Your Physical Health is a Spiritual Issue

Most people do not care how much I bench press or what my most recent squat was. Very few people know or care how much time I spend in my home gym or how much I enjoy my Rogue barbells. Truthfully, I talk so much about weightlifting from the pulpit that it has become a running joke. But, as much as I talk about lifting, I rarely speak or preach about gluttony and physical health.

There are many things as a pastor that are difficult to speak about. Divorce is one of those, for instance, because so many people are impacted by divorce. Increasingly, all sexual ethics are challenging to speak about because there are often homosexual people in our audiences or people who are living with someone who isn’t their spouse.

Is the Bible clear? Of course. Do we speak to these issues? Absolutely, because the Bible is clear. We understand that warning people to avoid sin and to turn to Christ is the best way to love them. So, even when our words cut deep and speak into the most intimate parts of people’s lives, we speak with love, care, and truth.

One of the other issues that is really difficult to speak into as a pastor is physical health. Why? Because obesity is not only an issue that impacts culture outside the church, it is an issue among Christians as well. There are many people in our churches who battle with obesity–and some who do not battle because they have embraced it. There are many pastors who are obese. Obesity is a sin that the church has grown comfortable with. But, just because it is a comfortable sin does not mean it is not a sin.

We often try to separate our physical health from our spiritual health. But, just as we cannot separate our sexual health and decisions from our spiritual health, the truth is that we cannot separate our physical health from our spiritual health.

Your physical health is a spiritual issue.

Not long ago, I sat in a meeting with a friend in our church who asked us to pray for him as he tried to lose weight. He got really personal, and I was so thankful for his statement, “self-control is an expectation for Christians, and that is true in food as it is in everything else. I can’t eat Doritos because I don’t eat one, I eat the bag and that is not showing self-control. It is a poor witness.” My friend did a hard thing. He admitted his sin and his struggle. He asked for prayer and he went to war with his sin. And, he is winning!

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Ephesians 5:18 warns us, “Do not get drunk on wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit.”

In Philippians 3, Paul identifies enemies of Christ as those who’s “god is their belly.” Proverbs 23:2 warns you, “put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.”

Self-control is listed among the fruit of the Spirit.

It is hard for me to speak about obesity because most people assume that I don’t understand and I do not struggle in that area (pictures from middle school will prove otherwise). But, the truth is, I exercise in part so that I can eat. I love food–i love ice cream and cookies and french fries. But, I have to enjoy those things in moderation and I have to exercise to offset the impact of all of those calories. I rarely drink Coke–not because I don’t like Coke, but because I can’t consume all of those extra calories. I lift weights and ruck regularly to maintain my physical health. I bike with my kids and spend part of my day at a standing desk. It is often challenging, but it keeps my mind clear, it keeps my clothes fitting, and hopefully it keeps me healthy enough to pastor full-time until I am at least 70. But, it takes work.

I do not enjoy preaching and writing about physical health because I know many of the people to whom I minister struggle with these issues very personally. But, as with the sexual issues listed above, it is better that I speak into these issues even when it hurts because warning people to avoid sin is the best way to love them. God has some expectations for the way we treat the bodies he has given us and I have a responsibility to preach and teach God’s word.

Just as I would caution you to obey God’s word related to alcohol consumption, your sexual habits, and your business ethics, it is appropriate that I urge you to obey God’s word related to your physical health. Maybe you don’t want to lift weights like I do, or ruck, or run a 10k. OK. Start with controlling your diet. Start with self-control at breakfast and snack time.

We represent Christ better when we honor all of his word. We also serve Christ better when we are physically able to do so.

So, control your diet. Go for a walk. Get plenty of sleep. You will discover that your spiritual disciplines are better when you take care of your health disciplines–and, as a bonus, your clothes will fit better and you will feel great!