Peter Putnam is “on the rise” was the headline on a popular bodybuilding magazine cover back in Peter’s prime. In my interview with Peter, former IFBB professional bodybuilder turned evangelist, Peter reflects back to the heyday of his bodybuilding days. Peter asked rhetorically, “on the rise” to what? Peter recognized during his lucrative bodybuilding career that he was two faced – his public image as a professional bodybuilder was a façade.
LISTEN TO PETER’S FULL CONVERSATION WITH TROY ISMIR IN THIS PODCAST.
Peter was only in the sport of bodybuilding to prove something. His identity was completely wrapped up in who he was as a bodybuilder. Peter was driven by achievement and was always striving for the next big goal in bodybuilding.
God allowed a good thing, to become the main thing, which is now a bad thing.
I know I can certainly relate to that. How much of our public life are we trying to measure up? To prove that we have what it takes and that we can measure up to the world’s standards. We think the more we can accomplish the more fulfilled we will be. How is that working for you?
Our self-worth and value can get wrapped up in what we do or what people say about us. We often times are searching for validation outside of ourselves. We want to be loved and admired for our achievements.
Peter realized that the path he was going down in professional bodybuilding was actually leading to his destruction. As Peter puts it, “he allowed a good thing, to become the main thing, which is now a bad thing.” Bodybuilding became an idol for him.
There was a point in Peter’s bodybuilding career that he realized he didn’t want to continue on the path he was on. Peter came to a place of brokenness where he decided to allow whatever needed to be done to get healed. In his brokenness, Peter made a commitment that he would allow God to go in and deal with all the junk that he had been unaware of or not wanting to deal with. Change takes a great deal of courage, but as Peter puts it, “What God reveals he heals.”
