Unrestrained vices which are allowed to determine one’s life choices stand in the way of living out whole person health, “shalom” (LINK to prior essay) of body, mind, and spirit.  Such vices arise from remaining desires of the flesh, and distract us from achieving higher purposes.  They deceive in order to draw our energy and efforts to feed them.  Such vices may come in various forms such as physical appetites, emotional cravings or crutches, or corruptions of spirit desiring something not right (contrary to our Creator’s design).  The desires may be for something good yet obtained contrary to God’s means or timing of obtaining it, such as sex outside of marriage.  The desires may be for something entirely wrong, such as harming another out of envy or hatred.  The desires may be more deceptive when they pursue something inherently good but to such a degree that it becomes an idol.  Ultimately, the daily pursuits of these deceptive vices steal and rob from whole person health, preventing “shalom”’s fulness.  Instead, they must be mortified rather than nurtured and encouraged.  To accomplish this mortification, we must honestly examine ourselves, recognize what we are pursuing, and determine to pursue true shalom in the power of the spirit.

               Vices boast a long and nefarious history having brought down empires with their lusts, their gluttonies, and more.  They have de-crowned the mighty, disgraced the proud and famous, and stolen riches from the wealthy.  Beyond the effects upon the more well known in history, they have robbed many average people of “shalom”.  They have broken families into bits from one level to another.  They have taken the prime of youth and devastated it just as easy as they destroy the peace of old age.  They have taken the peace of sleep and spoiled it.  They have taken that which functions according to God’s design and made it a curse through sickness and suffering.  Nothing less than such vices born of the fall of man could cast such a woeful and far-reaching palpable shadow over so many in such a profound manner.

               This fall of man and its vices more than tainted man in body and spirit, but have further permeated the being of mankind.  Desires for that which he was not designed to desire press upon man’s will to act.  Our bodies crave with our senses, sensations that bring it pleasure regardless of the oughtness of it.  Our minds ruminate and perseverate over how the senses would enjoy that forbidden or unhealthy pleasure.  Our spirits, without a higher power to persuade and lead away, succumb rather than stand against the lure.  At the core of our being, we want to feel good, to possess pleasure.  Without a higher purpose and a view of “shalom”, we pursue the vices with their base and rotten fruits.  The higher purpose becomes a cloudy figment of myth and imagination or is even perceived as a ball and chain which interferes with the “fulfilment” of vice’s pleasures.

               These vices lead subtly away from “shalom” to feed this fallen nature and enter our lives in the form of physical appetites.  The tongue salivates as thoughts of sweetness, saltiness, and satisfying flavors draw it to processed foods, pleasures filled with refined sugars and inflammatory fats.  The stomach longs for satisfaction, a filling for emotional comfort in some and for safety in others who live in the midst of unfulfilled desires.  The muscles and joints long for physical relaxation, a putting up of one’s feet and an avoiding of exertion.  Such physical appetites reflect needs which warrant our attention, but only if attended to according to God’s design.  Pursuing their fulfillment without regard to God’s design for “shalom” turns them into idols which prevent “shalom”. 

               Besides taking root through physical appetites, they may enter as emotional cravings or crutches.  Loneliness of heart may be assuaged by comforting and pleasurable foods.  Nervous habits may be sedated repeatedly by sweet foods stimulating serotonin and dopamine.  Disappointments may be bandaged by satisfying desserts.  Over time the foods serve as idols meeting one’s need for comfort, yet outside of God’s design leading to “shalom”.  Although God did create food for both physical needs and enjoyment, it can become a false idol when it is used to fulfill emotional needs repeatedly.

               In the opposite direction, a desire to control one’s body may lead away from “shalom” as much as does overindulgence.  On one hand, it may lead to eating disorders which starve one of that which is a gift in food.  They can also lead to unhealthy exercise practices which end up damaging one’s body.  They may come as spiritual desires which aim at ungodly purposes.  Idolization of the physique for the sake of attracting attention and fulfilling lusts distort “shalom”.  Pride and envy lead us to overemphasize some aspect of physical health over the health of relationships or other aspects of “shalom”.  In these and other situations, the care of your real physical needs morph into an ideal hindering true “shalom”. 

               They steal and they rob from “shalom” whereas a godly “shalom” brings true health as no other can.  Such a godly “shalom” reflects reality in terms of creation’s design and in terms of a right relationship with God. Vices may whisper in one’s ear that other goals are acceptable, even worthy of neglecting the higher purpose.  The vices claim that a different reality exists where their fulfillment grants greater joy and pleasure than stewardship of health.  They rob the time and energy otherwise directed at “shalom”, thus robbing the fruits gained by pursuing the higher purpose.  The higher purpose of a life aimed at stewardship loses out as the right bodily function is sacrificed for short term sensations and right thoughts or feeling are sacrificed for uncertainties, insecurities, and desires.  The higher purpose of right relationships with God and with mankind are sacrificed for self-seeking and jealous behaviors leaving one alienated. 

               These harmful vices do not deserve our time and effort which they receive, but should be fought and extinguished.  Nurturing them and feeding them only makes them hungrier.  By calling them out for what they are we can target them for extinction.  Repeatedly rejecting them lessens their pull, their temptation.  Pursuing the virtues of health over time fulfills and builds the desires for the “good”.

               “Shalom”, or whole person health requires us to pursue it through God’s appointed means according to right motives.  In following the revealed design of our natures, both according to the laws of nature and the Words of God, we have hope of “shalom”.  In pursuing such goals motivated by God’s glory, by stewardship of the life we have been given, and by a desire to obey God, we approach “shalom” for the right reasons rather than self-serving motivations.  Together this rightful pursuit of “shalom” bears far better and far more lasting fruits than does the pursuit of vices.

               Therefore, consider the pleasures which keep drawing you back to unhealthy behaviors.  Do they feed your “shalom” or rob your health?  Do they cause more long-term harm than the short-term pleasure they provide?  Are they becoming idols begging for more attention?  What might you do today to fight against them?  Ultimately, the daily pursuits of these vices steal and rob from whole person health, preventing “shalom”.  They must be mortified rather than nurtured and fed.  To accomplish this mortification, we must honestly examine ourselves, recognize what we are pursuing, and determine to pursue true “shalom” in the power of the spirit.               

Next in the “Docsy” series… To be Determined. Any suggestions?

For the whole series to date, click the link below…