body

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:19b-20

God created us spirit and flesh, mind and body, immaterial and material. Therefore, a holistic, embodied spirituality is essential to following the Way of Jesus. Yet, in a day and age that ignores boundaries, many of us are bringing great harm to the body that God has blessed us with.

Reflection

Take some time, reflect, and work through these questions to help you examine your thought life. Write them in your journal.

Examine your patterns of self care for your body. How are you stewarding your body in the following areas? (For example, sleep, diet, pace of life, exercise, caffeine, doctors visits, sexuality, etc.)
Perform a biopsy on each of your current patterns. Is it healthy? Where does it come from? What is it producing in your life? Where will that take you years down the road? Will the fruit of this pattern honor God?
Are there any escapist behaviors or coping mechanisms that need to be addressed? Some need to be eliminated (getting drunk), minimized (too much late-night TV stealing my sleep), or addressed through professional help (self-harm).

What new practices should you start doing to honor Jesus with your body?
Who can you talk to about this? We are not to live as isolated individuals, but a community of people who help each other follow Jesus together. Seek the wisdom and support of others!