This Is the Only Body I Get

Learning to Honor the Vessel God Gave Me

I was weighing myself one morning, afraid to look. When I finally glanced down at the number, I felt it hit me—appalled by what I saw. Dismayed by how far I’d let things slide.

But more than that, I felt disconnected from my own body—like I had stopped paying attention until now. And that’s when the Holy Spirit whispered:

“This is the only body you get. Steward it well.”

That line didn’t come to shame me. It came to wake me up.

🕊️ A Vessel, Not an Accessory

Somewhere along the way, I treated my body like it was optional. As long as I was praying, writing, creating, serving—I was “spiritually fine.”

But then I remembered: Even Jesus had a body. He walked with it. Sweated with it. Suffered with it. Resurrected in it. So why do I act like mine doesn’t matter?

“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.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

I’ve read that verse a hundred times. But this time, it wasn’t about legalism or body image.

It was about honor.

About reverence.

About remembering this is the only vessel I get to live out my calling in.

💬 Real Talk: What Stewardship Doesn’t Mean

It doesn’t mean six-pack abs.

It doesn’t mean punishment workouts.

It doesn’t mean obsessing over macros or timelines.

It means alignment.

Caring for my body the way I care for my soul.

Moving it. Fueling it. Listening to it. Forgiving it. Respecting it.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” — Jim Rohn

“Your body is the harp of your soul, and it is yours to bring into harmony.” — Kahlil Gibran

Soul Insights

1. Neglect is subtle.

You don’t wake up one day having abandoned your health. It creeps in—through excuses, fatigue, and “tomorrow.”

2. Movement is worship.

Even five minutes of Zumba or walking is a yes to the body God gave me. A yes to breath, life, and strength.

3. Shame is not a motivator.

Conviction fuels alignment. Shame paralyzes. Only one of those is from God.

4. The wiser version of me is watching.

The version of me who’s just a little more whole, more steady, more surrendered—is waiting on the choices I make today.

5. This is spiritual.

Health isn’t separate from my walk with God—it is my walk. It’s how I show up, endure, serve, and live.

Final Thoughts

I don’t want to spend another year apologizing to my body for how I’ve treated it.

I want to bless it. Nourish it. Move it with joy. And use it to walk every path God calls me toward.

This isn’t about fitness goals.

It’s about faithfulness.

Because this body?

It’s not disposable.

It’s divine design.

And I finally want to honor that.

📣 Call to Action

Is God nudging you, too?

What would it look like to move, eat, or rest differently—not from guilt, but from gratitude?

💬 Share your conviction or next step in the comments.

📌 Or journal your “vessel vow” for the week ahead:

What small act of stewardship can I commit to today?

Soul Path Insights