Anyone find it peculiar that the first sin was something that Eve ate? Many of you probably know that in the last several months I’ve gotten serious about my physical health and well being. I’m also a believer and I’m realizing more and more each day how intertwined it all really is.
I think as humans our natural tendency is to separate and compartmentalize our life. We like to keep our faith in a little box over here. You know pull it out on Sundays and maybe Wednesday nights. We do the same thing with our health. In January I’ll do really well and start taking care of myself, or maybe even right before summer I’ll diet so I can feel good in my swimsuit.
Hate to break it to you, but that isn’t how it works. Your faith and your health habits are not separate. God calls us to take care of our temple. If we are the literal hands and feet of Jesus wouldn’t it make sense that the enemy and even our own fleshly habits would attack His hands and feet??
The Bible says be faithful in the small things and God will trust you with more. When you scrape it down to the bare minimum. What are the small things that we can be trusted with? Ourself. Literally when you think about it our mind body and souls are the ONLY things we have any control over and arguably only partial control there. What I think happens is we get so distracted trying to manipulate and control everything and everyone around us that we don’t steward the one small thing that God has asked us to steward.
I think as believers we want to go and be on mission and be rescuing souls and yada yada yada, but are you being disciplined in your own life? We want the BIG glamorous win, but are you being faithful in that small thing God is asking you to do? Are you building endurance so that when God puts you on the battlefield you’re not going to give up as soon as it gets a little tough. Are you training your mind body and soul to do hard things now. Are you stewarding the small things He has given you right now well? Because if not, how will you be trusted with more?
I think we truly over complicate it. We miss the mark guys. Here’s why. God asked one simple thing of Eve. Don’t eat that fruit. It’s not good for you. It won’t serve you. She didn’t listen though. She couldn’t obey the one small command so God couldn’t trust her with the tasks of tending the rest of the garden. She had to leave. She missed out on all the big good juicy parts because she wasn’t faithful in that one small task.
The good news is that we have her story and many other stories from the Bible to serve as an example of what not to do. We also have torn veil thanks to Jesus. A veil that has obliterated our link to her screw up. Don’t keep the past on repeat. Don’t be Eve. Don’t eat that thing or do that thing, or whatever your vice is if it doesn’t serve you. If it doesn’t serve bringing Him glory then don’t do it. If it weighs you down and keeps you from running your race then DROP IT!
If you want to do the big glamorous, glorious things for Christ then daily do the small things He’s asked you to do. Tend your temple, strengthen your mind, body and soul. Eat foods that nourish and serve you. Control you. Control your responses. Control the things you have power over. Realize that it’s all connected and represent Him well in every part of it.
It’s not peculiar at all really that something so simple as food tripped Eve up. Because it’s not those big horrible sins that are delaying the kingdom on earth and keeping us distracted from a closer relationship with Jesus. It’s those little seemingly minuscule sins that so easily entangle us and weigh us down. Something as simple as food separated us from Him in the first place don’t let that separate you from Him now. Strip off everything that weighs you down so that you can run your race with endurance friends.
ashleynicolemoore.com 