Against the Grain

Viruses and infections knock us down for a few days.  Most come in quickly and leave at the same speed.  But, disease and illness often creep up slowly over extended periods of time.  The effects go unnoticed due to the gradual transition into unhealthy lifestyles.  Rushing through day to day events, we miss signs and symptoms warning of diminished health.  Habits form which feed the disease or illness. 

It does not phase us until the condition of health interferes with everyday routines.  Difficulty appears when climbing stairs, fatigue strikes which caffeine cannot cure, skin conditions worsen, pain arises with exercise, vision decreases, etc.  One day we decide to visit the physician.  Diagnosis: verge of diabetes, malnutrition, high cholesterol, deficiency in vitamins, etc.  Prescription: LIFESTYLE CHANGE. 

Whether it be quit smoking, increase activity, decrease fast food, eliminate pop, choose clean eating, supplement vitamins or rest the body; our old habits must go.  ‘They’ say (such smart people) that it takes twenty one days to break a habit.  Well, I would like to place an addition to such wisdom spread throughout the world: it takes a willing, persevering, faith-filled soul twenty one days to break a habit.  What is so magical about twenty one?  Not sure, but ‘they’ say so and everything ‘they’ say is correct, right?

Leaving the physician’s office, with head held high, we decide to begin anew and start walking a healthy path in life.  We throw out each unhealthy habit, going ‘cold turkey’ and swearing off the old lifestyle.  Works well for about one day (if lucky).  It is then we face temptation.  See, temptation works diligently to knock a strong soul off track.  Unfortunately, temptation lurks all around.  Temptation grows in strength and power the moment we decide to shift paths and live better, healthier and positive.

I have struggled for years with gut issues, fatigue, headaches and just plain not feeling well.  Since recovery, my body has gone through the gamut of regimens to refeed and experience full health.  It seems my body fights against every regimen tried.  It almost resembles the yo-yo dieting lifestyle most of society experiences year after year.  Success occurs for a small time frame and then symptoms rear their ugly head again.  Temptation to give up and just be ill occurs at that point.  Temptation to eat unhealthy, destroy the body and forget it all lurks into each day.  Society works diligently to veer everyone down the unhealthy path and give up.  Commercials entice to eat processed, manmade foods.  Infomercials promise quick and easy fixes to weight concerns (and still eat those foods appearing in commercials).  Environments tempt use of unhealthy substances in abundance to enhance the experiences of an event. 

Everyone else can live like this, why can’t we?  Everyone else gives into temptation, why can’t we?  If everyone chose to jump into a raging river for entertainment from an unknown height, would you?

Going against the grain comes with much difficulty.  Choosing healthy options in life and working to instill them into the next generation seems almost impossible.  Society goes with the flow.  It appears easier to continue in the same old lifestyles than to change.  It takes perseverance, willingness, faith and support to slowly change from unhealthy living to healthy living.  These habits did not occur overnight, so cannot be changed overnight.  Offer grace to yourself while shifting feet into the right direction and beginning the narrow path to health. 

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

(1 Corinthians 6:19-21)

In the process, strengthen spiritual health as well.  Feeding Truth into each day, finding strength in the One who created such wonderful vessels for which to live and treating the vessel the best possible.  He allowed us to borrow these bodies and intends for us to use them wisely so that He may work through them to build His Kingdom.  Wide is the path which lead to destruction (going with the flow), but narrow is the path which lead Home (going against the grain).  Join me in doing the very best possible each day to honor God through the bodies given – words, actions, health regimens, rest, etc.  Also join me in receiving grace when stumbling occurs along the path.  He offers that freely, picks us up and helps along the way.  Simply reach to Him and take His Hand for guidance.

Keep praying harder than the devil can work.