Sleep

It’s hard to be passionate about anything when I’m on the verge of falling asleep. When I’m tired. I just want to go to sleep. I can’t push through being exhausted. For me, I need to be rested to live passionately. So part of nurturing spiritual passion is being disciplined about getting enough sleep. For me, I need 7-1/2 to 8 hours of sleep.


I can want to be passionate, but if I’m too tired, I get grumpy. I can’t stay awake, I can’t concentrate, I can’t reflect or think deeply or learn. When I try to read when I’m tired, my eyes may scan the words but I have no knowledge of what I read. When I try to pray I fall asleep. So in order to nurture my heart’s desire for the Lord, I need rest.

We may want to stay up late doing something, but that actually works against us. If what is best for us is that we live fully alive, then we need to pay attention to getting enough sleep. That doesn’t sound as spiritual as staying up all night working on something—but it is.

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Care for our Bodies

I am responsible to care for my body. It is central to all other responsibilities I have. I am the steward of my body. It belongs to God and he has entrusted it to me.


I must present my body to God as a living and holy sacrifice. The goal is that every part of my body is inclined toward God and godliness, breaking conformity with the world and being transformed by the renewal of my mind (thoughts, imaginations, judgments). We don’t want our bodies starting us off after evil, dragging along our thoughts and feelings.

“The body must come to serve as a primary ally in Christlikeness. The body lies right at the center of the spiritual life. It can, and often does, hinder us. The body should be cherished and properly cared for, not as our master, but as a servant of God.” (Willard)

My language, culture, gender, talents, opportunities and family all come to me through my body. My body keeps a record of my desires, sensations, emotions that tells the truth about me in my core. I cannot escape my body. My body is God’s creation.

My body is not just physical but is inhabited by Jesus’ real presence (Phil. 3:10, Romans 8:11). I need to set aside “my flesh” by God’s grace, putting to death all of the old desires that are in rebellion against God, and take on my new life in Christ. Christ was raised that I may walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

To accomplish what God has called me to, my body must be as healthy as I can achieve. How foolish to squander this great gift of a body by allowing it to deteriorate from lack of exercise and over eating. Lord, change my heart (my inner thinking and attitudes) so that I value and see the connection between my health and the work you’ve called me to. I cannot sacrifice my health without limiting years of my life and ministry.

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