I came back from surgery. Here is what I learned

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Saturday, September 06, 2025

So — plot twist — I had a hip replaced.

Titanium. Shiny. Strong. Basically, I’m now part Avenger.

From the moment I shuffled into that hospital at 5:00 AM — bleary-eyed, pre-caffeinated, and quite nervous (this was my first surgery!) — I was surrounded by believers.

The receptionist? Christian.
The anesthesiologist? A believer.
The nurse? Prayed over me.
The surgeon? Asked me to pray for him.

I almost said, “Doc, want to switch? You preach. I’ll cut.”

But I didn’t want to wake up with an extra elbow.

After the operation, they hit me with the biggest post-op decision of all:

“Turkey sandwich or peanut butter?”

I chose peanut butter. I figured even the best hospital turkey is still … hospital turkey.

But what I really walked away with — other than a metal hip and a renewed appreciation for hospital socks — is a lesson in balance.

Learning to walk (again)

The thing about hip replacement recovery is, you have to learn how to walk again.

And that got me thinking: that’s the Christian life in a nutshell, isn’t it?

You start by crawling. Then toddling. Then walking — sort of. You trip. You fall. You get back up. Repeat.

Eventually, you get good at walking in the Spirit … until one day, you’re quoting, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” — only now with spiritual application.

Balance: Not just for hips

This recovery reminded me: balance matters in every part of life. Spiritually. Physically. Relationally. Theologically. Let me walk you through a few areas where we tend to wobble:

1. Balance in diet (and why bacon could be a spiritual food)

If you only eat dessert, your body will rebel. Kids, left to their own devices, would happily survive on Sour Patch Kids and Red Bull. But sugar only leads to cavities and chaos.

Then there are the veggie-only folks.

If you’re eating nothing but kale, quinoa, and tofu, next thing you know:

• You’ve adopted a rescue cat named “Miso.”
• You’re watching PBS specials on sustainable composting.
• You’re driving a Prius alone with a mask on and a reusable grocery bag in the back seat.

I once knew a hippie who made his German Shepherd a vegetarian. That was the saddest, most defeated dog I’ve ever seen. Not judging, vegetarians — hey, I respect you. I just love meat.

My granddaughter Allie once declared, “Papa, I’m a vegetarian now!” … as she devoured her second piece of bacon. I pointed it out and she said, “I can’t help it. I just love the meat of the pig.”

Same, Allie. Same.

Now, I wouldn’t want to eat only meat either. I know people on the carnivore diet. No judgment, but that’s tough to stick with — and tougher on your system.

Bottom line? You need balance in your diet. Protein, healthy fats, some carbs, and yes — bacon. Like Pearl Cantrell, who lived to be over 100. Her secret?

“I eat bacon every day.” I mean, who am I to argue with that?

2. Balance in your workouts

You’ve got to build muscle and do cardio. I knew a guy who only worked his upper body. He had arms like a superhero …but legs like a baby bird.

Another guy I knew looked like a bodybuilder … but died young because he ignored his heart health.

You want the whole system working — not just the parts you show off in summer.

Same is true spiritually.

3. Balance in the church

Let’s talk about the three-legged stool of the Christian life — and of the Church.

You remove one leg, the whole thing topples.

We are here for three purposes:

1. Glorification of God (Upward).

2. Edification of the Saints (Inward).

3. Evangelization of the World (Outward).

Let’s simplify: Upward, onward, outward.

Too many churches lean too hard into one of these and lose balance.

If a church emphasizes worship only

You get a whole lot of goosebumps and fog machines — but no theology. People say, “Church was amazing! We didn’t even have a sermon!” I’m sorry, that’s not a win.

Worship is vital. But without the Word, you’re floating without an anchor.

If a church emphasizes evangelism only

People get saved — but they stay spiritual infants. They love Jesus but can’t find Leviticus.

As Paul says, the goal is to equip the saints, not just entertain them.

If a church emphasizes teaching only

You become academic. Cold. You might know your Greek verbs — but forget to love your actual neighbor. It’s theology without tears.

The Acts 2 model: They were W.E.L.L.

Acts 2:42 says:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread, and to prayer … and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

They were:

• Worshipping.
• Evangelizing.
• Learning.
• Loving.

And the Jesus Movement had this, too. That’s why it worked. Bible-centered, Spirit-filled, Gospel-driven, love-saturated.

Thousands came to Christ. And many — including me — were called into ministry.

Legacy: Pass the baton before you fall asleep (forever)

Paul told Timothy:

“Teach these truths to faithful people who can pass them on.”

This is the Christian relay race. You don’t just run — you pass the baton.

Scripture says of David:

“David served the purpose of God in his generation … then he fell asleep.”

That’s Bible-speak for: he died. (Much nicer than “he kicked the bucket.”)

Stephen? Same phrase. But here’s the key: only believers are said to “fall asleep.” Because only the Christian can say with confidence: “To die is gain.”

Only the one who’s prepared to die, is truly ready to live.

The big finish

Let me sum it up:

Don’t limp through life spiritually unbalanced. Don’t make your walk with God look like a blooper reel. Instead…

• Glorify God (Upward)
• Build up the body of Christ (Inward)
• Reach the world with the Gospel (Outward)

And do it all with balance — because the world is already off-kilter.

Oh — and eat some bacon now and then. Because balance is good. But bacon … bacon is better.