I recently made a commitment to change in order to try to get some relief from my chronic pain. I devoted a lot of time to researching several different diets. There were a few that were recommended specifically for Fibromyalgia, but there wasn’t one certain diet that stood out as the right one for me.
Then I heard about a healthy lifestyle that encompassed total body wellness and food freedom. It’s not a fad diet or a quick fix. You can enjoy every food group. There’s no calorie counting, and no expensive shakes to buy. I have a couple of friends who have benefited from it, and after reading several other testimonies of success, I bought the Trim Healthy Mama Plan by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison.
Basically it teaches you about properly pairing foods together and fueling your body to burn fat instead of store it. I’m on my second read-through of the book. It’s a little overwhelming. So I had to get some note cards out and write the basics out to put on the fridge until I get the hang of it. (You can read more about the plan here.)
So far I’m seeing positive results from applying the principles in the book. And while our physical health is important, God is much more interested in our spiritual health. It’s possible He wants you to make a commitment to change as well, but may need a little help with how to follow through on that. So here are a few things the Lord has reminded me of that apply to both our physical and spiritual health. I hope they inspire you to carry out your specific commitment to change.
Live What You Know
A lot of us know that eating right and exercising are a good way to stay healthy. But It’s one thing to know what to do, and it’s another thing altogether to actually do it. Jesus told the disciples in John 13:17 that “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them”. Obedience = Happiness. And just like I see the benefit when I apply the Trim Healthy Mama principles, there are visible results from applying biblical principles too.
Some basic principles for believers to apply are to read the Bible consistently, obey it faithfully, and share it lovingly. The Lord speaks to us through the pages of scripture. It’s how we know Him and love Him more.
In the Bible are found the eternal words of truth and life preserved by God himself for us, His beloved. The word is alive and active. It convicts us, challenges us, corrects us, and changes us into women who are more like Jesus. Without the scriptures we’re missing a key component to our spiritual health. If we’re not reading our Bibles, we need to repent and make that commitment to change today!
“Don't fall into the trap of studying the Bible without doing what it says.” -Francis Chan Click To Tweet
Another necessary component to our spiritual health is to pray without ceasing. Just like we need to ask questions, seek help, and gain wisdom from the physical health experts, we need to seek the Lord for help with our spiritual wellness. Without prayer we’re trying to fumble through life on our own. Prayer is relationship building with the Lord, and gives us the strength to live out what we know.
Believers also need the accountability, wise counsel, and testimonies from other believers of the blessing of applying Biblical principles. Those spiritual connections bolster our faith and boost our commitment to change. We need people to walk with us, invest in us, and encourage us to continue to grow in grace and truth. Just like when you visit with someone who has been on their health journey a little longer than you, who has had success at losing weight and keeping it off, and you’re inspired to start it or keep at it.
Junk In = Junk Out.
If you’re constantly feeding on food that’s unhealthy, you’re going to have extra weight that brings insecurity, costs you money to buy bigger clothes, and keeps you from participating in certain activities. And if you’re binging on Netflix, listening only to secular music, and sleeping late instead of going to church or getting up to read your Bible, you’re not going to be a healthy Christian either. Junk in = Junk out.
What you consume affects your mind, mood, mouth, and ministry. Click To Tweet
Instead of mindlessly consuming the garbage of the world, the flesh, and the devil, (like scrolling social media), make mindful decisions for everything you choose to feed your body and your spirit. Ask yourself if it’s going to help, hurt, or hinder your spiritual or physical wellness?
1Corinthians 10:31~ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Of course the devil doesn’t want us to walk in freedom in any area of our lives. So when we make that commitment to change he’s going to try to discourage us, draw us away, and leave us feeling defeated. If we listen to his lies we will fail. But if we replace those lies with truth and listen to the Lord, we will grow in our faith and bring glory to God.
Fight The Flesh
Whenever I make a commitment to change anything in my life my flesh is so resistant. It deceives me into thinking that I deserve to eat what makes me happy.
My lack of temperance is a heart issue. Long term obedience and discipline over my flesh will produce spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical wellness. But if my heart isn’t repentant over the sin of disobedience and idolatry, I’ll keep circling this mountain.
Repentance, diligence, and discipline are necessary for our spiritual health.
What’s helped me to start to get freedom from the flesh in this area is to make a list of those lies I’m believing, and to find a scripture that renews my mind in that area. (I’m reading the updated and expanded version of “Lies Women Believe, and the Truth that Sets them Free by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth“, and doing the study guide that goes with it, with the ladies ministry at our church. It is an eye opening book full of truth and practical application. I highly recommend it!!)
Going through this process has really been a blessing and helped me make the commitment to change my bad habits.
Counseling Our Heart With Truth
- 1Corinthians 9:27~ But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway. How can we teach biblical principles like temperance, or walking in the Spirit, if we have no rule over our own lusts of the flesh?
- 1Corinthians 6:19-20~ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. We are adopted into the family of God, purchased and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. That should stir up within us immense gratitude and a desire to bring God glory in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit of God lives within believers, and their body is now a holy place of worship. We must repent of idolatry and love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
- Galatians 5:16~ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. When we feed the Spirit and follow through and live what we know to be true in the word then we’ll be Spirit-filled and walking in step with Him. Then we won’t give into every desire of the flesh.
Getting healthy isn’t easy. It takes commitment to change and a dying to self. But the rewards are worth the sacrifices. I praise the Lord for His grace when I slip back into old habits, and I pray for His help to stay in His will.
With Jesus I can do anything, and so can you! When you make a commitment to change and live for the glory of God, remember to live what you know, that junk in = junk out, to fight your flesh, and to counsel your heart with truth.
~1Peter 2:11~ Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
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A Day in the Life of a Christian with Chronic Pain
It really is so hard to change, especially when we don’t want to. I mean, I want to, but down deep I don’t if I’m honest.
Some of the things you mentioned like social media, TV, and secular music are definitely a big deal even though so many of us don’t THINK they are. We just see them as part of life now. My husband preached a special sermon about a week ago and that kind of thing is part of what he mentioned. We have to be very carefully what is influencing us and what non-believers see us partaking in. We are supposed to be His light to the world, but if we are not putting the right stuff in the right stuff won’t come out – like you mentioned.
Another great read, Annie! God bless you on your journey to getting healthy!
Thanks for reading and for the encouragement! I appreciate it. Blessings to ya!
I have fibromyalgia and chronic pain (and was actually a health coach that help others deal with it) and I SO agree that your spiritual life needs to be healthy–that’s a priority.
Praying for you to find something that works for you.
Thanks! Blessings to ya! 🙂