I’m looking at my toes. Four of them no longer have any nail polish on them. Two weeks ago they were pretty. Fun in the sand and sun, hiking, walking barefoot, has taken their toll. I could look at myself and see exactly what I have been neglecting. Sometimes the neglect comes from leading busy lives. As a mom of three sons, there was a season in my life where job, family took priority and housework was hit or miss. Sometimes neglect comes in the form of depression- not caring about keeping up appearances. Not mindful of the junk we are putting in our mouths, our bodies. Sometimes neglect comes in the form of working too much, thinking about work 24/7 and letting it consume us. It is good to reflect. Evaluate: eating habits, exercise, activities I’m involved in, career. Do I do something about it or maintain my neglectful attitude. I try to live a healthy lifestyle: being active, mindful of what I eat but I’m not overly focused on these things. I want to have a balance in my life. I want to stay active, eat healthy, have regular doctor visits. I want to enjoy my career but I need to know when I’ve put in enough of me to be able to walk away, leave it at the office. Enjoy time with my husband, family, friends.
God wants us to live healthy, as well. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” He also wants us to have a prayer life. To have worship time. Study time. Fellowship time. Again, finding the balance to serve, to love, to teach, to study, to share, to praise, to be alone with God. To grow in knowledge and wisdom, to be more Christ-like in our walk. Ready to forgive others as we, too, have been forgiven. Have you neglected your spiritual life, gotten bored, in a funk? Dust off your bible or download a bible app. Start today with a daily devotional. Call up that friend that has been inviting you to church. Don’t know what to wear or how to act? Wear clothes- it runs the gambit: dress, skirt, pants, jeans. Take a deep breath and renew your spiritual life. Let God be your focus. Come to know your first love again. As you draw near to God, you will find peace, rest, joy in Him.
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”