Faith, Fitness & Food: Drawing the Connection
A client once asked me “Why are all ‘good’ foods bad for you?” Regardless of how many times I’ve formally been asked this question, I know it has been wondered by many of us at some point in time. I thought about this question deeply and, based on faith, this is my response:
We know the Devil puts temptations in front of us to test our faith. I believe that “good food” (referring here to those foods which are tasty, yet non-nourishing) can be one of these temptations. We can either turn towards the food with which we are being taunted or prove to the Devil that our allegiance lies with God by opting for healthier foods to help preserve our bodies: each a temple in which the Holy Spirit is LIVING! It is of utmost importance to maintain our physical health so that we are able to physically serve God whenever we might be called to do so.
“A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.”- Proverbs 25:28
Through the Holy Spirit living in us, God grants us the blessing of self-control. However, we often do a sub-par job of letting several factors get the best of us (emotions, finances, food…). Justifying such behavior without acting to improve demonstration of self-control is dishonoring to God. “We should not allow ourselves to be at the mercies of our uncontrolled appetites.” Every time you think that you are incapable of making a healthy decision, be it choosing a side salad over French fries or deciding whether to attend a group fitness class, simply remember: we can do all things through Christ.
Food can become an idol for many people. This is true of healthy food and unhealthy food alike. The Bible teaches us that we are not to have idols. In this regard, we find yet another way in which food can hold a negative grip over our lives (if we desire/long for food more than we do for God).
All this being said, there is also a reverse methodology to such tendencies. Becoming obsessed with working out, eating the trendiest “superfood”, maintaining the perfect physique…such thoughts and behaviors can also become idols that lead us to turn away from God.
“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”- 1 Timothy 4:8
As mentioned previously, physical training is important to both preserve our bodies which God, Himself, created and to ensure that we are always ready to physically serve Him when called to do so. BUT, that does not mean that physical training is more important that training for godliness. Making sure to complete a morning workout 7 days a week is not more important than attending church on Sunday mornings (though we also shouldn’t use church-related activities as a frequent excuse for skipping exercise sessions 😊 ). Our physical bodies will only exist during our time on earth. Investing in our Heavenly future, which will last for eternity, is inarguably of far greater importance.
When clients seem to be really struggling to maintain healthy habits, I often ask “Have you prayed about this?” More often than not, I receive a response along the lines of no, they hadn’t even thought to do so. I think many of us perceive matters of nutrition and fitness to be too trivial to bring to God’s attention. Is there such thing? Something too small for God? I don’t believe so. God created ants- ain’t nothin’ too small for God. If we are stressed about something day in and day out, don’t you think that God would like to hear about it from us firsthand? There is no need to compartmentalize nutrition and fitness in a way that totally separates it from our faith. If “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13), shouldn’t I be turning to Christ for the strength needed to start making healthier choices? I believe so. In fact, I don’t think this should be a last resort, a resource only used when really hitting rock bottom. I think we should talk with God about this often. As prevalent as such matters can become with controlling our thoughts and emotions, I think God deserves to be updated on this front on a regular basis.
I know this is probably a lot to digest. God is a lot digest. Connecting with him in this manner shall be no different. However, I hope this content changes how at least one person approaches their dietary and fitness habits. Even more so, I hope this blog prompts conversation about God’s greatness, His ability to assist and guide us in ALL aspects of life. I hope it sparks curiosity about how I can be so convinced of such matters, about who God is, about why He cares about us so much that He even cares what we eat and drink. (If your thoughts are along the lines of those in this last sentence, I recommend starting your search by reading Bible verse John 3:16.)
Let me end by saying that no, God does not expect us to make perfect decisions all of the time: whether pertaining to diet, exercise, or literally anything else. He knows that we are flawed humans and that we make mistakes. Many of them. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t expect us to strive for excellence in all that we do. To stand out from others in a positive manner, that hopefully sparks conversation about why we are able to stay so focused and driven (the answer, of course, being God).
If any of you have thoughts/comments/questions you would like to share pertaining to my ideas detailed above, please do not hesitate to do so. I would love to hear what you think. 😊