My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I bring this message with hope and joy and especially in love. I know there are many of you reading this that have gotten in their present fitness condition through no fault of your own. Due to disease, injury, contraindication of medication, depression and other factors have caused your present state of unfitness. (Is that a word?) However, I’ve come to learn in my experience that the majority of people who have become physically unfit is because of bad choices over the years. It is to both groups of whom I am addressing today. It doesn’t matter if it’s your fault or not! God will strengthen and protect you.
My goal as always is to help strengthen and encourage you, through the Word of God, as you are heading towards your goal of becoming physically fit. What I have learned through my years of personal training, is that so many people feel guilty about the condition they’re in. Because they are blaming themselves, they feel they deserve to be miserable. In essence they believe they deserve it. Don’t you believe it!! 17Consider yourself fortunate if God All-Powerful chooses to correct you. 18He may cause injury and pain, but he will bandage and heal your cuts and bruises. 19God will protect you from harm, no matter how often trouble may strike. 20In times of war and famine, God will keep you safe. 21You will be sheltered, without fear of hurtful words or any other weapon. 22You will laugh at the threat of destruction and famine. And you won’t be afraid of wild animals– 23they will no longer be fierce, and your rocky fields will become friendly. 24Your home will be secure, and your sheep will be safe. 25You will have more descendants than there are blades of grass on the face of the earth. 26You will live a long life, and your body will be strong until the day you die. 27Our experience has proven these things to be true, so listen and learn. Job 5:17-27 (CEV) (Emphasis mine) What is so interesting about this piece of Scripture is that Eliphaz, the one who is speaking, is believing that Job had sinned to cause the distress he was in. However, we know this not to be true. In fact we know that God allowed all the calamity to befall on Job, even though he did not deserve it. So what does this tell us? If your are the one at fault or not for your current fitness level, that is not what is important. What is important is we understand we are becoming more mature in the faith because of the process! You know it’s alright if the Lord is correcting us. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” 7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Hebrews 12:5-8 (NIV) So if the Lord is disciplining us, may we understand how much He loves us! For those of you who know you are not being disciplined, rest assured God is still allowing this to happen so He can be glorified through your actions, as you continue to trust Him. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 My point is this, whether we are at fault or not for our present circumstance is really not what is important. What is important is that we are heading toward our goal and we are to forget what was in the past! 12I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. 13My friends, I don’t feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. Philippians 3:11-13 (CEV) Armed with this truth, we do not have to be deceived by our thoughts or emotions that we have gone too far in the wrong direction to ever be able to get back on the road to great health and fitness. And once we are on the road to stay focused to continue on its path and not let obstacles distract us! So my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, stay encouraged and never give up hope! God bless and continue to fight the good fight in all that you do!
