soul

Just as we need to feed our natural bodies with wholesome food, we must nourish our spirit with the daily bread of The Word of God.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 34:8

Folks, I’m sorry to announce this, but I’ve become one of those kinds of people. You know, the ones who take pictures of their food…and post them on social media. I know, I know. This used to annoy me too. I would scoff when I saw pictures of friends’ meals and think, “Don’t you have anything better to do with your life than to make us jealous of all the delicious food you’re eating?!”

I happened to be in a financial wilderness season when those kinds of judgmental thoughts ran through my head. At that time, I was having trouble putting food on the table for my two young children, my husband, and myself. I didn’t have the budget to buy healthy food, much less the time to actually prepare it from scratch.

Setting The Table…

But over the course of a few years, the Lord has brought us out of that dessert place and into a season of abundance. Through this journey, He’s been sharing with me the gift that He intended our food to be. I’m so thankful for how He has helped me heal and strengthen my body by putting things into it that are healthy and whole. And I’m simply amazed at how God has made it possible for us to thrive by eating the pure, whole things that He has provided in His creation.

Blessed by what He has given me, like a good meal, I’ve had the urge to share it with others. Thus my sort of informal food blog on social media! And the more I’m learning about food and its connection to health and wellness, I can’t help but notice all of the parallels between the natural food we put into our physical bodies and what we feed our spiritual bodies. So, now that the table is set, let’s dig into this dish, shall we?

Appetite…

God created all of us with an appetite, both physically and spiritually. So, the question becomes, what are we hungry for? When it comes to physical nourishment, if we eat a steady diet of junk food, our taste buds grow accustomed to eating things that are unnaturally sweet, rich, salty…you name it. Although these unnatural foods might taste good on the tongue, they do internal damage. Sugars destroy our teeth; chemicals clog our pores and alter the makeup of our cells. Unnatural fats harden the arteries of our heart. And no matter how much junk food we eat, we are still hungry. Still thirsty. Still not satisfied. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul warns against this kind of carnal gluttony:

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

Philippians 3:19

When we try to satiate our cravings with junk food, we find ourselves lethargic, overweight, and unhealthy. However, when we cut out the junk, our taste buds change. Instead of grabbing a candy bar, we reach for a piece of fresh fruit or a handful of ripe berries. And once again, we can appreciate the natural sweetness that God designed. When we’re not gorging ourselves on empty calorie foods, our appetite changes as well. We begin to crave the good, whole, pure foods that God created to fuel our natural bodies. And when we eat the right things, we feel better, get leaner, grow stronger, and have more energy. We’re more alive.

Spiritual Starvation…

And the same holds true for our inner spirit. In this fallen world, many have confused earthly pleasures with spiritual fulfillment. This brings to mind the heartbreaking story of a world-renowned chef who recently committed suicide. He hosted a very popular television show where he traveled the world in search of unique and delicious cuisine. In each episode, he found himself in some of the most beautiful places on earth, enjoying what looked to be some of the most delectable delicacies under the sun. But there was a palpable sadness, loneliness, and disillusionment to the way he approached his experiences.

Despite being replete with gourmet food and gorgeously scenic destinations, this man’s earthly journeys and culinary discoveries could not fill the emptiness in his heart. His tragic story highlights the importance of this scripture:

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4

Until our spirit is filled with Christ, our appetite for things of the world will only grow but never be fulfilled. Without the Lord, and His Word, we can have all the choicest foods in the world, and still experience spiritual starvation.

Until our spirit is filled with Christ, our appetite for things of the world will only grow but never be fulfilled. Without the Lord, we can have all the choicest foods in the world and still experience spiritual starvation. Click To Tweet

Feed The Spirit…

So, if we don’t want to starve, what should we feed our spirit? First, we have to choose to leave behind the lusts of the flesh. This can be challenging in a world that constantly appeals to our sinful appetite. When we crave and binge on worldly “entertainment,” we quench an unwholesome spiritual appetite.

Shows, movies, and music that are filled with filthy language, terrifying scenes, sexual immorality, and the like, fill our spirit with sinful desires. Desires that draw us back into our flesh and pull us further away from Christ. Just as binging on junk food slowly deteriorates our physical health–eventually leading to sickness and death, indulging in sinful “entertainment,” steadily erodes our spiritual growth–eventually leading to spiritual death.

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

James 1:15

Filled with Daily Bread…

On the other hand, when we feed our minds and hearts a healthy diet of good things, our spirit man gets filled to overflowing. We can relish scripture, taste sweet fellowship with loving family and friends, feast on messages that encourage our faith and drink in music that helps us draw closer to the Lord.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Matthew 5:6

Beloved, when we draw our sustenance from our “daily bread”–which is the Word of God–we build up our spirit man. And just like with natural food, we can’t expect to feel full if we eat only once a week. To maintain our physical strength, we must eat multiple times throughout the day. So too with our daily bread. We must feed on the Word daily and pray continually. When we have the Bread of Life, Jesus, living in our hearts and minds, we will have the strength we need to walk this straight and narrow path of faith.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:35

What kind of diet do you feed your body and your spirit? Have you feasted on your daily bread of the Word today?

Leiliane Fagundes

All scripture references from The King James Version of The Bible.

When we seek God’s healing, we find balance in our body, soul, and spirit. He gives us the wisdom for how to achieve this balance long term.

I’m in my final week of a six-week dietary reset. It’s been a bit of a battle, but most of the fighting happened before I even began. Before I created my first new healthy recipe or popped the first natural supplement, I had already done the majority of the fighting.

You see, the battle was raging in my mind and body, and they were at war with my spirit. I knew in my spirit that something was out of balance. But my mind and body had begun to lean in and listen to this lie of the enemy: “Sickness and exhaustion are just your new normal.”

I was struggling with severe digestive problems, fatigue, brain fog, and the list goes on. But I thought: “Well, I’m nearing forty and have had two kids. So, I guess this is just how I’m bound to look and feel at this age.” What a lie that was! How good God is! And what a difference six disciplined weeks have made!

The World’s View vs. God’s Will…

Picture your average cooking show where they’re making some gooey cheesy fettuccini alfredo. The show is interrupted by a commercial for delayed-release antacids to fight heartburn and acid reflux. The irony is so obvious, but it’s as if we’ve forgotten how directly linked all of this is.

The world tells us it’s normal to always feel sick and tired. There are pills for these things, right?! The world suggests that the standard American diet is fine as long as we try to make relatively healthy choices. And when we’re sick and don’t know why the world offers us the latest prescription drug to help slow the symptoms.

But, the Holy Spirit began to invite me to change channels. To flip my thinking from sickness to wholeness. To believe that deeper healing is possible and to begin to pursue it. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit has helped me change my view of health from the world’s view to God’s will:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

And it is not God’s will for us to feel terrible all the time. His desire is for us to be healthy. To feel whole. For our bodies to function as the perfect creations that He made.

O Taste and See???

Before I embarked on this healing adventure, I learned that I would not be able to have coffee, sugar, dairy or a whole host of other staples in my diet. As I looked over the “approved” foods list, in my natural mind, I kind of freaked out. How on earth was I going to function!?

I was reminded of a bit by the stand-up comedian, Brian Regan, which is all about food. In it, he describes leaving his doctor’s office to the tune of “Oh, and by the way, try to lay off the dairy.” And he’s like, “What? That’s like saying, ‘Oh, and by the way, No more happiness!'” That’s about how I felt. What was I supposed to eat? How would I function? Doesn’t scripture say:

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 34:8

This felt like the opposite of that. Like, ‘man barely scrapes by on a few gnarly nuts, seeds, and roughage.’

Before I Began to Heal…

Before I began to heal, after every meal, my stomach was so achy and bloated that I had to lie down to get it to calm down. The nausea was incapacitating. Now I can eat and digest and go on about my day. Before I began to change my eating, I opted for cookies with artificial flavoring and high fructose corn syrup, which had thrown my taste buds all out of whack. But now that I’ve broken my sugar addiction, I’m beginning to truly taste and see that the Lord is good. I mean, He created fruit, and praise God, it tastes sweet again! It’s like nature’s candy.

Prior to this process, I was sort of walking around in a mental haze. I didn’t have clarity in my thoughts, and I was experiencing what has been termed ‘brain fog’. Clear headed now, I’m actually able to tackle all the things I have to accomplish in a day’s time for a busy household.

One of the biggest surprises has been the fact that without any caffeine or sugar, I now have more energy than I’ve had in years. I’m up by 6:15 am, in bed by 10 pm, and I’m not tired and sluggish throughout the day. And then there’s the added bonus that I’ve lost ten pounds, and my skin has completely cleared up!

It’s All Connected…

So, you might be saying:

“Wow. That’s great. Good for you. I’m glad your new diet is working out. But why does any of this matter on a spiritual level?”

To put it the same way that folks have for centuries: it matters because it’s all connected. Our body, our soul, and our spirit are connected to one another. And when one isn’t working properly, it throws our balance out of whack. And when we’re unbalanced, we can’t walk steadily in our full potential. In the health and wholeness that the Lord has provided for His children.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

3 John 1:2

Our body, our soul, and our spirit are connected to one another. And when one isn't working properly, it throws our balance out of whack. Click To Tweet

Wisdom for Healing…

Sometimes the Lord heals us supernaturally. Other times, He gives us wisdom for how to heal ourselves. And He has provided so many things in nature that we can use to heal. So whether it’s a physical health issue, a mental health battle, or a spiritual struggle, we can ask Him to give us His divine wisdom for how to heal from it. And He is faithful to answer us.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

James 1:5

Finding Balance Long-term…

Had He healed me instantly with His divine power, obviously, that would have been wonderful and amazing. However, I believe the Lord had something even better in mind as He showed me how to heal myself. He is teaching me how to sustain a healthy balance, long-term. And although this new healthy eating regimen has helped tremendously, it’s not all about what I’m choosing to eat or not to eat.

The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Luke 12:23

Yes, he wants us to eat healthy. But He also wants us to think good, wholesome thoughts, to speak words that give life. To fill ourselves up with the daily bread of His Word. Living balanced essentially means to have Christ in the center of it all. The hub in the middle of the wheel. When we firmly root ourselves in God, He shows us how to stay balanced on the narrow path of faith.

Is there an area of your life where you feel out of whack? Are you getting a balanced daily diet of His daily bread?

Feed: Nourishing Our Spirit with The Daily Bread of The Word