One evening before bed, one of my teen boys began complaining of a stomachache. On this particularly busy day, we hadn’t been home very much, so I asked what he had eaten…doughnuts for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and pizza for dinner. As our children grow into their teen years, we have less ability to control their decision-making processes, which sometimes includes their dietary choices. I explained to this sweet boy that he would have to make more responsible and healthy choices concerning his diet or suffer the consequences…which in this moment included an unhappy tummy. “You are what you eat,” I said.
As I left his room that evening, I began to think that the phrase “You are what you eat” doesn’t just apply to our physical health, it also applies spiritually as well. Do you ever wonder why you are feeling angry about the littlest thing? Do you feel discontented with your life? Do you feel hopeless when you consider what the world will be like for you/your children/your grandchildren? Are you worried or anxious? Take a moment to consider what you’re feeding on throughout the day. Have you spent any time feeding your spiritual man (or woman) through Bible reading and prayer? Or has your diet mainly consisted of scrolling social media, watching the news, or my personal favorite, watching HGTV—a guaranteed way to quickly become discontented and want to paint everything in your home Alabaster white!
A 2021 Lifeway study (link below) revealed some interesting statistics about the changes that may happen in our life when we choose to interact with the Bible on a regular basis. The most significant results were seen when people engaged with the Bible at least 4 times a week (this includes attending church services). Here are some of the findings:
*Feeling lonely drops 30%
*Anger issues drop 32%
*Bitterness in relationships drops 40%
These are just a few of the negative behaviors that change when reading the Bible regularly. In addition, there are some positive changes that come from regular Bible reading:
*Sharing your faith jumps 200%
*Discipling others jumps 230%
Take time this week to consider your spiritual intake. You are what you eat, and we could all improve our diet. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Source: https://research.lifeway.com/2021/01/20/9-tangible-benefits-of-bible-reading-for-your-church/