One of the biggest and BEST changes that has positively impacted my health was when I decided to invite God into my fitness goals. It's indeed strange that many of us really try to trust God in other areas of our life but when it comes to getting "fit" the last expert we would consult with is our Creator. I mean, how would HE know how our body should look when it's in its healthiest state? And how on earth would HE know how to guide us in the strength to properly feed and nourish ourselves?
You may laugh at what I am saying but the truth is, when I look around and see the struggles people face in wading through the muck and mire of fitness misinformation, it saddens me to think that I too, was once rowing helplessly along that river. I placed MUCH value in what others told me I should eat, drink and do to be fit. Yet very LITTLE thought went into what God had to say about my attempts to be healthy.
I spent years forcing my body into an expression of "dis-EASE" trying to attain and maintain a certain look and identity vs. learning how to be at ease with God's plan for my health and my body.
The turn around came for me when I asked Him, just like the Psalmist, to test me and search my heart for those "anxious" thoughts.
"Search me, God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139: 23-24.
I asked Him to replace my "fear" based fitness goals with faith based motivation; the faith to trust in the wisdom of my body and to know the value of rest and seasons of change. I sought to discern what HE says is a beautiful body of health vs. what the world says we women should look like. I began to place more emphasis on the way I felt before, during and after workouts and less emphasis on a goal of appearing a certain way. Interestingly, it was revealed to me that the way I worked so hard to LOOK was actually detrimental to the way I wanted to feel. And you can bet your protein powder that God doesn't intend for us to walk around tired, exhausted or anxious for the sake of looking lean and fit for other people. Our fitness is SO important to Him and yes, FOR Him.
And so I learned to trust God. Yes, even with my fitness goals.
