Mind, Body, & Soul

In 2017, the members of Zion Community Church of God completed a Bible study on stewardship. In this lesson, we were encouraged to be good stewards of our time, talent, tithes, and testimony. So often we fail to recognize the link between our spiritual, emotional, and physical health, yet God's word clearly tells us of their connection. Therefore, our most powerful and effective testimony is one that shows the benefit of God's direction and the power of God's almighty hand in all areas of our lives. "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." Proverbs 14:30 The 'peace of God that passeth all understanding' spoken of in Philippians 4:7 was not only meant to be a source of hope in the midst of our trials, but a promise we can hold fast to daily. God grants us this peace because He knows it is necessary for our mental heath. The preceding verses tell us how to obtain this peace while the following verses give us direction on how to maintain this peace, by thinking on good things. I Corinthians 6:19 reminds us that we are not our own. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Now let that marinate a bit. Our temple is designed to be the dwelling place for a king. The king of kings. Consider the extravagance and the lengths king David went to in his design plans for the temple of the Lord. The love Solomon must've had for God to carry out those plans. How then, do we claim to love God with our whole hearts but are content to house Him in a raggedy temple?

We cannot effectively bear witness to a God who heals if we, His children, are all sick. We cannot honestly say of ourselves that we have given Him our all if we continuously put our bodies in harm's way. Obedience to his word not only strengthens our inner man, but our physical man as well. "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." Proverbs 3:7-8 Taking care of our physical bodies is one way to honor Him. We all know that scripture commands us to "go ye therefore and make disciples" (Matthew 28:19-20), implying that to build the kingdom of God, we must be active. We must be equipped to act as the hands and feet of Jesus. Ultimately, to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind" (Matthew 22:37) is to submit every part of your life to Him. We should seek to be as healthy as we can with proper feeding of our body, mind, and spirit; regular exercise of our limbs, core, and brain; and guarding of our heart and soul. God's word clearly tells us that we will have tests and trials in this life, and some of those include illness, but it is then that "A man's spirit sustains him..." Proverbs 18:14. Are you up for the challenge of creating a healthy you: mind, body, and soul? The journey begins now! Stay tuned to this Newsletter each week for added information on how to become a better, healthier you.

#HealthyYouChallenge #healthy #health #MindBodySoul