Your day-to-day eating, or diet, begins with the choices you make at the grocery store. The degree to which you eat in a healthy way at home is largely determined by what food and beverages you have on hand.
So, the choices you make as you walk down the isles of the grocery store are very important.
In this article, I won’t suggest which specific foods to purchase, but will try to address a few factors that will probably influence the kind of choices you make.
First, I encourage you to step back and reflect deep within your heart, soul and mind, asking yourself questions like this: “Am I committed to eat well?” “Do I truly desire to put healthy foods and beverages into my body?” “Is it really important for me to care for my body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Cor. 6:19). These are matters of the will. They require you to be honest with yourself and with God at a deep level.
Second, if you respond with a “yes” to these questions, it’s likely you will have to surrender yourself at a deeper level to God and to His will. You’ll have to depend on Him and His power to enable you to make healthier choices at the store. If you struggle with selecting healthy items and are committed to making changes, I encourage you to be intentional in praying before you enter into the store, even as you walk through the store doors and grab a cart. Ask God to help you. Tell Him you recognize you rely on Him and His Spirit to empower you. Remind yourself that what is impossible in your own strength is possible with Him:
“What is impossible for men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).
Third, add a visual prompt to bring God into your choices. Nowadays, many of us use a digital app on our mobile device for our grocery lists. My wife and I share a reminder on our iPhones labeled “Groceries.” Just this morning, the Holy Spirit prompted me to add the words from Luke 18:27 at the top of the list. I plan to keep them there as a reminder to invite God into our decisions when we shop for food. As I meditate on this verse and ask the Holy Spirit to empower me at the store, I’m convinced my food choices will be healthier.
If you use paper and pen to make your list, perhaps you could write the above verse (or another meaningful thought) at the top.
If you’ve accepted Jesus into your heart, the Holy Spirit lives within you. You have a responsibility to care for your body since Jesus paid a high price for you on the cross. “You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20a).
Healthy eating is one key to doing that. {eoa}
Dale Fletcher is a speaker and wellness coach who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He writes and conducts workshops on the link between the Christian faith and health. Connect with Dale at faithandhealthconnection.org.
For the original article, visit faithandhealthconnection.org.
