Body
This series is titled Spirit Soul Body, not Body Soul Spirit for a reason. It’s just a matter of personal preference. I feel as though Spirit needs to come first and Body last. Not that our bodies are worthless, but going back to the car analogy from our previous post, this body is just the vehicle that houses our Spirit and Soul while we’re here on Earth. While maintaining your vehicle is crucial, especially if you want to get around comfortably and reliably, its occupants are far more valuable.
So here we are, focusing on the flesh, blood, bones and all the amazing systems God has put in place that sustain physical life. Here’s a little recap just in case it’s been awhile since you learned about anatomy.
- Flesh – our largest organ that protects everything on the inside
- Blood – where physical life resides, i.e. our “lifeblood”
- Bones – gives structure and form to this beautiful vehicle of ours
Three very important things to have for sure. Do you think they should be calling the shots or not?
Respect Your Body
The body can sometimes be painted as the bad part of our being; it’s not. Our body is simply the container we are walking around in. Giving us the ability to physically do what God is calling us to do, we need our body. Some jokingly refer to our bodies as “earth suits” given the fact these are just loaners while we’re here. New and improved versions await us on the other side.
Like the soul, our body was never meant to lead our three part being, but it’s highly recommended you do not ignore what it has to say. I promise you if there is a physical problem in your body, deciding to ignore it won’t make it go away. At best, your attempts to suppress pain will be short-lived. Eventually, it will catch up with you.
It is important to treat our body with respect and listen to it. Take the input it is giving us and bring it before the Spirit of God. Sometimes this is a no-brainer such as shooting jolts of pain up your leg as you try to continue your weekend run. There’s not much to discern by consulting God on as to why your leg feels like it wants to fall off and die. It’s telling you to stop because something is wrong. But what about the other times when it’s not so simple?
Let’s say you normally feel tired and have a slight headache during the middle of an otherwise peaceful, routine day. Oh, and let’s just assume you don’t normally get headaches. What’s going on here? This is one of those moments I stop and ask God for His advice. Sometimes I don’t hear anything. Often however, I am picking up on something in the Spirit and am drawn into prayer and intercession for a particular person or place. What really amazes me are the times when I feel perfectly fine after having prayed.
When the Body Leads
One of the ways we know we are choosing to let the body lead include any time we decide to value our physical experience over the truth and word of God. This is such an important point and needs repeating. If we allow our physical condition to be the ultimate guidepost in our life, and treat what God has to say as a less credible news source, we’re off the mark.
I struggled with fatigue for nearly ten years, eventually accepting it as normal; yet is fatigue what God has promised me? Yes I was tired, and there were things out of alignment in my physical body, yet I had surrendered to my experience of always being tired instead of seeking God. I did not ask Him to show me what it looks like to be led of the spirit in this season of experiencing fatigue.
Sure, we live in a world filled with ill-health, but this doesn’t mean we live from a place of sickness. Maybe, just maybe, as we live out victorious lives regardless of our physical circumstances, we’re able to glorify God in ways we’d never have been able to before.
We can surrender what is going on in our body and ask God for His scripture, His truth, and how to be led by His Spirit. Just as the scripture below says, let’s allow His power to move within us.
For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Colossian 1:29 (NASB)
Another sign we are being led by the body is when we turn to physical satisfaction in place of getting those needs met in God. It feels good to the brain and body to eat or overeat food. It’s comforting and yet not truly satisfying. Alcohol, drugs, sex, food, exercise, social media, any addictive behavior can be an indicator that perhaps we are avoiding something.
Ignoring What’s Wrong
Maybe we’re trying to make ourselves feel better and in the process ignoring what’s really going on. The key is to find the underlying cause by asking the Holy Spirit or finding outside help to walk you through the healing God is inviting you into. When the urge comes to seek comfort in something, take a pause and ask the Holy Spirit what is truly needed, tuning into your spirit man instead of allowing your body to continue on autopilot.
Your body is a gift, and not just for you to wander aimlessly throughout life. Each of us is running a race set before us, and like every champion athlete we need to have laser-like focus on our bodies; listening to what’s going on with it. Knowing when to push harder than you ever have, and knowing when to back off and rest. Knowing the differences between when something is truly wrong and when the body is just trying to be lazy. Understanding that God created these bodies in His image and He can and does use it as a means to communicate with you.
How’s Your Body Today?
How’s your body feel today? What’s going on with it? What is it trying to tell you? Like a small child that’s yelling to get attention because they feel ignored, do you believe the body does the same? If so, what do think would happen if you paid more attention to what it had to say?
Did You Miss Our Other Posts?
Hi there! This post is part of our current series on our three part being; Spirit Soul Body. We’re spending nine weeks focusing on what makes up the complete package called “us.” In case you missed them, here’s a handy reference of all the posts in this series.