Written by Funmi

You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and wince.

Your body doesn't perform the way you wish it would.

Another health challenge arises, leaving you frustrated with physical limitations.

In these moments, appreciation for your physical existence feels distant, perhaps even impossible.

You're certainly not alone. In a culture saturated with digitally altered images and constant comparison, genuine gratitude for our bodies has become increasingly rare.

Even within faith communities, we often reduce physical wellness to moral discipline or basic stewardship without addressing our fundamental relationship with our embodied selves.

The consequences are profound. When we view our bodies primarily through lenses of disappointment or functionality, we approach physical wellness from deficit rather than appreciation. We pursue health as correction rather than celebration.

My own relationship with physical wellness transformed when I stopped seeing my body primarily as a problem to solve...

And began visualizing it as intentional divine artistry, a masterpiece crafted with purpose and wonder, exactly as David proclaims in one of Scripture's most profound declarations about our physical design.

If you're tired of the constant battle with your body and longing for a foundation of genuine appreciation.

Let's explore how one powerful verse can completely reframe your understanding of physical wellness through the eyes of divine craftsmanship.

SCRIPTURE (Warm-Up)

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

Take a moment to absorb these words.

Let them wash over your self-perception.

Notice the remarkable creative imagery they contain.

Fearfully... wonderfully... made... works.

This isn't casual appreciation. It's profound wonder at intentional craftsmanship.

The extraordinary declaration in this verse reveals a revolutionary perspective:

Your body isn't accidental or incidental, it's intentional artwork created with divine skill and purpose.

The Hebrew term for "fearfully" (ירֵָא/yare) conveys awe-inspiring respect and reverence. It suggests that your physical creation involved such precise attention and care that it should evoke astonishment.

This isn't about fear but about recognition of something made with such exactitude that it inspires reverent wonder.

And the word for "wonderfully made" (צָּלהָ/palah) means to be distinct, marked out, or set apart. It suggests uniqueness and distinction, our physical design isn't generic mass production but custom craftsmanship, setting you apart as an individual creation.

Notice that David frames this reality as cause for praise, grateful acknowledgment directed toward the Creator rather than the creation.

This suggests that genuine appreciation for our bodies becomes a doorway to worship, connecting physical wellness to spiritual relationship.

The psalm's context makes this even more profound. Before and after this verse, David describes God's intimate knowledge of his innermost being, his formation in the womb, and the days ordained for him. Our physical existence isn't separate from divine relationship but integral to it.

When we approach physical wellness with this verse as our foundation, our entire perspective shifts.

We stop seeing our bodies as disappointments to improve or machines to maintain.

We start recognizing them as masterpieces that reflect divine craftsmanship worthy of wonder even amid limitations.

So before trying another approach to "fix" your physical self, dwell here awhile:

One verse.

One artist's declaration.

One transformative truth: you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Envisioning Your Body as Sacred Artistry

ENGAGE (Strength Training)

Let's move beyond intellectual understanding to visual engagement with this verse. Creating tangible representations of divine craftsmanship helps us internalize this transformative perspective.

Explore these three visual approaches to Psalm 139:14 and discover new dimensions of your body as artisanal masterpiece:

1. Create Your Craftsmanship Portfolio

The verse uses artistic imagery, a theme worth exploring through deliberate visualization:

Take several pages and create a "craftsmanship portfolio" highlighting different aspects of divine artistry in your physical design. Include sections such as:

Architectural Wonders

Draw simple representations of your body's architectural features—skeletal structure, circulatory pathways, neurological connections. For each system, note one aspect that reveals particular ingenuity or precision.

For example: "The hand contains 27 bones arranged to allow both powerful grip and delicate dexterity

evidence of masterful design considering function and versatility."

Artistic Elements

Illustrate unique aesthetic aspects of your physical design—the pattern of your fingerprints, the specific color of your eyes, the particular texture of your skin or hair. These aren't generic features but custom artistic choices.

For each element, write: "This specific [feature] is unique to me, fearfully and wonderfully designed."

Functional Masterpieces

Sketch simple representations of physiological processes that operate without conscious control heartbeat, digestion, immune responses, cell regeneration.

For each process, note: "This function continues perfectly [number] times per day/hour/minute without my awareness or effort evidence of workmanship beyond human capability."

This portfolio exercise helps visualize the multidimensional craftsmanship in your physical design, transforming abstract appreciation into specific recognition of divine artistry.

2. Document Divine Intent Through Wellness Mapping

The phrase "fearfully and wonderfully made" suggests intention rather than accident, a concept worth visualizing through purpose mapping:

Create a "divine intent map" by drawing a human outline and surrounding it with five aspects of intentional design:

1. Movement Design

Illustrate different ways your body is designed for motion—walking, reaching, turning, bending. For each movement, note the specific elements that enable it (joints, muscles, balance systems) and the life experiences this movement makes possible.

How does recognition of movement as intentional design change your approach to exercise—from "correction" to "celebration of design"?

2. Sensory Gateways

Sketch the five senses as doorways to experience. For each sense, illustrate how this capacity connects you to:

Relationships with others

Appreciation of beauty

Awareness of danger

Knowledge of the world

Experience of pleasure

How might approaching your senses as intentional gifts rather than mere functions transform how you care for them?

3. Expression Capacities

Visualize ways your body enables expression, facial movements, hand gestures, posture, voice. These aren't incidental features but designed communication channels.

How does recognizing your body as communication equipment influence how you present yourself to others?

4. Resilience Systems

Illustrate your body's built-in capacities for healing, adaptation, and recovery. These aren't accidental but evidence of intentional design anticipating challenges.

How might viewing your immune system or healing capacity as intentional craftsmanship affect your response to illness or injury?

5. Limitation Parameters

Counterintuitively, sketch the boundaries and limitations of your physical design needs for rest, food, protection, community. These aren't flaws but intentional parameters creating interdependence and rhythm.

How might embracing limitations as designed rather than defective change your approach to rest, nutrition, or asking for help?

This intent mapping helps visualize physical wellness not as correction of flaws but as alignment with divine design parameters, a profound shift in motivation and approach.

3. Illustrate Your Wonder Restoration Journey

The verse concludes with "I know that full well"—suggesting that recognition of wonderful craftsmanship requires intentional knowing, a journey worth visualizing:

Create a "wonder restoration map" showing the journey from disconnection to recognition of divine craftsmanship. Include these stations:

Station 1: Wonder Barriers

Illustrate factors that block appreciation of your fearful and wonderful design:

Cultural messages about "ideal" bodies

Personal disappointments with limitations

Utilitarian views that reduce bodies to function

Comparison with others

Pain or illness experiences

Station 2: Wonder Gateways

Draw specific pathways that reawaken appreciation:

Observing intricate physical processes

Noticing abilities previously taken for granted

Learning about physiological complexity

Experiencing physical joys (movement, taste, rest) Recognizing uniqueness of personal design

Station 3: Wonder Practices

Sketch daily practices that sustain wonder-based wellness:

Gratitude for specific bodily functions

Mindful attention to physical experiences

Celebration of abilities rather than focus on limitations

Care motivated by appreciation rather than criticism

Connection between physical wonder and spiritual worship

This restoration journey helps visualize the process of moving from culture-induced body disconnection to genuine wonder at divine craftsmanship—a pathway to sustainable physical wellness.

EXPERIENCE (Cool Down)

Understanding your body as divine craftsmanship intellectually is illuminating. Engaging with this concept visually makes it more concrete. But the real transformation comes when we experience this wonder in our daily physical existence.

Let's explore three ways to move this verse from concept to lived experience:

1. Practice Daily Wonder Moments

Wonder isn't sustainable as a constant state, but it can become a regular practice through intentional moments:

Establish a daily "wonder moment", a brief (60-90 second) pause to notice and appreciate a specific aspect of your physical design. These aren't elaborate meditations but simple recognitions that gradually reshape your relationship with your body.

Try these focused appreciations throughout your week:

Morning: Upon waking, place your hand over your heart. Feel its rhythm for three full breaths. Silently acknowledge: "This heart has beaten approximately [your age × 37.8 million] times without my conscious direction. I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Mid-day: Hold your hands before you, turning them slowly. Notice their intricate movement capabilities. Express appreciation: "These hands contain 54 bones, 34 muscles, and 123 ligaments working in perfect coordination. I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Evening: As you prepare for sleep, notice your breathing—the automatic exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Recognize: "While I sleep, this respiratory system will continue its essential work without my awareness. I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Start with just one wonder moment daily, gradually expanding to multiple recognitions. The goal isn't performative gratitude but genuine reawakening to the craftsmanship you embody.

These micro-practices help bridge the gap between theoretical appreciation and lived experience of being "wonderfully made."

2. Develop a Craftsmanship Journal

The psalmist's declaration "I know that full well" suggests intentional knowledge acquisition and retention. Create a practice that develops this knowing:

Begin a simple "fearfully and wonderfully made" journal dedicated to documenting aspects of divine craftsmanship you encounter. Unlike generic gratitude practices, this focuses specifically on physical design elements that reveal intentional artistry.

Include entries such as:

Design Discoveries: When you learn about a fascinating aspect of human physiology (through articles, conversations, or personal research), document it with a specific note about the craftsmanship evident: "Today I learned that taste buds are replaced every 1-2 weeks. This built-in renewal system reveals remarkable foresight in design."

Function Appreciations: When a bodily function serves you particularly well, acknowledge it: "Today my immune system protected me from illness despite exposure. This defense system operating without my awareness demonstrates extraordinary design intelligence."

Limitation Insights: When you encounter physical limitations, explore how these might reflect intentional design parameters rather than flaws: "Today I needed rest after extended activity. Rather than seeing this as weakness, I recognize it as an intentionally designed rhythm creating balance and sustainability."

Make at least two entries weekly, either as written notes or voice recordings. Review your journal monthly, noticing how consistent documentation of craftsmanship gradually reshapes your perception of physical existence.

This journaling practice helps implement David's "I know that full well" approach developing specific knowledge of wonderous design rather than generic appreciation.

3. Transform Body Communication Through Wonder Listening

Our bodies constantly communicate through sensations, needs, and responses. Transform your relationship with these signals through intentional wonder-based listening:

Develop a practice I call "wonder listening", approaching body signals with curiosity about design rather than frustration about inconvenience. This involves three steps:

Notice: When your body sends a signal (hunger, fatigue, pain, pleasure, etc.), pause to acknowledge it without immediate judgment.

Wonder: Ask design-oriented questions rather than convenience-focused ones:

Instead of "Why am I so hungry now?" try "How is this hunger signal helping my body communicate its needs?"

Instead of "Why am I so tired?" try "What wisdom might there be in my body's request for rest?" Instead of "Why does this hurt?" try "How is this pain functioning as a protective warning system?"

Respond: Based on wonder-listening, respond to your body's communication as you would to thoughtful design rather than inconvenient interruption: "I recognize this signal as part of my fearfully and wonderfully made design. I'll respond with appropriate care."

Practice this wonder-listening approach particularly when tempted toward frustration with physical limitations or needs. Start with one type of body signal (perhaps hunger or fatigue) before expanding to others.

This listening practice helps transform your everyday relationship with body signals from annoyance to appreciation recognizing even challenging physical experiences as evidence of intentional design rather than defect.

YOU'VE DISCOVERED THE WONDER OF DIVINE CRAFTSMANSHIP

What you've just explored transcends conventional approaches to physical wellness.

You've encountered a biblical perspective that reframes your body not as a problem to solve or a project to perfect, but as intentional divine artistry worthy of wonder and appreciation.

This isn't about generating artificial positivity about your physical appearance.

It isn't about ignoring genuine health challenges or limitations.

It's about establishing wonder as the foundation for physical wellness approaching health from appreciation rather than disappointment.

The transformation unfolds gradually. As you practice wonder moments, develop craftsmanship awareness, and transform body communication, your relationship with physical existence shifts. Not because your body necessarily changes, but because your perception of it fundamentally transforms.

If you've struggled with persistent disappointment in your physical self...

If you've approached wellness primarily as correction rather than celebration...

Let this verse illuminate a revolutionary pathway: