Faith

Photo Credit: Kyaw Tun (By Heather Marshall) I sat down at my desk after a long morning of patient care on the rehabilitation unit of the hospital where I work, when my eye spied the basket of chocolate bars and chips that my colleague keeps stocked for days like this.  I thought to myself, “It’s been a long, hard morning, and I deserve a treat — something to comfort me and make me feel better.” I took a chocolate bar, and it tasted delicious; however, about an hour later, I

How can we reconcile these negative feelings toward our bodies? We know that we are created in God's image (Genesis 1:27) and that God sees us, His creation, as “good” (Genesis 1:31), yet sometimes we struggle to feel that our bodies are good. We may experience feelings of guilt or shame for the negative thoughts we have about our bodies, but this is where we need to ask God for a change in our mindset. 

Despite the challenges, I find encouragement in the book of James to help me navigate this stressful time. Whether you are facing the difficulties of an aging body or other changes due to illness or pain, here are a few words of encouragement that have helped me.

I have found that when I start to feel insecure in my body, it helps to meditate on how there is no lack with God.

We need someone who is perfect to stand in the gap between us and God and bring us back into a restored relationship with Him. 

If Jesus is first over all things, that means He is also first over my body.

Although God calls us to a life of service to each other, I don’t believe we are to serve others to the point of physical exhaustion.

Pursuing greatness is completely opposite in the life of a Christian. We don’t have to pursue greatness, we belong to One who is greater.

These negative thoughts can keep us stuck in a cycle of discouragement and despair, leading to further damaging behavior towards our bodies.

God, the giver of all good gifts, has given us many ways to experience joy, including watching the spring flowers emerge in your garden, rec

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