Our Bodies as Gifts
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Cor. 6:19-20 NIV)
Our bodies are wonderful, mysterious creations of God. They experience all kinds of things, good and bad. The joy of hugs comes to mind or the sting of a burn when we touch a hot pot. These simple examples remind us that God made our bodies to feel and experience the world. Recently I have heard a lot about the idea of our feelings and our bodies being interconnected. It makes so much sense, like when we are nervous and our stomach aches or we feel pleasure and we get goose bumps. Our bodies might be able to tell us more than we give them credit for.
The human body makes me think of the vastness, creativity, intelligence, and mystery of God every single day. For eight years, I worked as a bedside nurse, and I witnessed the wonder and ingenuity of God during every shift. The way bodies function and heal amazed me every day I worked and every day since then as well.
That said, doctors and other medical experts don’t know everything. They simply cannot. Even within the confines of one human body, there is no way to know how everything should work, not to mention how it actually works for any given individual. Sometimes people don’t heal the way doctors expect them to or an illness does not present in the usual way and so is not identified early enough. Sometimes we just cannot find a reason for why something happens in the first place.
The pandemic exemplifies this truth. Millions have been infected with many dying, many more recovering, and many recovering but with long-term issues. There is no standard treatment or bodily response because we are each unique human beings with our own way of functioning. Not only that, but each of us deals with the mental load of illness uniquely as well, which affects the entire healing process.
I had gum grafting done on four teeth this year. In the grand scheme of things, this procedure is small stuff, but I cannot express how nervous I felt going into the periodontist’s office the morning of the procedure. I worried about how I would react to conscious sedation. I worried that my husband would not be notified when I was finished and he would be waiting longer than necessary. I worried that he would not be able to answer my questions after I came home. I worried that something drastic would happen and he would be alone with our five kids. I worried about my pain level post-procedure.
Since you are reading this, you’ve probably guessed that I came through everything fine. Overall, that is true, but there were a few hiccups along the way, and I still have questions and worries about my long-term gum health, care, and potential needs in those areas.
Here’s the kicker: I waited too long to take care of these gum issues in the first place. As a busy homeschool mama to my five kiddos, I just could not wrap my mind around the time it would take to go in for appointments to address the issues. I could have done something much sooner and the whole deal might not have been such a big procedure and process. Of course, I berated myself for waiting.
After some time brooding on the situation, I realized that I just need to take this as a lesson. I am older now, and my body might need more deliberate and delicate care. I might need to see my doctor more often. I surely will need to see my dentist more often. The hard part is building a community of people who can help me out with self-care in this way. This challenge comes with military life every time we move, and we are about to move with the military for the fifth time. Some people move even more often than that!
Moving requires the making of new friends and emergency contacts, which is a running joke among military spouses. The first person you meet at the park while your kids play is the person you ask to be your emergency contact. The cool thing about this is that most military spouses understand where you are coming from. They have been in the same boat and have had the same needs. We only need to voice our needs, which is the first step to having them met.
God has always provided, if only I am humble enough to tell him what I need, ask him to provide, and then ask those he puts in my life for their help. Sometimes it takes a minute to work out the details, but I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life through all the people he has used to take care of me and this one precious body I have.
Lord, help us to recognize the miraculous gift of our bodies. Help us to listen to our bodies and figure out what we need in order to treat them with the deference they deserve. Help us to work with the health care professionals available to us and to ask questions so we know all the options. Give us the humility to ask for the help we need to take good care of the mysterious bodies you have given us. Amen
Scripture for Reflection
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:1-2 NIV)
“In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Eph. 5:28 NIV)
Reach for More
Let’s take care of ourselves because the Lord gave us the gift of our bodies, which we can use to love the people around us. Do you need to make time for this in your life? Who can you ask to assist you if you cannot do so without some help? Friends and even acquaintances are usually more than willing to help, however, we have to communicate what we need. Take some time today and think about the mental and physical health needs you have so you can take the next steps in addressing them. Prioritize the most important and begin with that. Sometimes we have to start with one thing at a time!
enjoys a crazy, beautiful life with her military husband, four sons, and a daughter. A baby interrupts her homeschool days in the best ways, and she is always attempting to live with mindfulness of each moment. She hopes to look at the world and each person in it in light of our amazing Creator, and therefore, to see each moment presented as an opportunity to love and serve him more. Carla relishes time to ponder God’s Word and have quiet moments with him and her coffee. She loves doing life with other mamas and encouraging them to simply be who God has made them to be.
Photograph © Jackson David, used with permission
