The human body truly is amazing. It is a beautiful, intricate mastery of order, precision and unity. What makes it even more profound is the ways it points to its Creator and reflects His natural order and our relationship with Him.
I could provide numerous examples to prove this truth, but I will just highlight one for now and maybe come back to others in future posts.
Physically, our alignment (posture) is key to overall health. Similarly, when we exercise, especially when we add tension (through added weight and/or time our muscles bear added stress), proper form determines our growth and future health.
All of us, no matter our age or activity level, experience constant bone tissue loss (resorption) and formation, also known as remodeling (Clark et al., 2018). Kids and teens produce more bone tissue than they lose, leaving them with stronger bones than older adults. Eventually the process reverses (bone tissue loss outpaces production) and our bones become weaker, which is why older adults have more fragile bones (and experience conditions like osteopenia or osteoarthritis). This is only intensified when one has poor nutrition and does not engage in some type of strength training, where you put your muscles and bones under extra stress/tension to make them stronger (either with your own body weight or added weights like dumbbells).
How does this apply to our spiritual health?
Well, if a person has poor posture, exercise technique and/or nutrition, their bones will build (strengthen) according to the dysfunction. This is because remodeling usually occurs along stress points/lines. Therefore, if you habitually stress your bones incorrectly, your body will naturally build itself upon and around the dysfunction.
Think of older folks with hunched backs (kyphosis). Years of poor posture (often caused by tight chest and/or weak back muscles) cause our shoulders to cave forward and the upper back (thoracic region) to curve. As time goes by, the person’s bones will grow accordingly and result in a hunched back. In other words, poor posture coupled with poor exercise technique reinforces poor posture; the problem feeds into itself.
If we do not have good alignment (a good relationship with God and therefore a Biblical worldview), our spiritual health will suffer. We will start to cave into despair and reckless living.
The same principle applies to our spiritual health, a.k.a. our relationship with God. If we do not have good alignment (a good relationship with God and therefore a Biblical worldview), our spiritual health will suffer. We will start to cave into despair and reckless living. Coupled with habitual sin—like worshiping people/things/self rather than God (idolatry), sexual sins (like premarital sex, pornography, homosexuality and infidelity), gossip, slander, greed, envy, murder, strife, etc. (see Ephesians 5:3-6, Colossians 3:5-9)—and our spiritual “bones” will only build upon and strengthen in sickness.
Yet, when spiritual misalignment occurs, what results is far worse than a hunched back or osteoarthritis. Such living, such a relationship (or lack thereof) with God, only leads to death, spiritual death. Forever in unimaginable, horrific torment in hell with Satan, his demons and everyone else who chooses not to trust God as their personal Lord and Savior.
As a society, we spend countless hours and billions of dollars on our physical health (Global Wellness Institute, 2020). How about our spiritual health, specifically our relationship with the One, true God? Are we properly aligned with Him and His Word (the Bible)? (**Notice, I do not say perfectly aligned, for none of us are perfect. The focus is a relationship with God. If one has this, God will make you more into the image of Jesus Christ.) Do we follow sound practices like regular time with Him and His Word to ensure proper alignment and open communication? Do we allow Him to remove our old, sinful ways and replace (and strengthen) them with that which is good and life-giving, ways based on Him and our new identity in Him?
It’s true, our earthly bodies are temporary and are fading away day-by-day (see 2 Corinthians 4:16), but our relationship with God determines our eternal destiny. Those who put their trust in Him and give Him control of their lives will experience abundant peace and joy on earth, but even more so in eternity with Him (see John 3:16, Romans 8:1, Philippians 4:7, 1 John 1:9).
(**Another important note: this does not mean life will be easy because as 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, Satan, the enemy of God and our souls, is still prowling around this world like a lion, seeking people to devour, and he has convinced far too many people to follow in his footsteps. However, what it does mean is we will have peace and joy in the midst of suffering and hardship because we take God at His Word when He says He works all things together for good, He is the Ultimate Victor over Satan, He never leaves us and He is preparing a place for us in Heaven; see Isaiah 41:10, John 16:33, Rom. 8:28 and Col. 2:15 for examples of these promises.)
Everyone else—those who willfully choose against God and insist on being the god of their own life—will live forever separated from Him, in eternal torment in hell (see John 3:18, Rom. 6:23, Hebrews 10:26-30, Revelation 20:11-15).
Is it time for a check-up and realignment?
So, how about it, how is your spiritual posture and form? Is it time for a check-up and realignment? Praise God, He is the Great Physician and best personal trainer you will ever have. And what’s more, He already covered the cost (through Jesus taking on your sins and paying their penalty through His sacrificial death on the Cross; see Isa. 53:5, Rom. 5:8, 1 Peter 3:18). All you need to do is go to Him, admit your sins and need for Him and allow Him to restore you from the inside. Time to get healthy and whole, my friends.
References:
Clark Michael, Lucett, Scott, McGill, Erin, Montel, Ian, & Sutton, Brian (Eds.). (2018). NASM
Essentials of Personal Fitness Training (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). Crossway Bibles.
Global Wellness Institute. (2020, January 28). U.S. Leads Overall Spend in $828 Billion Physical
Activity Market [Press release].
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