1 Samuel 4:18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy.
A healthy nutrient-rich diet with lean proteins, fiber and healthy fats improve metabolic activity and support weight loss. Changing our diet can impact our metabolic health. Healthy habits speed up our metabolism. What we eat and how active we are will directly affect our metabolic rate. Small changes in our diet and a few minutes of exercise every day can make a big difference in improving our metabolism. Dietary choices with lean meat, eggs, legumes, as well as fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains will boost our metabolism and increase our metabolic rate. Metabolic rate refers to how quickly the food turns into fuel to maintain the normal functioning of the body. Intentional changes in the diet and exercise routines will boost the metabolic rate.
Biological metabolism is a perfect metaphor for spiritual metabolism. The spiritual metabolic rate can be improved tremendously with lifestyle changes. The food we feed our mind plays an important role in improving our spiritual metabolic rate. Our entertainments and engagements are food to the mind. What we listen, watch and ruminate on, feeds the soul. Our routines of prayer, fasting and personal time with God are the exercises that boost spiritual metabolism. The Lord rebuked Eli for ignoring the sins of his sons: So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel! (1 Samuel 2:29). Eli’s sons desecrated the offerings and Eli condoned their sins. Eli’s spiritual metabolism had slowed down tremendously resulting in ‘metabolic syndrome’. His sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them (1 Samuel 3:13b).
Both our natural and spiritual metabolic rate can be boosted with changes to our daily routines, diet and disciplined mind. As metabolic imbalances can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, imbalance in our spiritual metabolism can lead to inefficacy in our spiritual lives.
Three tips to boost Spiritual Metabolism:
1. Healthy-Diet: Have a lean protein and fiber-rich diet. Read the Word of God twice a day. Make prayer routine your priority over entertainment and sleep. Listening to the news can be depressing, instead, devour the word of God. Healthy spiritual diet will increase our spiritual metabolic rate.
2. Healthy-Disciplines: Exercise regularly. Have a disciplined routine of fasting every week. Take fasting seriously and not as a ritual. Fasting without praying is only dieting.
3. Healthy-Mind: Reprogram your mind to a healthy lifestyle to boost your spiritual metabolism. This would mean politely declining night get together or entertainment, resetting your body clock to a rhythm of early start with a prayer routine and craving for healthy nutritious food from the Word of God.
Lifestyle changes will certainly boost our spiritual metabolic rate.
Proverbs 21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
Prayer: Father God, help my spiritual metabolic rate to improve. Give me the tenacity to adapt to a healthy-diet, healthy-discipline and healthy thinking patterns. Amen.
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