Whose Body Is This Anyway? - Encouragement Café - December 28, 2017

Whose Body Is This Anyway?

By Alyssa Woollard

Thursday, December 28, 2017

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  Philippians 1:20 (NIV)

As a young woman I used to obsess over my body.  I ate health foods, took all kinds of supplements, exercised and should have felt pretty good about myself.  But I didn’t.  My motivation was not exalting God.  No.  Self condemnation is what moved me.  

I lifted weights, but the heaviest weight was the shame I could not put down.  I ran, but could never outrun the sorrow in my heart.  I was a Christian woman who could not believe herself enough.

I was a Christian woman who was striving to be accepted by anyone, everyone, this one. 

Until I simply could not find the will to try.  Until the day I finally gave up.  It terrified me at first, but soon I began to realize that giving up and surrender are one in the same. 

I began to embrace the idea of surrendering myself to Him. 

I just wanted to be His.  I wanted to be whole.  I wanted to be holy.  And the first thing I had to do was accept me.  I had to accept the way God created me and learn to like-even love-myself as Christ loves me.  

I had to receive His love before I could ever really give it away.  It takes courage to exalt Christ in our bodies. 

Courage... to believe that we are enough. 

Courage... to turn away from idols like food, and other addictions. 

Courage... to honor Him and make healthy choices based on love for Him and who He created us to be. 

My body belongs to Christ.  I will honor Him by allowing my love for Him, not self condemnation, to motivate me as I care for His temple.

Precious God, it is so hard as women to look at ourselves and say, “It is good.”  Lord help us.  Help us to stop striving against and start embracing who You created us to be.  We are the women of the cross.  We are following You.  Help us to see ourselves through Your eyes and to honor You with our bodies.  Lord make us whole, make us holy, make us Yours alone.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

© 2017 by Alyssa Woollard.  All rights reserved.

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