As we are pushing into this new year, don’t set goals to “lose weight.” Instead, choose to work on the inner you. If your desire is to drop some pounds, think about the WHY behind the “to lose weight” goal.
No matter what the goal, it stems from an inner part of you that seeks attention.
As we work on the inner life, the external will follow the lead stemming from the inside, out.
When goals are focused DEEP, the transformation will go deep.
The main purpose of exercise is to be HEALTHY, NOT to lose weight (Check out healthshare plans reviews). When we view it wrongly, it will be something we see as a mundane chore; not very enjoyable. We have been gifted the ability to move (a blessing).
It’s all about how we perceive it!
Think back to when you were a child. The activity you did was for FUN; not for any other reason than childlike play. Society has taken the gift of working out and perverted it; the number one thing we hear is “Work out to lose weight”…WRONG!
Once we can learn to switch our mindset, perception changes. Instead of looking at it as another chore (=negative feeling), begin to view it as an opportunity (=positive feeling) to take care of ourselves and to be prepared for the future in personal health: here is where the pressure lifts and we GET TO participate in this gift!
Once we realize that even 10 minutes a few days a week is considered “exercise” and that it’s beneficial simply to move, it’s much easier to feel good about working out. We don’t need to work out for long periods of time just to have results that provide health benefits.
I could make a list of 100 reasons why exercise is important, but number one: Taking care of yourself is an act of worship because you’re taking care of the temple God created (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). YOU are a steward over your body.
Next, be aware of COMPARISON. It’s a silent source to kill your soul. Often, we don’t even realize we’re doing it. In your health journey, it doesn’t matter what the next person looks like, achieved, or pounds they lost in comparison to you. What matters is keeping your eyes set on WHY you’re doing what you’re doing and keeping a pure heart.
Comparison is a joy stealer and a sure way to break your spirit. Just as the Lord begins to lift you up, in an instant we can tear ourselves down. It crushes enlightenment in the mind and turns joy to sorrow. The enemy will work overtime to give you a heart full of grief, so the mind feels downtrodden and under a form of despair. It is in the evil traps of the evil one himself that we fall prey to his disheartening schemes and forms of doubt, and unbelief.
In our sorrow we will forget WHO lives inside of us and the power that raised Christ from the grave. It’s in the strength of Christ we are forged, broken of old habits, and set free from the things that harm us. It’s in His courage and His grace we break free from the power of darkness that tries to hold us down. It’s by His grace, our spirits are set free, and it is in going to the cross, the place of sacrifice that Jesus will rescue us from our own personal wounds. These wounds affect our inner man which then eventually affects the outer man, (the physical body) if these things are not dealt with. Words can hurt us, people can forsake us, but there is ONE Who remains faithful.
Christ has a better way to live, and an eternal perspective of life. When we live as part of the world, we will feel it’s important to be accepted by the world and its standards, but when we live as part of Christ, we will recognize to live is Christ, to die is gain (Phil 1:21). What I mean is the only comparisons we should be drawing in conclusion is how do we compare in an eternal perspective? Are we living as Christ lives? Are we seeking His acceptance and His approval over the world’s?
If we gain our acceptance and approval from the Kingdom (Jesus Christ), there will be no room left for what others think. There will be no room left to be struggling internally by seeking others as a “standard.” Christ has come to set us free, not just from eternal death but the sin of comparison. Comparison is sin because it’s saying to God, ‘I’m not good enough. I know you’ve created me and every part of my being, but essentially, it’s not good enough. Your work wasn’t good enough for me or for others.’ Ouch!
When we look at the heart of God, how this must break His heart. Make the shift to an eternal standard, and see that God is good, and He does not make mistakes (Genesis 1.) You are a work in progress, yes, until Christ comes, but you are perfection in HIS eyes, because He has created you! That’s the glory!
