Do you see any common thread in those motivations? I do, they are all about me me me. They are also very self centered. My focus seems to be more about how I can make myself feel better.
God has been speaking to me lately and reminding that He created me. He created my body as a blessing to him. He also created me to worship him. That is where a change in mentality has occurred for me. As a head's up, I haven't started my work out plan but I am telling all of you about this so I can be held accountable. Even thinking about being held accountable to the number of strangers that read this freaks me out but I want you to hold me to this.
I've always known that God created me to worship him. I guess I've just never tied it into my health. Romans 12:1-2 commands us to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice..." Have you ever thought about this concept? How often do we do things or eat things because we want them or crave them? How often do we eat something due to a need for instant gratification?
God has been calling me to examine my heart, my body, my mind, and my motivations for certain actions. He has made me aware of my gluttonous behavior recently when it comes to food. He is reminding me every day that I am not to feel down on myself because regardless of my shape, I am still made in his image. However, He is also reminding me that this body is the only temple that I have while here on this earth so I better treat it with respect. As such, it is time for me to get active!
On my drive to work this morning God asked me to examine the ways in which I serve him. I thought about my job, I thought about the five year old kids I work with in the nursery, I thought about activities I do with my friends and I thought about my husband and potential family. In each aspect of the ways I serve God he showed me how I use my body to worship him. In my job, I am always moving and traveling and it requires a lot of energy to keep up with the fast pace of the office. With the five year olds I am on my hands and knees playing games and jumping around or "going on adventures." I show God's love to these children by being an active participant in their world. With my husband there are various ways I actively serve him and with my kids someday I want to be able to play with them and run with them and serve them in the ways I do with the kids in Sunday school.
Think about the ways you serve God. Think about the improvement that can be made if your energy level was higher or your activity level was higher. Is there anything you are missing out on because of your physical condition? How can you worship God with your body?
From now on it is my goal to view working out as an act of worship. In taking care of my body and the temple that God gave me, I will be able to be an active participant in people's lives around me. You never know, that run or walk you ask your friend to go on could be an opportunity to discuss your faith and share your testimony or to be a much needed listening ear. That piggy back ride to a child could be the opening for them to discuss asking Jesus to be a part of their life. The chores you do to help out around the house could be a way to serve and love your family in the way God serves and loves the church.
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
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