“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness”!(Matthew 6:22-23). That was where my journey began four years ago, taking ownership of my darkness and deciding to work on making it light. I was unhealthy as so many of us are. I wasn’t so unhealthy that it was noticeable BUT just unhealthy enough to realize that things were not right. And I would try doing little things here and there to quick fix BUT never made any lasting changes. And then something in me clicked to start taking my health seriously. Whether it was fear or God’s plan or just time, pinpointing exactly what it was is much less important than the actual change. I hit the floor and started working out. I hit the lunch box and started looking at what I was eating. I hit my cup and started to look at what I was drinking. I hit my brain and started to look at what I was studying and thinking. I hit my screens and started to examine what I was putting into my eyes. And I started to take the baby steps at getting healthier. Health is a struggle in a society that profits off disease.
I was tired of darkness in my life. I was tired of seeing the worst in people and judging them for those ills. I was tired of being unhealthy. So, I made the change and God led the way even though I had no idea. And I was struggling to do push ups. I was struggling to do sit ups. I was struggling to do jumping jacks. I was struggling to eat fiber. I was struggling to eliminate processed foods. I was struggling to eat real food. I was struggling to eliminate sugars. I was struggling to read helpful things. I was struggling to eliminate the news. I was struggling to get out of political debates. I was struggling to make amends for being a jerk. I was struggling to change my life. I was struggling with a philosophy to govern my life. And then I started reading The Bible, cover to cover, for the first time, all the books, apocrypha and the like, all of it. And I haven’t stopped struggling BUT I have a new way of life.
It’s easy to get frustrated by the struggle to change. Five push ups and five sit ups were a struggle at first BUT I continued. I built on the routine. Giving up soda wasn’t tough for me BUT lemonade and tea were. And now I’m drinking water all day long. Reading and studying in the morning wasn’t easy BUT I started carving out the time to read into my routine. Building and maintaining a garden took trial and error and patience. All change takes time. And we so easily get frustrated and want to just go back to the rut. BUT the rut is not going to save anyone. And we need to save ourselves first through the grace of God. I needed to let Jesus work in my life before I was ever going to be a help to anyone else. So, let me encourage you that we all can start making changes. And God will meet us where we are.
God doesn’t change everything all at once. So don’t get frustrated with the journey. I didn’t wake up one day unhealthy and then wake up the next day healthy. Both of those paths took a series of choices and habits to achieve. So, let’s be realistic about ourselves and our expectations BUT also be aware that God can change anyone and anything. Once you give Him the control, He can do wonderful things for your health. He wants us to be free. And making choices to increase our health spiritually, mentally, and physically help us achieve that freedom.
Grace and Shalom to your home.