Feb 15, 2006

I have used in a previous blog about an analogy in contrast to the body and spirit.  I will go into detail about how the body, spirit, and mind affect one another.  I do apologize ahead of time for giving a kindergarten review of the health of a human body; most of you I hope already know this.

 "You are what you eat," is a fairly common statement I have heard several times throughout my lifetime.  This is true if taken the appropriate direction, for example:  If you consistently eat ice-cream, you will not turn into a bowl of ice-cream.  I'm assuming the majority of people would consider ice-cream junk food.  Consuming heavy amounts -or even mild amounts which varies with genetics of particular humans- will most likely gain excess weight known as fat.  Ice-cream is just an example; there are many other foods out there that are quite unhealthy.  It is also just the opposite; not consuming any food in particular will result in a malnourished body.  Both negative states of the body are unhealthy, but it does not only affect the body.

Whether being overweight or underweight can have drastic affects on the mind, although I have not personally experienced such a state (at least not in the extreme) I have seen it in others.  I believe I have a fair assumption when I say having such a "out of shape" body, has a strong potential for planting a negative seed into the mind.  We might not want to admit, but I'm sure certain people have or had low self-esteem in regards to their body at least once.  I do remember back in my youth years in grade school, before taking an important test, we were advised the morning of the test to eat a nutritious meal.  Doing so will make us more alert, less tired, and supposedly more able to think with a clear mind.

On a more positive note, the results of a bodily stressful workout, whether being a cardiovascular or an effective weight lifting exercise.  It adds stress to the body using either method of workout.  After such an exercise, your body releases what is called endorphins into the body, with the result of reducing the sensation of pain and affecting emotions.  In other words, it's an anti-depressant.  That is just one of several positive effects of this natural body chemical.

Both exercising and eating healthy foods require great discipline… as does feeding the spirit.  This idea seems to be a totally foreign concept, at least to many.  There are many religions out there that "feed" their spirit; I'm guessing that is what they call it.  I can only speak for Christians.  Obviously by feeding out spirit is learning God's word:  reading the bible and praying are a couple ways off the top of my head that we have to learn.  All three parts of the human body (mind, body, and spirit) are somewhat entangled together like a web.  Since we are Christians, we are to present our body to Christ… not damaging it.  I do believe this runs along the line of Christ wanting us to be healthy.  As I've mentioned before, the spirit is the core.  It is the source of our well-being, better referred to as the Holy Spirit… a free gift at that!  He wants us to love, since God is love, we portray that through our actions of the body, but it is first processed through our head.  I've been told many times, "Did you think before you did that?"  In other words, what I had just accomplished without thinking was obviously stupid.  Cleaning one's spirit is the most effective process to change one's heart.  Hate does not change anything… it is love that changes.  Hate only has one effect, and it's at the very least a negative effect.  Love can change a person, it can turn a person inside out, painful or not… it changes.  Whether for better or worse, I believe that depends on one's spirit.  A person can go around and explode with rage and hate carrying all that is unwanted from Christ… or can forgive those as Christ forgave us.

Why is it so much easier to indulge in junk food than the not-so-good tasting healthy food?  Why is it much easier to carry hate than to forgive?  Why is it much easier to lust than to love?  I have heard it takes a week to develop a habit and over half a year to remove it.  Is there such a thing as a good habit?  It appears everything in this world involving Christ and his "rules" are anything but easy to follow.  I could become an atheist or agnostic tomorrow and no one will fight me but my already existing family from Christ.  From what I have witnessed, everything good I have done or tried to do, has felt some movement of resistance… some more extreme than others.  I do believe this worldly resistance is our moment to walk in the spirit rather than to crawl like babies.  A parent only helps their infant to a certain degree, but they have to let go to let their rug-rat to walk by themselves.  It's all apart of growing up.  That is growing in the mind, body, and spirit.  There is no median, we are either growing or declining.  Our minds never stop learning, our bodies are either growing in health or decreasing, and that goes the same for out spirit.  I could go on about more examples involving these three parts, but this blog is long enough.  It is the effort God wants us to put in life, we feel blessed with what we've been given and grow from there.  Life is not a breeze nor is it a walk in the park… but more like a struggle.  It's a struggle to fight this world for and with Christ.  It is not a coincidence being a Christian is difficult… it's us against the world.