Late in January, we joined a gym as part of my effort to become healthy. Part of the joining process included a visit with the trainer who asked a series of personal questions that have hounded me since.
How motivated are you to keep losing the weight you say you want to lose? (1-10)
That was a hard question.
On one level (logic) I’m a 10 (highly motivated) to exercise and keep at it. I need to lose 30 pounds…at least 20! I’m teetering on the precupice of becoming a diabetic.
I don’t want that! I’ve cared for diabetics the past few years. Some have lost limbs, were on dialysis, had surgery for arterial blockages to various parts of their bodies to say nothing of the usual heart attacks and strokes. I don’t want to join their world. Yes, I’m highly motivated.
But on a day-to-day basis, I am not motivated. When I need to get up and leave the house to actually go exercise. Am I motivated? Not really. Not much more than a 2! So therein lies my dilemma.
Sadly, this filters down to my everyday life in other areas!
And when I come down to it, this is a dilemma I face in much of my life! On one hand, I believe intellectual truth in my head. I know what I need to do for my health and well being.
On the other hand, I am weak in my willingness to do right. As one who is “in Christ” I am able to do the right thing, but so often, I don’t do it! I don’t choose to do what I know is the right thing to do!
Yes, I am a new creature in Christ. But the full reality of that hasn’t come into being. For now, part of what it means is that I am now able to do good from the heart. Before I was in Christ, that was not the case. Yes, I was able to do good actions, but not the kind that ultimately please GOD.
GOD looks at the heart. In Christ, we are righteous. Righteous because He fulfilled the law for us…and paid the price for the sin we committed.
Now I am accepted in Christ but He loves me too much to leave me the way I am.
Then He begins the process of changing us. His goal? Making us more like Christ. The process won’t be done this side of heaven. But He is bringing about the changes on His timetable and with His agenda.
The change process isn’t up to us in terms of initiation. It is up to us to cooperate with what GOD is doing…and to obey and submit. All those things we aren’t fond of doing. It has nothing to do with whether we are men or women. We all have those things in common as human beings…we hate to obey and submit in general!
And I am certain that God,
who began the good work within you,
will continue his work
until it is finally finished
on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
What area do you find yourself more knowledgeable and motivated intellectually than you truly are on a day-to-day level?
How are you learning to allow GOD to manage your sanctification instead of trying to take it over yourself?
