Session II – Stewardship and Our Health

As we continue our Stewardship series, this week we look at the benefits of stewarding our health. 

In 1 Cor 6:19 we are reminded that our “bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you . . .” Temples are sacred, holy and designed to be a place of worship.  

Paul tells us that offering our bodies as sacrifices unto the Lord is a form of worship  (Rom 12:1).

However, we often treat our bodies like trash dumpsters rather than temples when we eat cheap foods, criticize every perceived flaw and wrinkle, compare our figures to others and speak harshly to ourselves.  

We cannot treat our bodies harshly and then demand she provide ample energy, fight disease and function at optimal levels under stress.

Women often ask if dieting is a form of stewardship and the answer is “No.”

Stewarding your health involves an ongoing act of loving, nurturing and caring for your body with kind words, nutritious foods, sufficient rest and regular exercise.  

Dieting is a periodic withholding of certain foods resulting in starvation of the body.  Does that sound loving and caring?  

And yes you absolutely should enjoy foods you love in moderation. 

Any woman will tell you that swearing off certain foods only makes you want them more and is a set-up for failure so enjoy that occasional scoop of ice cream periodically without the guilt.

Love yourself with life-giving foods slowly savoring each bite eating until you are satisfied not stuffed.  

Your body tells your story and reveals what’s going in your life at any given moment.

Exhaustion occurs from busyness, aways on the go mentally and physically never slowing down until your body screams for mercy.

Jesus told His disciples to “Come away by yourselves to a desolate (quiet) place and rest awhile.” (Mk 6:31) 

Silence the distractions of social media, television, radio, bad news and toxic people and “rest awhile.”

Anxiety shows up in fine lines, brain fog, depression and lethargy as we worry about things beyond our control.

The best anti-aging formula isn’t in a cream or surgical procedure and you can easily take ten years off your face by saying bye to worrying.

Paul exhorts us to “not be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phi 4: 6-7).  

We can rewrite our stories just by stewarding our health. 

• Encourage yourself by filling your mind with inspiration. Your Bible, books, podcasts, sermons, videos, blogs, therapy, community, nature can all be sources of motivation to live at your highest level.

• Clean up your social feed, delete the divisive then log off and go for a walk instead. It’s great for your head, your heart and your waistline.
  
• De-tox your fridge and pantry then restock with healthy snacks and staples.

• Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
  
• Treat yourself to a gym membership or new pair of walking shoes.

• Throw away your diet books and the diet mentality. It’s a guaranteed set up for failure. God designed food to be nourishment not punishment.

Reciprocity will always be found within Stewardship. 

If we take exquisite care of something whether it be our bodies, minds, homes, cars, money etc., it will in turn take care of us.  

We are given one life in one body to live for one moment in time with no no dress rehearsal,  do-overs or second chances.  

So, dress her in her finest, love her with the kindest words, celebrate her wins and support her when she loses.

Sandra Hubbard

(photo courtesy of Pinterest)