“I NEED my coffee. If I don’t get it, I’ll be a grouch, and I’m exhausted. I’ve got to have it to keep going.”

I heard myself say it. The words pricked my spirit. The Holy Spirit quickly reminded me only Jesus could give me joy and peace and energy for my day. What was I doing substituting a quick fix instead of Jesus’ endless supply of possibility in my life?

I confess I started down the path of coffee drinking out of desperation when my daughter wasn’t a good sleeper. I never liked it, even in college, but I was scared by how I acted when I was exhausted so I resorted to drinking coffee.

Do you ever do things out of desperation? I started with one cup to get me through the day of solo parenting, but that was six years ago and soon I required multiple cups a day just to keep going. Coffee became a requirement to start my day, to keep going in the afternoon, and something I leaned on for help.

The Holy Spirit showed me if I replaced the word “coffee” for “Jesus,” that would probably be more accurate — start my day with Jesus, keep going with Jesus, and lean on Jesus for help.

Please hear me say, coffee is not evil or bad. Don’t send me hate mail if you love the aroma of roasted beans at your favorite coffee shop or have sweet memories of drinking coffee for the first time with your grandmother. If you like the taste of coffee and it’s not a focus in your life, then more power to you.

But for me, I realized coffee had become a crutch. I thought about it first thing before I opened my eyes. I planned my day around getting another cup. I didn’t feel well when I drank it. And the Holy Spirit got my attention to show me coffee had become a little idol in my life.

I’m sure you can relate with something in your life.

Is there something food related or not that you’ve come to require to get through your day? Maybe for you it started out as a treat or just a way to get through a hard time and now has become a necessity?

This isn’t about not drinking coffee but asking yourself what you feel like you can’t live without. What do you plan your day around? What’s that thing that makes you feel better but doesn’t really satisfy? Something your mouth and mind have convinced you that you need or even deserve after the kind of day you’ve had?

When I think about my body and all of its imperfections, I’m astonished that Jesus chooses to put His very Spirit in such an imperfect vessel.

I’m in awe at the amount of faith He places in us that we will carry out His will. I don’t know what else would give us more courage than to know Jesus believes His Spirit has the power to transform us and will do the work, that He will heal, grow, and help our mortal bodies to live so we may love.

I want to make healthy decisions that will help me live faithfully in the body God gave me, keeping it beautiful as a representative of Him and capable of fulfilling whatever He has for me each day.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

God chooses to dwell with us and in us. Our bodies are special because they are His sanctuary — a place to pray, sacrifice, and worship. I’m taking that more seriously now.

I’ve asked Him to give me energy to do His will instead of thinking I need coffee to keep going. I’ve thanked Jesus for placing His Holy Spirit in me, for loving me enough to want to dwell with me in such an intimate way but also trusting me enough to take care of the temple He made where His awesome glory dwells.

What if not living like the world also means we examine what we are putting in our bodies?

What if you took time today to get to know Jesus a little bit better and get to know your own body so you can serve Him more effectively in whatever He has called you to do?

What if being a light for the Lord means saying no to a certain food or drink, not for the sake of rules but in the freedom to have energy to love others well?

When Jesus says to love others as you love yourself, will you choose one way to love the body He gave you to accomplish His purposes and to love others with it?

I’m not giving up coffee. I am choosing to not drink coffee and am trying to make other healthy decisions to feel more alive. I’m focusing on Jesus as I wake up and not my next cup of coffee.

You have the freedom to make good and healthy choices, too, for your body, soul, mind, and spirit. Because of your faith in Jesus, you are free to be healthy so you can do His will in your life in the everyday and the long-term. Will you allow the Holy Spirit to show you where He wants more space to dwell in you?

 

God chooses to dwell with us and in us. Our bodies are special because they are His sanctuary -- a place to pray, sacrifice, and worship. -@beautyandbedlam: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment