What does it mean to be healthy? That is something I have always wondered, perhaps you have as well. It’s quite confusing! You have your doctor saying one thing, culture saying another, and friends and family saying another. When it comes to faith, even more questions are added: “What does God expect from us?” “Does God expect everyone to look like the statue of David? Or does He care?” 

I hope to shed some light in this blog post of how to even start thinking through these questions. I believe answering these questions will help you see yourself in the way God sees you and also give you peace of mind in the expectations. So here we go. Here’s my definition of being a healthy Christian:

Health is an accepted spiritual, mental, and physical standard that the person and Holy Spirit pursue together.

That might sound a bit confusing for some. Let me expand. 

God doesn’t expect every person to have an athletic body. God doesn’t expect us all to have six packs and biceps. If you look around, there’s a group of people who don’t have fully functioning arms, or legs or other body parts. Does God expect abs and biceps from them?

God doesn’t expect every person to eat the same way. He doesn’t expect everyone to eat all vegetables and lean meats. If He did, we would all have the same vegetables all around the world, and we would have all the same financial means to get those vegetables. There are people who do not have access or money to fresh vegetables. Does God expect a fully vegetable and lean meat diet from them?

God doesn’t expect us all to live the same way. But what He does say is that we need to follow him faithfully (Romans 2:6-8) and glorify him in all that we do (Matthew 5:16, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Corinthians 10:31).

I believe we can glorify him in all ways. It says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that whatever we eat or drink, do to glorify God. Have you ever thought about that? Next time you put something in your mouth ask yourself, “Is this food nourishing and energizing me to glorifying and honoring to God?” Or maybe the next time you workout ask, “Is this exercise program building me up glorifying and honoring to God or glorify myself?”

If we start looking at our health with the lens of following God’s leading into a state of wellness and glorifying Him in all that we do, we will be healthy in the truest sense of the word. God works all things for our good (Romans 8:28).

Now let me be clear, your good health is not dictated by the people around you or the situations you find yourself in. For instance, let’s say you lost a limb in military service. You can still be healthy and whole without a limb. It is how you use the limbs you do have to glorify Him. Your life of hard work and dedication worships God and can also indirectly share God with others. Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So guys, I hope this gives you something to think about as you wrestle with what health means to you. 

As always, it is a pleasure to write to you all.

Written by: Caroline Khameneh

Edited by: Delaney Dixon