It's a Lifestyle

"Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:9

Monday, Monday. Well, Monday starts a new week in a big way. My husband and I decided yesterday that our clothes are beginning to get a little too tight for comfort so we decided to make a friendly competition of it. We're delving into healthy eating and exercise and the loser (and I don't mean weight) has to clean out the garage. I'm pretty determined that isn't going to be me!

So now I find myself having to get back into the eating habits I maintained before I hurt my ankle. I'm having to choose lean proteins, whole grains, leafy veggies and fruits and lots of water. The late night Cheez-Its weren't cutting it for some reason. Go figure... However, I'm looking forward to how I'll feel when I get back into healthy habits.

As I've said before, I actually used to help friends in this area. I remember a certain friend coming to me in great frustration. She disliked the idea of a diet. I told her, "You have to think of it as a lifestyle, not a diet. Set small goals for yourself. Don't look at the big picture or you're likely to get overwhelmed. Get through each goal and keep going. I promise you, once you begin eating 4-6 small, healthy meals a day, begin hydrating and exercise, your body will crave it. In fact, your body will hate it when you decide to make an occasional binge on greasy food. You won't feel well and you'll actually miss the healthy way of eating." She looked at me a little pessimistically but, with determination, decided it was her best option at that point. She began to watch her diet and exercise and began feeling better-- at least during the time period we worked out together.

Well, now, ironically, I find myself in her shoes. I've been feeling a little sluggish, weighed down and craving the healthy lifestyle. And that's the way I choose to look at it, a lifestyle. Diets don't work. They're temporary. The weight comes back. They don't allow for occasional splurges (because then you're off your diet). They just don't involve the mindset that you're choosing to be healthy for the long haul. They also usually involve the wrong set of motives as well. But healthy lifestyles, well, there's a different story altogether. It a long range plan to fuel our bodies with what they need but maintaining a healthy perspective of what we put in them and how we use them.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit as He dwells in us. So we are to take care of them physically and with self-control. However, we must also look beyond that to our faith. It also is something that has to be fostered and developed over the span of our lives. Faith isn't a diet. We don't do it for awhile and then give up. It's a lifestyle. While it's tempting to recoil when the going gets tough (and I confess, I have at times) we must keep the faith. We must pursue it knowing that without it our spiritual lives will be just like our physical bodies when we binge on greasy food. We'll be sluggish and ineffective.

If I'm being perfectly honest (and it was comforting to see Francis Chan say this in his book Forgotten God (as I was thinking it before I even read it!)) sometimes the idea of proceeding in faith with the Holy Spirit is scary. I've often thought to myself, "Well, what if He calls me to do this or that? I just don't know if I can." Finite, thinking. Yet, I know that if He calls me to do something, He will empower me to do the task. It will be by the power of my Father in heaven that the job gets done. I must keep that "lifestyle" mentality to run the race set before me. And you may be thinking, "Oh you of little faith", but be honest with yourself, might you have felt the same way before? Isn't that what faith is? Believing in things we cannot see? Trusting in God for the outcome even when the task is unnerving at onset?

We don't have to worry over the "big picture". God's promised to work that for the good of those who love Him, remember? We must take each task at hand with full reliance and faith in Him. Live the lifestyle abundantly!

Lord, thank You for Your Holy Spirit You sent to dwell in me. I was blind and You restored my sight. I was enslaved and now have liberty. Because of You I'm alive! Please guide me in my journey of faith. Give me full assurance of Your will and guide me accordingly. May it truly be a lifestyle, Father, and may I have complete joy in You. Thank You for Your presence. Thank You for Your power. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for redemption. Thank You for the HONOR to serve YOU! It is truly an honor and a priviledge. For it's in Your Son's holy name I pray, Amen.