Healthy Guidelines for Living

O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit; O restore me to health and let me live! Isaiah 38:16 (New American Standard Bible)

Isaiah 38 records the story of Hezekiah being told he was to die soon. Upon hearing this, he cried to the Lord for an extension on his life and he was granted his request. What followed his healing was a prayer that included today’s verse. His was one of desiring physical health and extended life. I read his words this morning with a desire for not only physical health but emotional and spiritual health as well.

A little over a year ago, I joined Weight Watchers and quickly saw the need to change the way I was eating. While my desire to eat right included wanting to lose weight it also entailed a life style change. Hence, the need to implement healthy guidelines into not only my eating but my activities as well. Some of those guidelines have to do with drinking water, getting in my fruits and vegetables, drinking milk, increasing my activity level, and other healthy options. One thing I have to be on guard of is my tendency to binge eat. Certain foods can open the door to incredible binges that have no positive value or outcome. Knowing this, forces me to set daily and weekly goals for myself that keep me on track and improve my health.

Recently God helped me to see that those same principles apply to my emotional and spiritual health. For the sake of my internal well being, it is imperative that I follow specific healthy guidelines designed to bring about that emotional and spiritual health. While I don’t know what that entire list looks like yet, He has given me a few to get me started. The first of which is to guard and control my thoughts. I have often found it easy to binge on wrong thoughts which can stem from unforgiveness, self- pity, wrong perceptions, and judgmental attitudes. That is a “diet” I cannot afford to continue to embrace. At present, the healthy guideline God is urging me to implement is to think on better things on purpose. To chose to redirect my thinking. There is so much I can think on that is encouraging, beneficial, and healthy for me. Things that would give me freedom in my day and in my relationships.

This is just one aspect of Him restoring my health and letting me live the abundant life of which Jesus spoke. He will forever leave the choice to me as to whether or not I apply what He tells me. He won’t force good health on me but He will certainly provide all I need to experience that health.

Father, my desire for physical, emotional, and spiritual health has finally come into agreement with Your desire. Continue to show me the guidelines for my own well being. Amen.

By Grace Alone - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6lhilgWXIE&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.