God is the Master Planner - When you don't know the way to go, find rest and assurance in the fact that God does. Seek and trust Him with just the right plan for your specific healthy-living journey. He will show you the path to take, one step at a time.
This quote is from a post for the FRESH START CLUB ...it’s our private support & encouragement group (and it’s free!) We share simple steps there to take forward to keep us all on track to meet our healthy-living goals! Today I'm going to expand on this 'think fresh' step…
"What IS God's plan?"
How many of you can relate to this? “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do next! There are so many ‘good’ ideas and ‘should’s’ out there! What if something doesn’t work for me? What if I can’t DO this??”
Believe me, I struggle too with getting bogged down in overwhelm and concerns about this lifestyle we all desire to follow. It’s something we all share as human beings. We get overwhelmed with all the voices swirling around us, all the action steps we feel pushed to take. (“Don’t eat fat, no wait, now eat fat! Don’t eat carbs, but wait, yes you can!”) It’s wearying.
The bottom line is that God knows each of us much better than we can even know ourselves. So even as we step forward in simple ways toward better health, we want to stay in step ALWAYS with HIS calling on each of us.
What does God's Master Plan look like when it comes to healthy living?
Thankfully, the Word of God (the Bible!) is FULL of guidance around how to live a healthy lifestyle. That’s what I based my book FRESH Start for Health, off of - the Biblical plan for our health!
He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
Exodus 15:26 NIV
My own journey toward better health has taken me through all sorts of twists and turns and I often wondered if I was following God’s plan for my health! As I’ve struggled with autoimmune disease, a spine condition that creates daily, draining pain in my body, a seizure disorder and more…I’ve struggled with doubts in Scripture promises like this because of it. (Can anyone relate?)
But I’ve realized one thing that has freed me in my own “mind-circles” around health and healthy living choices, and it is: God didn’t promise a life free of trials, sickness or struggles just because we follow Him - instead, He promises to stay with us and give us strength in the middle of it.
What I have also discovered is that God has taught me to listen more closely to what His plan is for me…especially in regard to my physical health. And for me, this takes the form of paying attention to my body, how I respond to food, how I feel everyday…as well as a process of trial and error in eating plans and lifestyles!
For instance, when it comes to grains, wheat, bread and other carbs this has been an ongoing area of adjustment for me. Sometimes I find that I need to cut even further back on simple carbs to feel truly well. And in this, I choose to just rest on what God is showing me about my own body. I don’t have to make broad generalizations about ‘everyone should get off all grains forever’ to know that in my life I need to make this adjustment.
Listen to your own body, it's another way to hear God's plan for YOU
This is what I encourage my clients and readers to do over and over again as well.
This walk toward a FRESH experience with God in our thinking about food, exercise and health is all about getting close to Him and learning to trust His whispers of love and direction.
Sure, these messages may not come blasted across the sky like we sometimes wish they would. But just by “tuning in” and listening to the amazingly created place he’s given us to live (our own bodies!) we can hear Him guide us very clearly.
I’d love to hear about how you’ve heard Him speak through your journey to better health. Maybe you’re just starting out and what you’re hearing right now is a lot about putting down the candy bars or chips! Or maybe you’ve discovered that taking a power nap is essential to being your best self for your family. Whatever it is, I’d LOVE to hear about your discoveries.
Leave your comments here just below in the comments section or come join us in the Fresh Start Club where we share privately and candidly about our journey to Fresh Health!