Why Should I Eat Healthy? {The Healthy Eating Made Simple Series}
Without the right motivation, it’s hard, if not completely impossible, to stick with eating healthy foods. Hitting a certain weight or fitting into a certain dress size might be a decent place to start, but might our efforts to eat well be about more than a number on the scale or a clothing tag? I believe so!
Today I’m sharing some of the goals that keep me motivated to make healthy food choices, and if you have some to add, don’t foget to leave a comment with your thoughts, too!
Stewardship of God’s Temple
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
~I Corinthians 3:16
Scripture calls our physical body the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our health and these bodies, though temporary, are incredible blessings from the Lord that allow us to enjoy this life. I think all of us would agree that the Lord desires us to be faithful stewards with the blessings of our finances, our time, and our family. Why not our bodies and our health?
Imagine how we care for the physical church buildings of our local assemblies. No doubt we keep them clean and orderly, whether through our own labor or by supporting those who do the work. Yet how much more should we keep our own bodies cared for when God calls them His very own temple?
Prosperity of Health
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
~3 John 1:2
I love this verse of the Bible! The aged apostle John desired that those whom he loved in the Gospel would not just have a prosperous spiritual life, but abound in physical health as well! Of course the Lord allows trials of health to come our way at certain seasons, but His overall desire for us is to be healthy. One simple way in which we can aid that goal and not hinder it is to be mindful of what we put into our bodies.
Long-Term Wellness
Sometimes when we are young, we can easily disregard healthy food choices because we don’t reap any immediate consequences. I remember being the girl at the high school lunch table with four or five powdered sugar donuts piled up on my lunch tray! I figured if I wasn’t gaining weight, they weren’t hurting me!
While I don’t believe that my love of cafeteria powdered sugar donuts has ensured a future disease, I do realize that a consistent diet based on processed foods in our younger years can lead to serious health problems in our later years. Healthy eating now doesn’t guarantee a future void of health issues, especially in an age of so many environmental toxins. But choosing healthy foods now is a small choice that I can make to lessen my risk of disease down the road.
Service to God and Others
One of the blessings of health is the greater ability to serve others. When I am sick, my home suffers. My family suffers. My church might suffer. My spiritual life often suffers. I’m not able to serve in the areas where God has called me like I would want. Healthy food choices can do so much to prevent me from being sick now and later on in life so that I can serve the Lord, His people, and my family in a greater way than if I was chronically sick or struggling physically.
Examples to Our Children, the Church, and the World
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
~Galatians 5:22-23
Temperance is not a word we often use in our daily vocabulary, but it basically means self-control and moderation. Imagine the example that all Christians could set to the world if we used temperance with our food choices! I want the example that I set when choosing and preparing food for my family to teach positive lessons to my children and others on temperance and stewardship (as mentioned above).
Do I think that healthy eating will drive someone to salvation in Christ? Probably not. But it can be a part of the greater picture when it comes to living a life that is honoring to Christ and all He has blessed us with.
Encouraged or challenged by what you’ve read? Don’t forget to follow the Healthy Eating Made Simple Pinterest board to find more encouraging posts to help keep you on the right track!
How do you stay motivated to make healthy food choices, or do you find it a challenge? What do you think about the motivators I suggested? Do you have others to offer?
