Speaking Truth Over My Body

I woke up early and stuck my basal thermometer in my mouth – just like every morning.

Two minutes later, my temperature reading was low – just like every morning.

If you’re not familiar with basal temperature charting, the basic premise is that body temperature rises when ovulation occurs, and drops again right before menstruation. Many women use this simple method to track the monthly rise and fall, to know where they are in their cycle.

In my case, it’s just frustrating to wake up and temp, morning after morning, and never see that elusive “rise” for weeks or months. Another low temperature meant that my hormones still weren’t right, and I still wasn’t having normal cycles. Thanks for nothing, PCOS.

All that to say, that morning I was disappointed. Angry. Frustrated. Wondering why my body couldn’t work right. And definitely not talking nicely to myself. 

So, still lying in bed, I began to pray – trying to refocus my thoughts, to be okay, to get to a mental and emotional place where I could start the day right. As I silently prayed, the Lord brought the Armor of God from Ephesians 6 to my mind, so I began to recite the pieces from head to toe.

“The helmet of salvation.
The breastplate of righteousness.
The shield of faith.
The belt of truth…” 

I got stuck on that one. The belt of truth… I’d once heard a pastor say that the belt guards your most private, most sensitive parts. And this Scripture came to mind: “You desire truth in the innermost being” (Psalm 51:6). 

So I took a deep breath and began to ask God:  What does it mean to have the belt of truth guard my innermost being? How do I speak truth over my innermost being – those parts of my body that don’t work correctly – instead of speaking frustration and condemnation to it?

Immediately, He began to remind me of the truths:

“For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you.”

“I will not be ashamed, but….Christ will be honored in my body.”

Friends, this was eye-opening for me. As I fight with the disease of PCOS and am daily reminded that my female body fails to operate the way it’s meant to, it’s easy to fall into the exact mindset I was in that morning — of harsh and disappointed thoughts toward myself and my body.

The truth is that God intentionally, lovingly, and creatively crafted this body of mine, just as He did yours, and He did so for His beautiful purposes. 

Does this mean God gave me a hormonal disorder and wants me to suffer its side effects and heartaches? No, it doesn’t. Disease is in this world because sin is in this world. But I’m reminded that He is Lord over all of it.

On a recent Sunday, my pastor said that God is working on the microscopic level of our lives — the smallest of details that we can’t even see. I think that includes our hormones and our dysfunctional innermost parts.

Where are you tempted to speak harsh or frustrated words toward your body? Maybe it’s not your hormones, but maybe it’s your weight, your acne, or your invisible illness. I encourage you to ask the Lord to show you HIS TRUTH that you can speak over your body today. Our words and thoughts are so powerful.

Let truth guard your innermost being.