Devotional: march 1

This month's theme:

Identity in Christ

This month's verse:

"Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:1-2

Offered, Not Obsessed

Your body is an offering, not a project to obsess over. The world says you should fix this or that, and there is so much comparison going on that it's hard to remember who we are in Christ. We walk around with a negative mindset, which feeds into our unhealthy habits. Thinking of your body as something to fix (always pointing out the negative), can lead to obsession. And that obsession can lead you away from God because you are not surrendering your body (and mindset) to Him.

Offering your body also means not punishing it. Do you tend to punish yourself when you didn't stick to a plan? Is that punishment used as harsh words or irresponsible habits?

Believe me, I've been there. I have used exercise as an obsession AND punishment when things weren't going smoothly in my life. I used exercise and strict eating as a way to focus on something other than my situation. I didn't turn to God, I turned to myself.

Once I stepped out of a competitive and negative atmosphere (the military), and completely surrendered to Christ, I realized that I can have healthy goals without making it an obsession. Now that I'm a mother, I view my body as a blessing and a vessel. I move my body as an act of worship. And now, my heart and mind feel more aligned with God than ever.

Personal Reflection:

• When I think about my body, do I feel gratitude or frustration?

• Have I been treating my body like a burden or a gift?

• What would change if I viewed my workouts as worship instead of a way to "fix" myself?

• How can I focus on stewardship or gratitude rather than obsession?

  
  

Together, let's encourage each other to steward, not obsess.

Prayer:

God, Teach me to offer my body to You instead of obsessing over it. Help me see it as a gift to steward, not a problem to fix. Help me break free from the habits that turn me further from You. I've been critical, and I've been ungrateful. Replace those thoughts with gratitude. Let my movement become worship and my discipline become devotion. Amen.

Join us next week for the next topic in our identity series.