For years now, God has been refining my definition of health and the ways I take care of my mind and body. Somewhere along the way, I started feeling like, “Am I being extra?” 🤔 & maybe to some, I am, but the real truth is that I kinda forgot to remember the ‘why’ for many of the measures God has had me implement over the years, and also the positive results of following through. And honestly, some things I forgot or didn’t realize were actually instructions from God and not just me wanting to feel/do/be better—to be clear, wanting to feel or do better is reason enough on its own, but when obedience to God is at hand, I’m like…
This is why recording God’s instructions, as well as the journey that follows, is so important, whether on paper, by video, in a voice note, etc. Health wise, it’s also a good idea to record and circle back to your ‘why’ for implementing a certain habit or routine, eliminating a certain food(s), etc., especially when it’s been a while.
God has healed my mind and body in MANY ways over the last few years through measures I’ve shared across quite a few of our Wellness Wednesday videos and blog posts (and some I haven’t yet shared). From menstrual cramps, to bloating and indigestion, to intense seasonal and elemental allergies, to depression, and I’m sure there’s more. (Thank you, Jesus! 🙌🏾)
But to be candid, I kinda got a bit lackadaisical in carrying out some of the things God used to heal me in the first place. Granted, there are indeed certain things that are only relevant and applicable during the healing process, but this weekend, I was reminded that the lifestyle changes God has had me make over the years are meant to be carried out for a lifetime, or at least until the next instruction. I guess I kinda started thinking, “well, if I’m truly healed, then XYZ shouldn’t hurt me anymore” or “…being meticulous about XYZ isn’t a big deal anymore.” It was actually quite the opposite and in some ways, I had to be reminded of this the hard way 🥴 lol.
In our faith Friday series, we’ve been talking about obtaining and maintaining deliverance and freedom through Jesus Christ. Just like we implement certain things to get free and continue doing them to stay free spiritually, the same applies to our physical healing and health.The changes the Holy Spirit leads us to make with our eating, our physical activity, our visual and audio intake, etc. are often not just meant to heal us from illness, but also to help us lead healthy lives going forward.
I guess I kinda missed that second part, but thankfully, the Holy Spirit is our faithful Guide, teaching and instructing us in the way we should go and bringing us back when we veer off even a little.
So, long story long, don’t stop doing the things the Lord instructed you to do at first until/unless He gives another instruction. Continuing to treat your body with special care even after healing doesn’t mean you weren’t fully healed, but rather the opposite. Jesus did His part in sending the healing, and we must continue to do ours, obeying the promptings and instructions of the Holy Spirit to continue to care for our temples. Don’t intentionally or unintentionally re-contaminate what Jesus has purified by His Spirit and your obedience, and that applies both spiritually and physically. Maintain the vision He placed before you of a fully healed, healthy, and wholesome you, and do not cast off restraint. & if you’ve “fallen off the wagon” a little (or a lotta) bit, be encouraged & GET BACK IN THERE, SIS!
“For a righteous [woman] may fall seven times and rise again…” (Proverbs 24:16)
I hope this helped someone today, but even if not, it certainly blessed me! 😌🙌🏾
I love you all bunches! Have a healthy & wholesome week 💕
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
This week, we continue our ‘Practical Steps for Deliverance’ Series and we’re focusing on Running Our Race of Faith.
Watch this week’s video, and grab the scriptures and practical steps below.
May God bless you along your journey to deliverance and in navigating your freedom in Christ Jesus!
Have a healthy & wholesome weekend,
Love you bunches 💞
Reference Scriptures
Matthew 11:28-30
Romans 5:3-5
Philippians 1:6
Video Notes
First things First → Decide that Jesus is #1
Submit to Him and make a decision that He is Lord over your life and your #1 priority
Ready to make that commitment? Read the following aloud:
Jesus, I thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and being raised again on the third day so that I may have life more abundantly. I submit my life to You today and ask You to be my Lord and to guide me by Your Holy Spirit. You are my #1 priority and my relationship with You is of utmost importance. In Jesus’ name!
Practical Steps for Enduring in Faith — A Quick Snapshot
Run your race of faith
The one God laid out for you specifically
Throw off any and everything that hinders or slows down your faith or interrupts your focus on Jesus
Resist the urge to approach this process from a place of religion & tradition, legalism, asceticism, or carnality
Allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you in this process on an ongoing basis
Remember, your ‘weights’ may not be the same as someone else’s
As you go from glory to glory, the ‘weights’ may be different, so be flexible and willing to move with the Holy Spirit
Watch the Video
Whoever chooses to be the bigger person usually grows to be the bigger person!
I’ma let y’all get a glimpse into one of my journal entries from this past week, no edits, no filter.
Can you say perspective shift?!
I was just thinking about the many times I’ve humbled myself and taken the brunt of responsibility and/or initiative for situations I really shouldn’t have had to. I wasn’t coming at it from a victim perspective, but just reflecting on some of the ways the enemy has used the same tactics over and over again against me, and how I’ve often responded to the person being used by being the peacemaker and examining myself, even when I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong…
Anyway, I realize though, that the quote above is true. The person on the other side who refuses to acknowledge their behavior, the part they played, or even their feelings and why they feel that way misses out on the growth that comes with stepping up in that way. The Bible says the humble will be exalted, so in a way, by not being willing to come off the high horse to approach the person they have a conflict with (in these cases that person been me), they miss out on the opportunity to humble themselves, which would have positioned them to be exalted.
Nevertheless, I thank God that He works all things out for my good, because I love Him and am called according to His purpose! I see how these situations have helped me to grow and even allowed me to be an example of His love in situations where I very well had the “right” to be ugly! I say “right” in quotations, because it still wouldn’t have been right in God’s sight, so thank you Jesus for the grace to respond gracefully & graciously!
To the person reading this…
Being the bigger person really does give you an opportunity to actually be a bigger person. I know all too well how it can feel like a hit to your ego to humble yourself and initiate conversations or reconciliation in certain situations, especially when you feel the other person really should be coming to you first, but ultimately, in doing so, you push yourself to grow and to become more Christ-like. As much as I love saying, “If it’s not directed, it’s not respected,” when it comes to initiating hard conversations, it very much does not reflect my actual approach. Why? Well, first of all, it’s not biblical. Jesus says in Matthew 5:23-24,
“This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. Or say you’re out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you’re likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won’t get out without a stiff fine.”
I don’t always reference The Message version, but it doesn’t get anymore clearer than that right there! Not only is making the first move God’s standard for living (again, even if the other person is the one with the problem), but also, making the first move puts you at an advantage in many ways. One, you get to set the tone of the conversation, and ideally steer it in the direction of peace, while also minimizing room for (more) assumptions to be made. Two, as much as it may feel like you’re shrinking when you have to go ‘break the ice’, you actually get the opportunity to grow in character and in Godliness. The thing about it is, the other person, in being stubborn, fearful, or just simply unwilling to come to you first about the issue, misses out on a valuable opportunity to not only (hopefully) save the friendship/relationship, but also, to truly become a bigger person than they were before.
Before writing the journal entry above, I was tempted to kinda whine to God about how I feel like I always have to be the “bigger person,” and I felt Him check me and impart this truth to me: “You don’t have to be the bigger person, you get to be!” There are certain postures and attitudes that don’t lend themselves to growth. Some people may feel like they’re too good to make the first move, but in reality, we should feel that we are “too good” not to. Being Christ-like and having solid character means that we don’t “match energy.” We don’t wait for someone else to set the tone for how we will navigate conflicts. Instead, we stand tall and move with integrity. We set the standard… or really we honor the standard Jesus already set! Like I said, I understand how that initial moment of initiating a conversation or a peace treaty can make you feel small in the moment, but refusing to do so ultimately keeps you small. Choosing to be the bigger person ultimately makes you a bigger and better person. You can choose to be petty Patty or you can be like Jesus. The choice is yours, but as for me, I’ll continue to choose to go low, (ie. humble myself and make the first move), so I can actually fly high, constantly growing in character, integrity, and the likeness of Jesus!
What choice are you making, sis?