the spirit man and it is through our bodies that we can function effectively on the earth. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 extensively sheds more light on the fact that God gave us our bodies and we must take good care of it as stewards that we are.
It is important to note as believers that prayer solely cannot keep us in good health. Yes it is God’s will that we are in perfect health but it is important to note that there are principles that must be followed to achieve this.
Regular checkups, a good diet, good sleep and exercises are important routines to keep the body healthy and strong. God has promised us good health (Deuteronomy 7:15) and He has also given the wisdom by which we can enjoy it. Disregarding good habits that contribute to one’s health is akin to disregarding good habits and expecting results. Even the Bible lets us know that faith without works is dead (James 2:26).
Another thing to note is that you cannot be effective in devotion with a weak body. You cannot pray and fast for long hours if your body is frail and weak. You cannot effectively evangelise and do ministry as you ought to in a sick body.
We can see clearly that beyond the physical repercussions of not caring for our bodies, there is a consequence that deeply affects our spiritual effectiveness and must be handled with utmost sensitivity.
Dear believer, your body is not yours, it is given to you by God and how you care for it matters, knowing when to take a break to catch your breath is important because we are stewards of the bodies that God gave us.
In conclusion, we serve an eternal purpose in a mortal body and it is unwise to subject ourselves to even more limitations by not taking utmost care of our health. Make it a point of duty from today to be intentional about your health.
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 5: 17-39