“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.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Scripture says that we are made up of three parts: spirit, soul and body. And each one impacts the others. When you have a throbbing head, for example, you might find yourself having much less patience for a grumbling child. Or when you skip your regular morning time with the Lord, you might notice yourself more tense and agitated throughout the day. These are small examples, but the point is that in order to function at our best, we must maintain a healthy connection of all three components.
You may consider yourself rather healthy in one or two – maybe even all three – of these areas. Praise be to God for this! But if you recognize a need or desire to grow in your health – inside and out – here are 3 strategies to start.
1. Surround yourself with a healthy community
I first want to discuss the importance of community, because it truly impacts every part of our health.
As humans, we have an innate desire to feel that we belong. Think of a time you did not feel welcomed or wanted in a group…it’s terrible! And it does more than just momentarily strike our egos. It can deplete our sense of self worth and – literally – deteriorate our bodies.
Engaging with others in meaningful ways can boost happiness, resilience, and life satisfaction. Time in community can also stimulate personal growth, creativity, and lifelong learning by providing a way to share ideas and expand perspectives. By tapping into the collective wisdom of the community, we receive access to valuable information and support.
One 2020 study that explored the relationship between community and health concluded that being part of a community resulted in better self-rated health for all ages. Those who did not experience community belonging, on the other hand, reported consistently lower levels of both general and mental health.
You might be asking, “sooo, just by being part of a community I can experience health benefits?”
Well, yes and no. The community you choose to invest in is also important – if the interests and values do not align with your own, you likely will not reap the same health rewards.
Research supports that we are naturally drawn to people who share similarities with us; It also consistently demonstrates that similarity in interests and values plays a significant role in meaningful relationship formation.
This phenomenon is known as “homophily” or “birds of a feather flock together.”
You have probably seen this in day-to-day interactions with people. For example, would you be more keen on starting a conversation with a woman wearing apparel of a brand you support, or a brand you oppose?
Once, I was in line at a coffee shop and noticed the woman ahead of me placed the EXACT order I normally get. This led to me striking up a conversation, and guess what? When she faced me, her cross necklace immediately caught my eye, leading to an in-depth conversation about our shared love of the Lord.
The lesson? The people we surround ourselves with matter.
At Faithful Workouts, you’re welcomed into an online Christian fitness community. One of our missions is to connect you with a community of like-minded women, passionate about growing all components of their health. Members from around the world join together to complete workout routines, learn new and healthy recipes, and grow in love for one another and Christ.
If you’re seeking a place of encouragement and support, I’d like to personally invite you to join our Facebook group of over 5,000 people who are passionate about body, soul, and spirit health.
2. Eat Healthier Foods
Food is fuel. It powers us with energy so that we may function at our best. In Genesis 9:3, we see that God created foods to provide us with this proper fuel.
The food God created – the natural food – is truly a gift. Trust me, it is FAR better for your health than food from any major food corporation, who use ingredients we can’t even pronounce.
There is a quote from Ann Wigmore, a 20th century holistic health practitioner, where she claims that food can either be our greatest medicine or our most detrimental poison.
If you start viewing each food as either a medicine or a poison, I think you’ll quickly notice a difference in what you choose to put into your body.
You’ve likely heard it said to treat your body as a temple. This is rooted in Scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds us that the Holy Spirit dwells within followers of Jesus. Knowing this is a call to take care of our bodies, and one aspect of this is by fueling them with nutritious foods.
With God’s help, we can view eating healthy as a “get to” rather than a “have to”. We GET TO enjoy the foods God lovingly gave to us. We GET TO fill our bodies with medicine. We GET TO live, daily, as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
3. Spend time with God
When we constantly seek the Lord and are connected to Him, all other things fall into place. Now, it can become easy to put God aside when our lives are going well, but we must never neglect him.
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
He delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34:4
When we let our minds wander too far into the past or future, we open the door to fear. But when we take a moment to rest our mind, God can focus us on the present.
When we regularly set aside time for Him, we are changed from the inside out! He satisfies our every need, renews our hearts, fills us with peace beyond understanding.
Just as our bodies need care – to be fed and strengthened – the same is true of our soul and spirit. Undoubtedly, this is best done by spending time with God, our Creator, Healer, and Redeemer.
Abbey holds a degree in journalism from Indiana University. Her favorite topics to cover are spiritual development, nutrition, and the importance of community and connection. Currently, she and her husband live in Michigan where she works in active ministry. In her free time you’ll likely find her nose deep in a book, leading group fitness classes, or experimenting in the kitchen.
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