“In the midst of this, though words failed me, prayer without words—prayer in and through my body—became a lifeline. I couldn’t find words, but I could kneel. I could submit to God through my knees, and I’d lift my hands to hold up an ache: a fleshy, unnamable longing that I carried around my ribs. I’d offer up an aching body with my hands, my knees, my tears, my lifted eyes. My body led in prayer and led me—all of me, eventually even my words—into prayer.”
Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary
God Incarnate
Did you ever consider the fact that when Jesus took on a body as God incarnate, he kept that body for the rest of eternity? After his resurrection, he kept the nail scars in his hands and the spear gash in his side, ate fish with his disciples on the beach, and disappeared (in his body) into the clouds when he ascended to the Father.
If ever you were tempted to think that the Christian faith could be lived only in your head or your heart, a look at Jesus puts this immediately to rest. He walked from town to town, he touched people as he healed them, he was baptized and feasted and bore our sins in the stripes upon his back. Jesus’ obedience to the Father and love for humanity was very much lived out of his body.
And, as an example of worship, he raised his hands when giving thanks and knelt in prayer. I have no doubt that he also danced and clapped and hugged his friends close.
Jesus knows what it’s like to live this existence in a body. He honored it then in his own incarnation and resurrection, and he honors it now through his indwelling Spirit.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
An Embodied Faith
This faith of ours is, at its very source, an embodied faith. The Father formed us from the dust and breathed life into our nostrils, the Son took on our own human form to live among us, and the Spirit chooses our bodies over any earthly building to abide in his glory.
It leaves me completely and totally awed. When I’ve spent my life battling my sinful nature and trying to put to death the deeds of the flesh, how can I now choose to think of this earthly vessel as one made for honorable use, pleasing to the Lord?
And yet, I can relate with author Tish Warren’s quote at the beginning, remembering time after time when all I could do was bow my head, or feebly open my hands, or look into a loved one’s eyes, or tilt my face skyward. And God met my soul through those simple submissions of my body.
Later in her book, Tish writes, “The biblical call to an embodied morality—to sexual purity, for instance, or moderation in food and drink—comes not out of a disdain for the body and its appetites, but out of the understanding that our bodies are central to our life in Christ. Our bodies and souls are inseparable, and therefore what we do with our bodies and what we do with our souls are always entwined.”
You cannot care only for your soul to the neglect of your body. It doesn’t work that way. Pretending that it doesn’t matter what you eat or look at, or how many smiles or hugs you give in a day, or what you think about yourself when you look in the mirror is ludicrous. Of course these things matter. You matter–all of you matters–to God.
Now, this isn’t to promote servitude to your body. Your soul, the part of you that connects with God and nourishes all the other parts of you, comes first. But it was designed to live its life through your body.
As John Ortberg says, “The human soul seeks to integrate our will and our mind and our body into an integral person. Beyond that, the soul seeks to connect us with other people, with creation, and with God himself–who made us to be rooted in him the way a tree is rooted by a life-giving stream.” (Soul Keeping)
In other words, the soul is essentially the great connector of your being. You are a beautifully complicated, intricately entwined person of heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Nourishing the Soul and the Body
So how, you might ask, do I care for the soul while caring for my body?
I’ll share a few suggestions to start the conversation, and I’d love to hear your own thoughts, as well.
- Any movement you do while praying, meditating on scripture, or worshiping will do something powerful in strengthening your connection to God. Taking walks, lifting hands, dancing, painting, kneeling, lying prostrate, baking, crafting, stretching, jogging, playing an instrument, or even pulling weeds can bring a sense of peaceful integration to your body and soul when you choose to do it with Jesus.
- As you go through your daily self-care routine (i.e. brushing teeth, showering, combing hair) pause to thank God for this body he gave you. Remember that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Praise him for creating you so fearfully and wonderfully.
- That get-healthy goal you’ve been putting off? Try reframing it as an act of worship and gratitude to your Creator rather than something you should do simply because you know it’s good for you. Ask your Father if it’s something he’s inviting you to do to care for his temple, or is it merely vanity that needs to be cast aside?
- Use your physical presence, touch, and eye contact to bless those around you. Invite the Holy Spirit to live out his love through your body today and intentionally seek out opportunities to offer comfort, happiness, and encouragement through your hands, eyes, and smile.
- Try a simple breath prayer, relaxing your body and closing your eyes as you breathe a prayer in and out.
What other avenues have you found to help you integrate body and soul wellness? Please share them with us in the comments!
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