BMSW

Day 4 / Week 3 - Self-Talk & Mixing it Up

I will admit that when I woke up this morning, my body was tired, even though I had an outstanding night's sleep. Walking into the kitchen to make breakfast and pack my lunchbox for the day, I found myself dragging. It seemed as though my body was getting a little bored of the same old lunch and snacks and the routine of the past three weeks. So I made a decision to take charge and mix things up.

To begin with, I switched out my familiar tuna salad pita to a turkey and cheese wrap. Then I brought in some cottage cheese and a banana for my A.M. snack to help with post-workout energy recovery. And then, I got my tired body to the gym and had to make another vital decision.

During my walk this morning, I noticed my knee trying to tempt me into believing there was something wrong by presenting a sharp little pinch, first in one knee, then in the other. My shins were a bit sore as well, and my energy seemed a bit off from previous days. So I did what has become my normal response in these kinds of situations - I reminded my body who is in charge.

Just before Jesus of Nazareth ascended to heaven, he told his friends that it is better and to their advantage that he leave them to go to be with the Father. Can you imagine? This crew had been together day and night for 3 1/2 years. They did everything together. Consider what our little BMSW3 family might be like if we continued on for 3 1/2 years, and how close we would all become. Then visualize that our leaders tell us it is time for them to move on because it will be better for us. Getting the picture yet? But that is just what Jesus did to his buddies. And they did not like it. Yet I am sure his encouragement was much like we received from our BMSW3 leaders, who told us to, "Trust the process."

So today, I fell back on the Living Word of God where it says in Proverbs 3:5-6 to:

"Trust the Lord with all your heart.

Do not lean on your own understanding.

Acknowledge Me in all your ways,

and I will direct your paths."

When Paul advises us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to God's word, the evidence of that is in our words and deeds, and in the fruit that comes as a result. Walking around that track, it was simply natural for me to the pain in my knee and sluggish body that I knew they were simply distractions to get me focused on the them in the natural rather than on the Greater One who lives in me in the unseen realm. We are taught in the Word to live not by what we see or feel, but rather by what we know to be true by faith in Christ (who IS the Living Word). In Philippians 4:13, it says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I like to put it this way:

"I can do all things through 

the Living Word of God

which strengthens me."

After all, in James we are encouraged to be doers of the Word, not hearers only because if we only listen to and say we believe without putting it into constant practice, we are simply deceiving ourselves that we believe. We are to become the Word, love, power, peace, grace, mercy, and good as we were created in God's own image and likeness.

And after doing the Word this morning, my energy increased, my knees stopped hurting, and I was able to persist.

Let us all remember to lean into the Word and run our race as if we expect to win, never bowing to those little temptations that would rather distract us, steal our attention, kill our motivation, and destroy our hope that with God, all things are possible.

And let us all let out our cries and groans in the memory of Sarah who demonstrated such faithfulness as she overcame our first extended wall squat today! Sarah, you truly do inspire me!

Bless you!

Gavin