Wellness Wednesday

I am a disciple of Jesus. Learning the art of discipleship. Discipline.

Usually I am a quick learner. Except for a few bad habits I've had most of my life. So I'm using discipline to renew my mind about them. About food.

Self-control is not a fruit I have consistently. I have it in spades temporarily. Temporary physical sacrifice I am actually pretty good at. Because it is on my own strength. Because it is 'my' body, it's for my own results only. But then, after the results I want, I am done, and I mean almost completely done, with self-control.

But.

Weight loss is no longer the results I want. I want my body to not be mine. I want it to be internally and externally His temple, His home. I want it to be a sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, a spiritual act of worship. Not just a temporary physical sacrifice, that is not worship. I can no longer pretend my body is mine. I was bought at a price, a very high price was paid so that my body could become the Holy of Holies. I can no longer dishonour God with my body.

I need to do all that I can to subject my mind and body to God's transforming power. I need to see the foods and inactivity I am tempted by as the opposite of 'whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, excellent or praiseworthy'. I can no longer see those temptations as anything but the opposite of what I need to think on. It's the only thing honouring His sacrifice.

But.

I am human. My flesh will fail. As I train in the discipleship of my mind, I will discipline my body and intentionally yet temporarily produce the much needed self-control. I know I can sacrifice physically 10, 21, 31, 40 days. That will be a start.  Lent is the perfect beginning to this act of spiritual worship.

My lent is nothing new as food elimination goes. Where I am weakest. What is unhealthiest (cumulatively especially). I haven't even struggled coming up with our meals the last week with no gluten, dairy, egg, processed sugar, corn/corn oil, caffeine, pork or beef. This isn't meant to be my diet forever, just until I've truly produced real self-control, a true fruit of my spirit. Then my own efforts won't be important. No longer just discipline but a faithful disciple.

**UPDATE**
Well, I actually wrote this yesterday, before I got a stomach bug and the only thing I can eat is gluten crackers and gingerale :( and my doctor has decided I should be tested for Celiac's disease, which means I can't cut it out to get a true test. So...slight bump in the road but now I know even more, if I am Celiac that I will have more serious reasons to be very mindful of the food I put in my body.