New Year resolutions are a common practice across the world regardless of ethnicity, culture, upbringing, etc. The most common resolution for both genders is to eat right, exercise and live a healthier and active life.
We start with selecting a right diet in right portions – Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins and Water. The study of Nutrition informs us that carbs are energy building foods, proteins are body building food, vitamins are disease fighting and so on and so forth. We know that if we eat right in right portions even at the right time, we will see the visible changes in our bodies as we grow and develop a healthy weight, muscles and bones. We know that if we put away junk food, we are saving ourselves a lifetime of ill health and painful weight management.
So what about our spiritual food? What are we feeding on? Do we take care to eat healthy and not junk food? Many of us were brought up hearing, “You are what you eat”. If you eat right, it manifests in your weight, energy levels and overall wellbeing. In a type and shadow, looking at what we consume daily to feed our spiritual bodies – it ranges from the undiluted Word of God itself to spiritual books, to blogs such as this one, to messages and teachings, audio prayer and meditations, prayers and study online communities. Today the variety, shape and form of spiritual food is so diverse. So much is competing for our attention and space in our brain.
However, like physical food how do we ensure the right the portion size, right timing, how do we ensure that the Scripture does not take a back seat amidst all other revelation?
Whatever we do, we must realize NOTHING can take the place of God’s Word. It is the undiluted written Word of God that will grow and edify of our spiritual bodies. As Hebrews 5: 12-14 tells us, “
You need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (NKJV)
Whilst the context is different here, these verses inform us that it is through the word itself that we start to understand certain things as it pertains to God’s plans for us and specifics about our individual lives that will mature us.
Paul also says to early believers in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (NKJV)
Relating this to the natural once again, some of us in our natural diet take vitamin supplements because we know we do not consume enough nutrients to cover what our body needs. However, nobody lives, grows and functions by taking vitamin supplements alone. They will suffer malnutrition and eventually die of starvation. Likewise, in the spirit, we also have supplements, e.g. books, blogs, messages from favourite preachers, teachings, audio prayer and meditations, online communities, etc., but our real carbs, proteins, fruit and veggies we will get from the word of God!!
It’s not a wonder however that we spend a lifetime seeking answers and solutions to life’s problems through many ways. The writer says in Ecclesiastes 12: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher “Everything is meaningless!” (NIV). BUT the writer also tells us in v.13, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” (NIV).
The word of God is what will direct us, comfort us, save us in the day of trouble, bless and keep us. We also are told in Ephesians5: 25-26 that the Word of God is water that washes us: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (NIV)
Water in the natural, flushes out toxins from our bodies, helps digestion, cleanses our entire body both internally and externally. As we know there are many other benefits – water gives our body a healthy base in any diet.
So what does this, mean? We have established through the word of God that God’s word is food and water to our spiritual bodies. So what is the learning today?
Just as not all food is for our nourishment and there are some foods that most definitely keep us healthy, so also in the spirit, not all spiritual food nourishes but the word of God undeniably keeps us strong, healthy and growing daily into the image of Christ.
Ask yourself:
- What spiritual junk food exists in your life possibly replacing the Word of God?
- What portions do you need to take of such spiritual food so that Scripture and the study of the Word take priority?
You may ask, “How do I identify this?” I say, let the precious Holy Spirit guide you. A sincere prayer from the heart will attract the right answer. Only the Holy Spirit can lead us into identifying the right balance of spiritual food we individually need and help us establish the discipline to maintain this. One ‘acid’ test I learned from experience is anything that does not produce the fruit of righteousness in you is probably not worth reading, listening to or watching. The operative phrase is ‘produce the fruit of righteousness’ and not entertain!
Having identified answers to questions 1 and 2, we need to detox. The best way to detox in the natural is through water, and we established this is the Word of God.
So dear friends, may the Word of God keep us this year & always!
Written by Bee
Be Your Best Self for God series