The Bible describes our bodies as temples crafted by a loving God for a purpose. It emphasizes that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, knit together in our mother’s womb. YOU were handcrafted by God – isn’t that incredible! Recognizing this truth means that embracing your health becomes more than vanity or the pursuit of longevity – it becomes a way to honor God. With that said, you have a responsibility to take care of your temple (body), so the important question is – are you?
I’m sure you’re aware of the health risks that come from overeating. Overeating can lead to physical complications like heart disease, diabetes, impaired brain function, and low energy, as well as emotional issues including feelings of shame, guilt, sadness, and anxiety. If you eat excessively, you are not the best version of yourself and you limit your ability to fully engage in God’s unique plan and purpose for your life. I don’t want you to miss out on what He has for you!
One practical way to honor your body is by making intentional and healthy food choices. The Bible reminds us that whether we eat or drink, we should do it all for the glory of God. I hope that thinking of your body as a gift from God encourages you to commit to eating more moderate portions and to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-dense foods into your diet. It is also important to avoid added sugars and processed foods which have negative effects on your health. While you can absolutely enjoy food, think of it as either a medicine or a poison to your body, and choose wisely!
When considering your eating habits, it’s also important to ask yourself why you are eating. Are you truly hungry, or is there another reason you’re reaching for food? Eating in response to genuine hunger cues helps you properly fuel your body, allowing you to use nutrients efficiently and avoid unnecessary fat storage. This thoughtful eating approach aligns with the biblical perspective of cherishing food as a gift from God, rather than misusing it. It’s about being intentional with what and why you eat and honoring the body God has given you.
I understand this journey is hard. I want to stress that it is about progress, not perfection. It’s about moving toward a life filled with greater energy, resilience, joy, and readiness to respond when God calls. I encourage you to take one step at a time and allow yourself grace as you make these changes. You’re not alone in this – God is with you every step of the way.
1 CORINTHIANS 6
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
PSALMS 139:13-16
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 6:13
Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.