Melissa and Courtney talk with Lisa Whittle about how a whole body theology can keep us from obsessing or neglecting our bodies. They discuss the need for a foundational view of our bodies drawn from the whole of Scripture rather than isolated verses. Whether we struggle with accepting imperfections in the way we look or we get frustrated because our bodies don’t function the way we wish they did, recognizing that our bodies exist for the glory of God can lift the weight of worrying about what others think of us.

Recommended Resources:

• Body and Soul: A 6-Session Study of the Whole Person God Created You to Be by Lisa Whittle

Related Content:

• The Deep Dish: Aging Is a Discipleship Issue
• As You Start that Diet: 3 Truths About Body Image
• Five Lies About Your Body
• Let’s Talk: How to Spot and Let Go of Shame

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways are you tempted to measure your worth (or the worth of others) by physical appearance or ability?

2. Describe one way you would like to have a healthier relationship with your body? What might need to change for that to happen?

3. Share a time when you felt physically limited. How can experiences of frailty or weakness give us opportunities to glorify God?

4. In what ways does Jesus’ own experience of physical weakness (hunger, fatigue, suffering, death) comfort or challenge you in your view of the body?

5. How do you discern whether pursuing improved form and function is healthy or problematic?

6. What would it look like for you to pursue health and strength with a “glory mentality” rather than a self-focused one?

7. How does the reality of spending eternity in a glorified version of your body influence the way you view and care for your body now?