Motivational Inspiration/ /Living Temple

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

(1 Corinthians 10:31)

This was (and still is) my mantra for a healthy lifestyle.

If you've tried the New's Year Resolution of a healthy diet and failed at it miserably, you're not the only one. Everyone tries to shun the guilt of indulging ourselves over the holidays. Trying every diet out there, going as far as half-starving yourself for that perfect image that society tells you is necessary. Forget it. It's not worth it. Who's body is it anyway? It's not the world's. And it most definitely isn't your own.

We were born with a living temple. God breathed life into you for His purpose. Not ours, but His. Life is a precious thing, and we take it for granted too often.

Our bodies deserve to be treated as living sacrifices for God because in the Bible that's exactly what His will is for them.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

(Romans 12:1)

There was a point in my life when I hated looking at myself. I wasn't happy, or satisfied with my body. Not only was I unhealthy and overweight, I was miserable inside. As I was trying to change my image the way the world was telling me to, from the outside in, I was receiving no results. I didn't feel as if I was accomplishing any good. I kept repeating the cycle of eating less, losing weight, indulging in too many naughty things, feeling guilty, cutting back, losing weight, and then give back into that desire for things I know my body doesn't need. Starting from the beginning once more, I asked myself why I was really doing this. What was my inspiration? And why was I not accomplishing anything worthy of contentment? Not until I gave Him my load of grief and failures, did I actually start seeing results. I blindly admit that the aims and intentions were selfishly formed. I was losing weight for all the wrong reasons.

What you put in, is what's going to come out. In a spiritual term, that means we need to clean all that junk and negativity out and fill our spirits with clean and holy things from His Word. That's what He intended for us from the beginning.

In a physical sense, you also need to treat your body as if it needs the clean and holy things of this world. Which isn't easy, believe me. The tempting display of cheesy potato flavored chips, the distracting pastries fresh out of the bakery, or the icy cold soda pop are hard things to walk away from. Choosing from the seemingly-good-food that will only make you feel bloated and nasty, or the natural-God-grown food that will benefit you more than just by taste.

Remember in Daniel, chapter 1 verses 8-16, it talks about how Daniel and his friends were being forced to eat the same as the Babylonian soldiers, which God told the Israelites specifically not to do. Daniel petitioned that the diet be changed for him and the soldiers. Turns out the change of healthier feasts made the soldiers more active and alert, and even stronger than before.

Daniel was faithful to God's commands and he believed God's opinion of him out-stood what the leaders and philosophers thought was right. He turned his actions into faith. The main reason why Daniel was so devout and accomplished was because of his motivation, that is to give glory to God.

That is what should motivate us as well. Let the Creator of the stars and the universe, the Giver, and Taker of Life be your aspiration for a better life. You become a vessel the moment you accept Jesus Christ as Savior. As a living vessel your body becomes a temple for the Lord, therefore you should treat it as such.

When we are weak, He is strong. Nothing is better than having someone to rely on.

"-for when I am weak, then am I strong."

(II Corinthians 12:10b)

I was looking back and saw the different changes I went through in the past few years. I hope that you gain inspiration from the following images. Never give up. Draw your strength from the One who is most powerful, that being God. Lean on Him when you're in this process. It will take time to reach your goal but once you've met it, you won't go back.

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

♡ Anna