Striving for excellence: A holistic approach to health and well-being

The measure of the quality of our lives is dependent on different factors. Today, let’s consider healthy lifestyles. Everyone desires to have a blissful future with good health and success. I am not sure that anyone who is sane will desire a future with a frail body. Even people who are active in sports have health care for emergency purposes. It is very important to strive for a sustainable future with good health. Definitely, only God knows the future but we should not take that for granted and neglect our health. If we refuse to give attention to our health, God knows that we will be operating with weak bodies in the future. We should consider a holistic approach towards our health and well-being. We should be considerate with whatever goes into us. Food does not make us unrighteous (Matthew 15:11) but food can contribute to adverse health problems. 

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28)

In order to live a purpose-driven life, we should purposely consider efforts towards a sustainable future of good health. Accidents do happen but we can control the least accidental situation. Eating unhealthy foods is not an accident. Refusing to exercise the body is not an accident. Not having time to invest in your health is not an accident. We have to intentionally strive for healthy lifestyles. It is a cost we have to bear if we want to live a purposeful life. Jesus asked His disciples in Luke 14:28: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” Have we counted the cost of attaining a healthy lifestyle? Are we ready to make sacrifices to stop eating unhealthy foods because of the implications they have on the body? Are we committed to glorifying God with healthy lifestyles?

We cannot present what we do not have. You cannot preach that Jesus saves when you need to be saved from the clutches of addiction. Imagine waking up to find the preacher in your church in the news for drunk driving. I am not sure, if he gives a sermon on “Living to please God” you will be pleased. Imagine yourself in the court of God and you need to defend yourself about being a good custodian of your body. What will be your defense? An excellent Christian lifestyle is a holistic approach to ensuring both spiritual growth and maturity,  and physical well-being. God wants us to prosper in all we do. He will not do for us what He has entrusted us to do. No amount of grace will cause God to exercise for you. No level of Spirituality will cause you to escape the general needs of the body. If we want to have a fulfilling Christian life, we should be good stewards of our lives.