“Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are
as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.” 3 John 1:2 (NLT)
Is all well with you, dear friend? I pray that you’re healthy in body and strong in spirit. John’s greeting to his friend Gaius contains three personal goals that we can set for ourselves:
- to experience wellness
- to have a healthy body
- to have a strong spirit
When I first began to seriously contemplate wellness I was deeply entrenched in my brokenness. At the age of 55 my body was wracked with pain from fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder and could barely raise my left arm. I felt depressed, weak, old, and broken. I didn’t want to get out of bed let alone go to the gym.
My friend, Kaylon, had recently opened a fitness studio and asked me to come in. I gave him excuse after excuse but he simply would not take no for an answer. And I am incredibly grateful that God me put on his heart and didn’t let him give up. That first day I could barely lift a 5 lb weight. It makes me smile to write that because of how far I’ve come, not long ago I was able to deadlift 205 lbs.
On the road to physical wellness we discover its companion is a strong spirit. We find determination, resolve, and discipline as we workout. As others begin to notice the outer transformation may we begin to notice the inner reconstruction.
As we travel to road from unwell to wholeness in spirit, mind, and body, may we remember that it’s a daily commitment to God to honor His temple. It’s a commitment that we’re all capable of making!
So let’s consider the opening question again, dear friend, is all well with you?
Let’s Reflect: What does the word ‘wellness’ mean to you? Where are you at on your fitness journey? What goals have you set for yourself spiritually, emotionally, physically? How does the strength of your body compare to the strength of your spirit?
Let’s Pray: Father, Like the psalmist I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Help me to build up my temple. Reveal to me Your plans for my body, mind, and spirit. Help me to hear Your voice and follow Your ways all the days of my life.