What you feed leads!

By Betsy Roy

I am really good at feeding my body! It takes little effort and I can do it without thinking. Food is everywhere and so many choices! I just grab and go! The problem though is that I can easily eat way too much of the wrong things. Food full of “junk” is just empty calories that don’t nourish my body.

In the last several months I’ve had to reset and develop some better eating habits and add exercise to strengthen this aging body. The result is that I have lost weight and my body is stronger. I have more energy and fewer aches and pains.  To maintain those results I have to be committed to this way of life on a daily basis! “For physical training is of some value…..” (1 Timothy 4:8)

Now what about the soul and the spirit? I can feed them the wrong things too which leads to all kinds of problems too numerous to detail here, but I bet you can name some! Feeding on the wrong things is sin, and you know the consequence of that – death! But thanks be to the LORD who show us a much better way in His Word. As disciples of Christ we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and meant to live our lives led by Him. That means I need to feed my spirit as much if not more than my body and my soul (mind, will, emotions).  Ultimately what I feed on determines my life. It guides my life and leads my life. I want to be a healthy disciple spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The rest of 1 Timothy 4:8 quoted above says, “but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Treasure the words of His mouth more than your necessary food (see Job 23: 12). I choose to feed on God’s Word every day because it is the truth and gives me strength to live life and to live it more abundantly. I choose to meditate on God’s Word and be in relationship with the Lord through prayer (communication) because it brings peace and joy. My circumstances are not always peaceful nor are they always joyous, but my spirit can be! When the Spirit of God leads my life I am neither bound up nor controlled by my body and soul. They actually will fall into line behind my spirit. Oh yes, they put up a good fight! In fact they frequently try to lead my life and regain supremacy. But thanks be to God who gives us victory as we daily pursue following Jesus and being conformed to His image.

When my spirit is well fed and nourished, the other areas actually don’t get so “hungry” but when they do, I can exercise the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) because those that belong to Christ Jesus crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5: 22-24). What you feed leads! So feed your spirit! 

Why not leave winter behind and spring into all God has for you by coming to the Spring Women of the Word Conference April 10 – 12? Your spirit will definitely get fed! We welcome you  in the name of the Lord. Invite your friends too.