Weighted Spirituality

Something that I have been convicted about for some time is the issue of my weight.  I recently had my annual physical at the V.A. so that I could get a consult to see a doctor regarding my left knee which has been giving me problems since last summer.  Before I saw my doctor I had to have the dreaded weigh in.  I weighed in at 245 pounds.

Now I know what many are thinking.  Stuff like, hey you're 6'1", that's not bad...or, wow you can't tell.  Well the problem is that I can tell.  I look down and I'm not happy with what I see.  The Holy Spirit puts it to m that I am not living the disciplined life that I have been called to live.  For, we are not spirit only, nor are we just bodies.  God created us with both working together.  But nobody has said anything to me about my weight!

I recently began reading a book by favorite spiritual formation author, Gary Thomas, titled Every Body Matters: Strengthening Your Body to Strengthen Your Soul.  He makes this very true statement in chapter 2.

"The curse of today is that so many Christians equate bodily sins with sexual sins.  The only possible bodily sin, in their minds, is related to lust.  If they're not sinning sexually, they believe these verses don't apply to them.  The contemporary age of the church is the only generation that has believed this."

He later goes on to say that we have completely disregarded the sins of gluttony and sloth in the teaching time at church's today.  We often speak about gossip, sexual purity, lying, anger, and other issues.  However, the two aforementioned sins are left untouched.  I believe the reason for this is that it hits home a little to hard.  Especially for pastors.  (Note: Not all overweight pastors suffer from these two sins there are other problems that cause weight gain.)

   “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:22–25, ESV)  

I am tired of being someone that knows with my mind what to do but doesn't practice it when it comes to my body.  For how well can I truly discipline my spirit if I am unwilling to discipline my body and make  the sacrifices that are needed, especially when they are really not sacrifices.  I need to die to self and live for Christ.  So that, when I am older, if the Lord grants me the days, I will be better able to continue to serve Him.

I know that this is going to be difficult for me.  Much is going to weigh on my eating habits (pun intended).  The reason why is that I have mild asthma, chronic right ankle pain, and issues with my left knee that need to be resolved (hopefully in the near future).  So I am going to need to do a lot of praying surrounding this issue and constantly rely on the Holy Spirit to help me to discipline my body so that I may grow closer to Christ and be more useful to Him.

So for the next year the passage below is going to be my theme verse along with the song by Tedashii.  Give a listen.  Let me know what you think and I appreciate your prayers I begin to cut out fast food, soda, and other foods in my diet that are not good for my body that doesn't get nearly as much exercise as it needs.      

   “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27, ESV)