By Brad Bloom, Publisher, Faith & Fitness Magazine
One of my most impressive childhood moments was certainly etched into my memory because it was literally etched into my body. I was riding high on my bicycle just outside my home. I was peddling fast, feeling confident and being a bit of an acrobat when my front tire caught a rock and I flipped landing abruptly.
Stunned by the impact I rose to my feet and first looked to see who may have witnessed my colossal and embarrassing crash. Only then did I assess the damage. A gritty sand covered one side of my face. Small particles of gravel were embedded in the palm of my hand. A crimson bloody divot the size of a quarter on my scrawny knee throbbed with pain. I left the bike in the street and ran to my parents for first aid and for the more important soothing compassion.
We all fall down.
(Optional: Click on the ‘We All Fall Down’ video to listen to a related song as you continue reading.)
What is your story? We all have our encounters with grit. Truth be told we pursue it. In the gym you often see it manifest in the guy straining under heavy weight and persisting beyond his threshold of pain. In the spin class it’s the woman who draws peace and confidence from the relentless pace. Way beyond the green and yellow she’s in the orange zone nearly pushing red.
But it doesn’t stop there. We’ve found ways to pepper our work and business practices, our schedules, our attitudes and our relationships with what we believe to be just the right mix of abrasiveness to polish our wisdom and make our determination shine. We work an agenda that we hope works out well. All along the way God seems to be more than willing for us to go for it, which leaves us all just a bit confused.
The freedom that God gives us naturally produces momentum. That momentum enables us to achieve balance and thrive. But, we can make it into our own spiritual methamphetamine. Doing what you think you can do, should do and want to do, feels good and is highly addictive. If we’re honest though that often means we’re ignoring God. All too often we don’t bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. What do you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. What does it get you? A dead end.
Pushing the limits seems innocent enough – a little faster, a bit more daring, “Look at me, what I can do”! The thrill, whether subtle or euphoric, begs us further and we comply — and justify our human nature. Ultimately the gravity of force inevitably draws us to the center of God.
When you find the end of your grit, it’s there that you’ll find what’s truly greater — grace.
Ready to do some serious training? Want to see what life is like when you’re taking the limits off? Time to get into Beast Mode! It’s the chalk dust on those hands. It’s the groan and outburst. It’s the pain and the confidence that come with it. Fitness brings out the grit in all of us. But faith can take it all to a whole new level. Go ahead and hit the wall, then go beyond your limits to push the edge — when you find the end of your grit, it’s there that you’ll find what’s truly greater — grace.
Find yourself standing where you always hoped you might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory. When you’re hemmed in with troubles, you know those troubles can develop passionate patience, which in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping you alert for whatever God will do next.
Be both tough and tender, rowdy yet righteous – God has the workouts and wisdom to keep it real.
Train strong in Christ,
Brad Bloom
This Publisher’s Letter appears in the June/July 2017 issue of Faith & Fitness Magazine. CONTACT US and schedule Brad to speak at your church, gym or community event and share this or other faith-centered lifestyle messages.
