Becoming Healthy HumansSample

Becoming Healthy Humans

You were created by God to be healthy and whole, full of life, and free from anxiety. While that may feel miles away from what you’re experiencing today, it is absolutely possible for that dream to become your reality.

With the power of God’s Spirit and the wisdom of God’s Word, you can become emotionally grounded, like an anchor that keeps a ship safe in the middle of a raging storm, spiritually full, like a deep well that has more than enough to satisfy the thirst of world-weary travelers, mentally strong, like a mountaintop fortress providing protection against enemy attacks, and physically refreshed, like forest trees sprouting new leaves at the beginning of spring.

God wants to help you become healthy and whole, full of life, and free from anxiety. He is so invested in this becoming true for you that He became one of us in the person of Jesus to show us what being truly human, fully alive, and wildly free could and should look like. He sent His Spirit to strengthen us and guide us into lives that are rich and flourishing.

Throughout this Plan, you’ve been given the information you need to chart the course and set off on your journey. But, information alone is not enough to get you there. You also need application to experience transformation. So, for the remainder of this day, we’re going to give you a framework to help you apply all you’ve learned—so that the knowledge you’ve gained produces the change you’re after.

The framework consists of three parts: Identity | Activity | Accountability

It starts with identity. In order to create real and lasting change, you need to replace your old view of yourself by embracing who God has created you to be. Because your view of you drives what you do. If you see yourself as the kind of person who doesn’t do hard things, then you won’t do hard things. If you see yourself as the kind of person who isn’t emotionally aware, then you won’t do the work to notice and name your feelings. If you see yourself as the kind of person who can’t sleep well at night, you will convince yourself that no amount of effort will help you feel well-rested. So, if you want to change what you do, you have to change your view of you. How? Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and study what God’s Word says about who you are and who you’re created to be. If you don’t know where to start, check out the Bible Plan, Becoming Like Jesus: Scripture Memorization.

Second, if you want to create real and lasting change, you have to start doing the things the version of you that you want to be would do. This looks like a change in your activity. What behaviors would the spiritually mature version of you exhibit? What habits would the physically strong version of you have? What practices would the mentally centered version of you engage in? What mindsets would the emotionally centered version of you adopt? Pick one, two, or even a few of the activities that came to mind and commit to doing them on a daily basis. And, when you miss a day—because you will—predecide to not miss two. Eventually, these new activities, fueled by your God-given identity, will drive your renewed view of who you are even deeper until it starts to feel natural.

Finally, if you want to create real and lasting change, you’ve got to invite other people into the process with you. This means creating accountability. Okay, but what exactly does that mean? In practice, it means taking responsibility for yourself and asking other people to help you achieve your goal. This could look like writing down what you want to do, by when, and deciding who you need to ask for help. Share your plan with some trusted friends. Ask them to pray for you and follow up with you at specific checkpoints to see how you’re doing. Or, even better, invite them to join you on your journey. The accountability strategy you choose is up to you, but make sure you do have a strategy. Because having effective accountability is often the difference between just starting something and actually finishing it.

What old identity do you need to replace, and what new identity do you need to embrace? Because your view of you drives what you do.

What activity do you need to start doing to become the version of you God made you to be? Because what you do has the power to transform who you become.

What accountability will you create to keep you on track when you’re tempted to quit? Because effective accountability is often the difference between just starting something and actually finishing it.

You were created by God to be healthy, whole, full of life, and free from anxiety—for your sake and for the sake of others. Your purpose on this earth is bigger than you. It’s about loving God with your whole self and loving your neighbor as yourself. And the healthier we become—emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically—the better we can do all of that.

If you aren’t sure what your next step is, invite some friends to read this Plan with you: Becoming Like Jesus: An Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines