It's easy to get swept up and sensational about health and wellness, in general, but especially when we're seeing results, feeling good and getting positive feedback. And it's easy to want to tell others about it so they can experience the same benefits. But this sort of proselytizing isn't our religion.
In all of my research over the years, I've found that every guru and enthusiast often shares their worldviews, which includes their takes on spirituality. It might be remiss if we didn't do the same. Our shared worldview often flies in the face of many foodies' mantras as they profess a path to betterment through their experience; through mysticism, speculation or moralism, based on the food choices they make. While Charissa and I might experience feelings of well-being, mental clarity and rejuvenation due to our lifestyle changes, we recognize that this is a gift from our triune God, but not spirituality itself. Spirituality, we confess, has everything to do with the meaning of life ...which is revealed to us via the redemptive cross of Christ and Him crucified for our sins.
We want to share what we're discovering, but we need to be honest about the duality, or paradox, of the struggle through this process. In fact, I think we'd both agree that the constant struggle has even opened our eyes to a greater understanding of what it really means to be healthy and whole. But, it even has the potential to steer us away from God, too, if (and when) we get swept up into egocentrism.
We're taught that our Father in heaven gives us everything we need to support this body and life. This means our reason, senses, and abilities. So knowing about better food and resources to be able to serve each other to be as well as possible is good. It's okay to care about our health. And it's okay to look to medicine, science and various philosophies since we do so in order to serve each other all for Christ's sake. But since our intentions are never perfect, our minds, bodies and souls sinful (yet paradoxically redeemed), striving for health and wellness on this side of heaven is never the highest good.
Thankfully, whether we have the knowledge, know-how or not to heal and be healthy, God continuously gives us strength to recognize that He is the one true Physician for our eternal good. He accomplishes this through His church and our faithful pastors in His Word and means of grace. ("My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27). Therefore, all of God's children are comforted knowing from Whom our ultimate wholeness really comes ...through Jesus.
