In Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28
At the beginning of the year, I sat with the Lord and asked, “What do you want me to focus on this year? Where do you want me to spend my time and attention?”
As I pondered this question, I sat with the Lord and read through my journal from the previous year. As I finished, Acts 17:28 repeated in my mind. Over and over it replayed: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” It became my theme for the new year. When I think of this verse, the word intertwined comes to mind—intertwined with him in every area and in every way that I can be. He was calling me into a deeper Oneness with Him—acknowledging Him in all areas at all times.
As I read through my journal, I paid attention to themes and patterns I saw of where I had grown and where there was lack. One theme I noticed was that I was progressively becoming more and more lethargic, experiencing more brain fog, and having an increased lack of motivation and energy.
Seeing these themes in my journal helped me realize that sometimes I forget to do basic things for myself—things that are necessary for energy, health, thought processes and wellness! In my life, I have certain health issues that require me to be diligent with specific vitamins and supplements. Without these, it becomes physically difficult to pour out to others—whether that be family, friends, or strangers. Looking back through my journal, I was able to see the regression of my health. Had I not sat down to review my life on the pages of my journal, I would have missed out on this realization. My lack of taking care of my body had had a significant impact on my well-being. Seeing this so clearly caused me to seek the Lord deeply on what it means to “live and move and have my being” with Him. He was calling me to be intertwined with Him through my physical body and my health.
Because the Holy Spirit lives inside of me, I need to take care of the house.
If I am being honest, I thought I would be learning how to be intertwined with Him in many different areas of life. However, we are 6 months into the year and He is still teaching me how to be intertwined with Him through my health. Stewarding my physical body, my health, and taking care of myself can be an act of worship. Because the Holy Spirit lives inside of me, I need to take care of the house. We are His temple, and if I am not taking care of that temple, I will not be the kind of mother that I want to be to my children, the wife I want to be to my husband, and I won’t be able to pour out to others the way I—and the Lord—desire. This is not the same as the “self-care” we often hear about. Self-care has a focus on SELF. Being intertwined with the Holy Spirit by offering my body, health, and physical well-being to Him is an act of worship. There is a mindset shift between “self-care” and being intertwined. Each time I make the sacrifice (yes, taking numerous pills a day is a sacrifice!) to take my supplements or to exercise my body or to have the procedure done that I don’t want to do, I get to recognize Holy Spirit’s presence with me. I get to commune with Him through every moment—even if it is simply swallowing a pill!
I have come to realize how prideful I have been.
Isn’t it interesting how pride can be present on either end of the spectrum? When we spend too much time paying attention to our bodies, it can become vain and prideful. However, the opposite can also be true. When we neglect taking care of ourselves, there is a possibility that we (unconsciously) believe we are invincible- we are God- and don’t NEED to take care of our bodies. This is where I found myself: taking my health for granted and developing the paradigm that I could do everything always and my body would keep going without any ill effects! This is a lie Satan uses to break our bodies down, burn us out, keep us full of stress, remain over-worked, and ultimately hinder our intimacy with the Father.
Learning to be intertwined with Jesus through my health has required me to slow down.
It has brought an awareness of all the amazing things my body can do. It has also brought an awareness of how tired my body is! As my Lord is teaching me to be intertwined with Him, He has led me to do several things for my health—things I have ignored or put off for many years. What a journey it is walking with Jesus; there is no limit to how we can worship our Savior. He has brought to life Acts 17:28—In HIM I live. In HIM I move. In HIM I have my being. He gives me my every breath, He causes my feet to step out of bed, He gives me words to speak. He breathed life into my lungs at birth—how could I not offer my body to Him in worship? “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who comes from God and dwells inside of you? You do not own yourself. You have been purchased at a great price, so use your body to bring glory to God!” 1 Cor. 6:19-20 The Voice
My prayer is that if you do not regularly care for your body, you would begin. I do not desire you to begin “self-care” but rather to become intertwined with the Father. Allow the care of your temple to be an act of worship, thanking Him for what He has given you, how it functions, and that He breathes life into it. Thank Him that He chooses to inhabit your being; can you believe the God of this universe would choose to place His Spirit inside you? Allow each thing you do—even a shower you take—become an act of worship to God the Father.
– Christi