Our Body is a Wonderland

As artists (and people immersed in the American culture), we find ourselves often putting our fundamental needs last. This is something that we have to focus on changing; otherwise, we will leave our God little room to do His work in us. 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 states, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." I think that we can all recognize the difficulty in glorifying God with our body. So, Noland assists us by giving us three areas to pay special attention to:

1. Be Healthy Physically

In some Christian circles it's fashionable to overwork and be burned out; it's a kind of badge of honor. But what's really going on here most of the time is that we're trying to impress each other with how hard we're working or how important we think we are. Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NSAB) says, "One hand full of rest is better than two fist full of labor and striving after wind." Rest is important. It's okay to get the rest your body needs. Most people fail to get the rest they need not because they get up too early but because they go to bed too late. We need to work hard for the Lord and not burn out. Most of us are at our best when we're well rested. Over the years I've learned not to schedule myself late into the evening the night before a big service at church, because I know that my team needs me to be sharp and alert. It's just one of the ways I can bring a healthy, rested self to the team. Regular exercise and sensible eating also contribute to our physical well-being. We tend to underestimate the amount of energy it takes to live a proactive, zealous Christian life or to be an attentive spouse or an involved parent. Then we wonder why we're tired all the time. Exercise and a healthy diet create the energy we all need to live life to its fullest. Ar you eating sensibly, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest? (105, Noland)

2. Be Healthy Spiritually

During the first century, there was an awful famine that was sweeping across the continents. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul talked glowingly about the churches in Macedonia and their team effort to help their fellow believers in need. The were poor yet they contributed abundantly to the church's worldwide relief effort. Paul says in 2 Corninthians 8:5 that they were able to give so much because "they gave themselves first to the Lord." They were in such a good place spiritually that giving came easy for them despite their poverty. When you're walking with the Lord, ministry oozes out automatically. You can't serve out of an empty cup, so make sure you're healthy spiritually. Don't you be the one holding the Spirit's anointing back by being spiritually lazy. Make sure you're having regular devotions, that you're praying, that you're confessing and renouncing sin, that you're in fellowship and sitting under biblical teaching. (106, Noland)

3. Be Healthy Emotionally

We can't control the circumstances that affect our emotions but we can do wonders for our emotional well-being by having meaningful relationships and dealing with pain and conflict in a healthy way. Do you have meaningful relationships? Are you paying attention to your emotions and dealing with them, or are you suppressing them? Are you dealing with pain and conflict in hour life, or are you coping by denying or escaping? (106, Noland)

It wouldn't be overgeneralizing to make the statement that most of us do not do a very good job of taking care of our needs. Sure, some of us may be able to hit a home run in one of the three areas, but another area probably looks more like the lava lamp in Soap Lake. Also, do not make the rash assumption that our lives outside of our ministry do not have an impact on our ministry and God's ability to do his work. We have to recognize that our work life, family life, and spiritual life is all interconnected. So, creating a healthy balance means being spiritually, emotionally, and physically healthy in all avenues of our life.

For this post, share a story of when you had some unhealthy issues in your life and what you did to overcome them. In this way, we can all learn a bit from each other's past and hopefully make it through or avoid similar unhealthy choices. As Rafiki in the Lion King teaches Simba: "Ah, yes the past can hurt, but you can either run from it or learn from it."