Encouragement for Today

March 25, 2025 My Body Lives in the Kingdom JESS CONNOLLY Lee en español

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

Summer was approaching in my new beach town. Growing up, I went to the beach once or twice a year with my family, and I dreaded the bathing suits and exposed skin. When I moved to Charleston, South Carolina, I tried not to think about how much more frequent those moments would be. But once you live here, it’s impossible to ignore.

One afternoon at a coffee shop, I sat with a group of college-aged women while I, past 30 and having carried four children, listened to the familiar conversation about preparing our “summer bodies.”

At some point, I said something countercultural: “I’m not getting my body ready for summer. It’s already ready.” The conversation came to a halt.

One of the girls, someone I deeply respect, looked me in the eye and said, “But we live in America. This is how it is. This is what’s expected of us.”

She wasn’t challenging me as much as acknowledging what they all felt. But God gave me clarity in that moment — a moment of truth I hadn’t fully processed before but one I haven’t stopped thinking about since:

“No. We live in the Kingdom of God. I might physically live in America, but I belong to the Kingdom.”

God made my body with intentionality and creativity. Before the world began, He knew what I would look like. He makes good things. And because He created my body, it is good (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 1:31).

Like all things on this earth, my body experiences decay and imperfection. But the fact that God named it “good” still matters. That stirs a longing in me to treat my body as good and to give God glory by gently caring for it, not despising it.

This means my body is not a project or a problem to be solved. It is a vessel for the Holy Spirit, a dwelling place of God, a living sacrifice for His glory.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

If I live by faith in the Son of God, then my body is not waiting to be ready. It is already ready — to be seen, loved and used for His purposes. It is already worthy because He made it so.

What would it look like for you to live in the truth that your body belongs to the Kingdom? How would it feel to embrace your body as good, knowing Christ lives in you?

To help you get there, I’ve created a free resource called “This Body Is Good: A Declaration of Freedom and Truth.” You can download a copy when you purchase my book Breaking Free from Body Shame from the Proverbs 31 Bookstore (more on that below).

Sisters, let’s walk in that freedom. We live in the Kingdom.

Father, help us to remember that our Kingdom identity is more definitive and essential than any label the world would ascribe to us. May we live as free as we already are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

If you’ve ever struggled to believe God made your body and called it “good,” Breaking Free from Body Shame by Jess Connolly is for you. Jess reminds us: “Perhaps the most essential move we can make in breaking free from body shame is to agree that God cares and wants to walk with us as we learn to love these bodies He made with intention.” This book is more than a good read; it’s a guide to freedom. And when you purchase today, you’ll also receive a free, downloadable resource from Jess called “This Body Is Good: A Declaration of Freedom and Truth.” Buy your copy now, and claim your FREE declaration!

ENGAGE

You can reach Jess at jessconnolly.com or follow her on Instagram at @jessaconnolly. She also has a Substack community with weekly writing and resources: The Fully Awake Women’s Club.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “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” (NIV).

In what ways have cultural expectations shaped how you view your body? How would your daily life change if you fully embraced your body as a vessel for the Holy Spirit rather than a project to be improved?

We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

© 2025 by Jess Connolly. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Zondervan their support of Circle 31 Book Club and Encouragement for Today devotions.

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