Some estimates suggest that we spend on average between 20 and 40 minutes per day in front of a mirror. Regardless of where you fall in that range, have you ever stopped to notice what kinds of thoughts are running through your mind during those times? Rushing through personal hygiene routines probably isn’t a natural time for prayer, but what about other times you think about your body? What are your general emotions regarding your physical form, appearance, and health?
How do you talk to God about your body?
Psalm 139 gives us a pattern of the kinds of things we should meditate on when we think about our body, and the overwhelming emotions are wonder, joy, and gratitude:
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:13-14
Thankfulness ought to be a normal part of our Christian life, and this psalm reminds us that one of the things we should thank God for is our body.
Praise the Great Designer
God designed us—each and every part of us! He designed the parts that we can see in the mirror, the parts that are internal, and the parts that aren’t physical at all (our mind, emotions, etc.). He is the great Designer, working at our development even when we were still inside our mothers.
He chose each aspect of our being. When we look at our bodies and think about our minds, we can see just how amazing our Creator is. Therefore, just like the psalmist, we ought to praise Him for His intelligence and skill. His work in creation is awe inspiring and marvelous. When we see His works, we can understand something about His power.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.
Romans 1:20
If we study Romans 1:18-23, we know that the right response to this knowledge is thanksgiving.
Struggles with thankfulness
However, I know that there are certain parts of me that I have struggled to be thankful for—parts that I have even hated and despised, even though they came from God. When I hate the shape of my knees or hips, or the color of my hair, I need to stop and ask God, my Designer, to forgive me. And I need to turn and praise Him for these things.
This is even more difficult when I think of illnesses and frailties that I have. For me, enervating fatigue has been a part of my life since I was around 16 years old. Even then, I remember falling asleep in nearly every high school class, in spite of trying to take notes and pinch myself awake. This continued in college and beyond, with no real answers from doctors.
But I know how I have used this frailty over the past decades. I have often used my fatigue as an excuse for complaining when I should have praised God’s name, for grumbling when I should have been content with the many wonderful things God has given me, for hating my life when I should have bowed in devotion to my Maker.
God uses our physical defects
However, God has used it as well. He has used it to teach me that we must seek first His kingdom and then all other things will be added to us. He has used it to teach me that we must first submit to His plan before we will really taste fully of His promises. I have learned that His promises can seem false if I am not willing to trust Him and follow Him. But when I trust and obey, endure and press on (with strength He also gives!) I can see the reality of His promises.
C.H. Spurgeon, the great pastor and theologian, who suffered severely from depression and other health problems, said,
“Health is set before us as if it were the great thing to be desired above all other things. It is so? I would venture to say that the greatest blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently been of more use to the saints of God than health has.”
C. H. Spurgeon
I praise God for how He has given me a weakness that works as a platform for me to learn more about Him. How about you? What are your physical or mental weaknesses teaching you about God? What strengths has He given you that you can praise Him for?
Christ redeems us, body and soul
Meditating on God’s creation of our bodies can also be an opportunity for us to remember how Christ came down to earth to live in a physical body. He came down to this earth and acted as the perfect example to us of how to live in this world. His death was also part of that: a completely selfless act of love and power to reach down to us because we could not rescue ourselves.
We can thank Christ for coming to rescue us, body and soul, from a punishment that would have destroyed us. Jesus suffered so that we wouldn’t have to, He died so that we could have new bodies, perfect bodies, and live for all eternity with Him and the Father and the Spirit.
Suggested Reading:
“After years of dieting, you know there’s more to weight control than what you eat. “Having discovered the power that food can have over our lives, Elyse Fitzpatrick helps you identify the destructive eating habits holding you captive, build healthier eating and living habits, develop a flexible plan suited to your unique situation. On this journey you will find a God who loves you and knows everything about you…a God who can transform your heart and change your life in ways you never imagined.” (Amazon description)
“With his trademark insights and energy, Keller offers biblical guidance as well as specific prayers for certain situations, such as dealing with grief, loss, love, and forgiveness. He discusses ways to make prayers more personal and powerful, and how to establish a practice of prayer that works for each reader.” (Amazon description)
“By intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are. Derived from a popular Revive Our Hearts radio series, Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy challenges and equips the reader to live a life of intention. A life based on thankfulness – for the freedom Christ has provided and for the blessings of others.” (Amazon description)
Studying the book of Psalms is essential to knowing God’s character, His promises, and how to pray to Him. This reading plan will help you to become more familiar with Psalms and to daily meditate on truths that will change your life. (Amazon description)
