How Clean Is Your Temple?

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all from the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

It is interesting that this is the particular scripture for this day - because it is one I've been praying over the last week. I want to honor God with my body, and so I've been praying that he would show me the way. Let me share a little about why this is my prayer.

I struggle a lot with my body image and my weight - it has been a strong hold for me. There's a whole story behind it, and I'd be happy to share it if you asked, because God has worked amazing things in me and a whole lot of healing. But it is an area that I have to be careful in because Satan tries hard to work on me there.

Part of my healing came from several realizations - one being that nothing can fill me outside of God himself. So no matter what I eat, I will never be full. The second was that no one can make me feel significant no matter how I look outside of God himself. The third was that when my body is the way God designed it to be and when I am honoring God with it, I serve him better. I don't want my own battles with is in my mind to stop me from serving God to the fullest - and so I often times ask God to show me the way so that I am healthy and serving him fully.

As a Christian Counselor, I am a big believer in a body, mind, spirit connection. And so we must be careful - with the help of God - to make certain we are healthy in each area to experience total health. Perhaps the following examples will help you understand why.

Let's start by looking at the context of the verse above - Paul was specifically addressing those who were involved in sexual sin. So how does sexual sin affect spirit, mind, body? Goodness, there are so many ways. It is possible to actually become sin sick. Not to mention the related diseases. Spiritually, when one is walking in willful sin, it is impossible to be close to God and not feel the conviction - so the choice is to ingore God or run from him. In addition, depending on which you are - male or female, being invovled in sexual sin has the ability to occupy the mind with images and thoughts that certainly are not of God or lead to heart break at the end of the relationship. That's just the short list.

But Paul says whatever you do in your body, do it to honor God. For example, if you over-eat, you harm your self esteem, your health, your ability to have the energy to serve God in way he may be calling you to. The mind body connection is evident. I know many who hide behind their weight and many who hide because of their weight. Go the other direction, and your are causing the same affects, just in a different way - and your mind is filled with thoughts of things that are not of God or from God.

Even the way you rest affects the mind, body, spirit connection. We are called to rest - because our bodies were designed to do so. No rest equals no energy. No rest equals sickness. No rest equals a tired mind that is left unprotected from the thoughts Satan might plant there. I know for me, when I am most tired is when I am most easily attacked.

So there's just a brief look at the mind, body, spirit connection. It is for good reason that Paul tells us to honor God with our bodies. But how do we get there? Might I suggest to things? The first is to pray and ask God to reveal to you ways in which you are not honoring him. The second is then to pray and ask hime to show you the way to honor him. He will - I promise you that. See, he understands the difficulty. He is faithful to not allow us to be tempted beyond what we (with his help) can handle (1 Cor. 10:13). In addition, he knows because he has walked where we walk - literally. He has been tempted in every way, just as we are, and promises that when we ask for his help, he will help us (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Let me end with just one thought - because I know how easy it is to justify the choices we are making - when you participate in things that are not honoring God with your body, consider this. God is in you at that time if you have accepted him as your Savior. Your body is his temple. Just think for a minute how this God who sacrificed so much for you is dishonored when, while he is in you, you continue to participate in the things you are doing with your body. Eek - pretty convicting I would say. Makes one think twice. Bottom line - I want my temple clean, not defiled. How about you?

What commitments are you making to honor God with your body? Feel free to share - and we'd be happy to come beside you in this effort or pray for you.