The 9 Fruits of Good Health

Maintaining your health begins with loving yourself. When you truly love yourself the way God intended, you will treat yourself and your body well. Exercising and eating well are acts of self-love. In what ways do you need to practice more self-love through healthier habits?

So many people moan and groan when they think of getting on the treadmill or cutting back on sweets. But I recommend a more joyful approach to exercise. First, consider all of the joy that will come of your healthier habits – a longer life, more energy, and habits that glorify God. In addition, approach exercise not as work, but as play. Identify physical activities that bring you joy, allow you to spend time with friends or loved ones, or give you quality time with yourself. Then incorporate those habits – whether it’s walking in the park or joining the softball league at church – into your lifestyle.

When you take better care of yourself physically, there are major benefits to you mentally. You decrease stress, which allows you to handle all that comes at you with a more peaceful attitude.

In a world in which we expect to get so much so fast, there is no quick fix to good health. No pill or surgery can replace consistency and patience. Embrace patience and engage in healthy ways to lose weight, increase muscle tone and improve your endurance. You must eat well, exercise, rest and drink plenty of pure water. When you practice patience while improving your health, you learn a Godly principle that will reap dividends in every area of your life.

Practicing healthy habits is about more than just your health. It is about the testimony God creates in your life that becomes a blessing to others. Think of the example you are setting. As you become your best physically, kindly share what you have learned with others. This kind gesture may be a legacy that God allows you to leave to your children, grandchildren, family and friends.

One of the things that empowers me to eat healthful food is that I think of the pure goodness of healthful food. Foods that God created – natural foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains – are the best ones for you. Think of the goodness of God’s creation and eat foods that grow out of His good earth in every meal.

"You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things," a master tells his servant in Matthew 25:23. Your faithfulness over your health is a way to demonstrate to God that you appreciate the body that He has given you and you are serious about being a good caretaker of your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Your physical health just may be the one area of your life in which God is waiting on you to be more "faithful."

In the process of maintaining your health, you will be less than perfect. When you give in to the temptation to eat too much, stop exercising for two weeks, or fall into the habit of eating junk food again, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, be gentle with yourself. You are human! Simply try again. Just because you don’t eat and exercise all of the time doesn’t mean you should give up when you slip up. That’s just what the enemy wants. God knows your struggle. He is with you. When you "backslide" in your health goals, learn from your mistakes and keep on pressing towards your goal!

Going from bad habits to good habits takes discipline. It requires that you stand strong when you are tempted to engage in unhealthy habits. In addition to being gentle with yourself when you don’t eat and exercise "perfectly," allow God to shape and mold you into a woman of self-control. It will not happen overnight. Instead, it will become the fruit of your perseverance on the road to better health!