How to Stay in the Game
For two full weeks, I completely let myself eat whatever I wanted and did not exercise. It really wasn't because I DIDN'T want to stop, it was Christmas time and there were so many things going on, I just didn't have a the time to plan good meals or exercise. In doing that I learned two things, the good and the bad.
The good was that I didn't have to "work" at it. I just ate whatever I wanted and had the freedom (and time) to do other things besides exercise. And do you know what? THAT was the ONLY GOOD in the 2-weeks. THE BAD was that I didn't crave ANY foods that I usually don't let myself have "when on a diet" I want to eat chocolate cake, banana pudding, etc. BUT I ate so much junk and things that I REALLY wasn't even hungry for, it made me feel tired and bloated. By the end of the two weeks, I was ready to get back on a nice, healthy diet and work out. Although, I will miss those pretzel pizza's...oh my! I think we had ordered one every day for 3 days...they are DELISH!!!
Getting back to my regular routine, I went to the park and decided to do the run challenges. The weather was cold and the wind was brisk, but I felt fine. The first hill came, I did okay..it is just a small one (most of them are, but they are long)...I got my 1-mile in and then I was ready for the 2nd hill. I love this one because it is a little more steep and challenging! But when I took off running, not much into it, I just stopped. JUST STOPPED...WHAT? WHY DID I DO THAT?????? This was my FAVORITE HILL and I STOPPED! Well, let's see what happened before that...I told myself..I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. And guess what I heard my body say? "You are tired, you don't want to do this." AND THEN I STOPPED! I LET MY BODY CONTROL MY ACTIONS! And then I asked God..what's up with that?
In a women's meeting I attended last Saturday, the speaker said, "If your heart isn't in it, then your body won't follow". Wow...okay, so I totally see this! So I started asking God to show me how to get and keep our heart into things, so we can follow through with them (AND JUST NOT STOP in our favorite running spot)! Needless to say, I didn't get much more running in...BUT I DID GET THIS BLOG! :)
Have you ever heard coaches say, "Keep your head in the game!"...I have MANY MANY times (and have even heard parents yell it from the stands). Sometimes our hearts not in the game, therefore, our head is not in the game.
If we don't have a "heart" change, then our "head" will not change. Here's some reasons and ways we can have a heart change....
1) STOP THE DISTRACTIONS!
While I was walking that same day, I got very warm. There's only so many things that you can take off until you get cold again. But I took my hat off but then my hands were burning up. I was so in-tuned to how I was feeling that it took first place over what I REALLY wanted to do. I usually wear gloves that I can unlatch at the fingers, because I TRULY hate being cold, but if my fingers are out for a little while, I can latch them back up and its no big deal...however, this day, I wore slip on gloves that I was not able to unlatch.
Sometimes we get so distracted by other things that our "play time" isn't good. We are too busy "nursing" our bodies because they are too hot, they are too cold, they are tired..WAHHHHHHH!!!! We are then being led by our flesh and all our flesh is about is feeling good..if it feels good do it. BUT that isn't what our heart wants!
Our bodies are made up of 3 parts....spirit, soul, & body.
"It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us." II Corinthians 1:21-22
Our spirit is the "heart", the center of man and this is where Jesus lives and abides in us. Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. And our body is our physical body (our flesh that wants the luxuries of everything).
It's easy to give into our "flesh", what it wants. It's almost like caring for a child. A child will beg and cry and do everything in the world to get its way and so the parent FINALLY gives in because it gets tired of dealing with it. Well, we are the same way with our flesh because it likes the comforts of life..it loves to eat, it loves to be lazy, it loves to get its way and does pretty much of the time.
It takes time and energy to discipline a child and believe me, it takes time and energy AND SELF-CONTROL to discipline our physical bodies.
2.) FEAST ON THE MEAT
I also noticed that I had no energy the day I went walking. And it was because I had been dieting and had not eaten any protein, which gives you energy. We need to stop acting like little babies and getting our way, EAT RIGHT and eat the MEAT of the WORD. We have been bottle fed just way too long and it's time to grow up and get our big girl pants on and do what's right!!! When you feed on the meat of the Word, you aren't tossed about with every wind of doctrine. You KNOW the TRUTH and the TRUTH sets you FREE!
To stay in the game, you HAVE TO have energy. You can't just eat a bunch of junk and think you are going to go play a good game for 4 quarters...its not going to work! You have to discipline yourself to eat the right kinds of food and exercise.
Cute story: One day at the park, a young man showed up. He had an energy drink and he was downing that thing. I just giggled to myself....but sure enough, he took off running. I met him around once, then I never saw him again. That's how we think we can do as Christians, just down a little meat here and there and it will sustain us until we have another "breakdown". NOT SO!!!
To play in the game, we have to EAT RIGHT! LIVE RIGHT! AND DO RIGHT! IT'S JUST RIGHT!!!
3.)RENEWING YOUR MIND
You can tell where people's heart is because of what they talk about all the time. Sometimes we HAVE TO MAKE our heart be in the right place. BUT it takes renewing of your mind. How do you renew your mind? By putting in it what you want it to LIKE and KNOW! It takes SELF-DISCIPLINE to do this but it is a MUST if you want to stay in the game. Renew your mind by reading the Word of God and meditating on it day and night. You learn about the game by looking at the rule book. We need to read the rule book DAILY and learn about this game called Life. Some of us keep throwing the ball but its not even close to the rim. We continue to make the same bad choices and can't seem to get out of it. READ THE BOOK! FOLLOW THE BOOK! Renew your mind DAILY! You can't renew your mind one day and think its going to work for the next day. It is a CONTINUOUS thing. What you eat today won't stay with you till tomorrow, your still going to get hungry!
4.) FOCUS ON THE GOAL
When we are not focusing on the goal, we aren't going to make the shot. We have to KNOW what the GOAL is, KNOW where the GOAL is, and GO AFTER IT! God tells us that we HAVE TO HAVE A VISION..."Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained," Proverbs 29:18 You must know what the will of God is for your life. He created you and He has anointed you. Why? What is your purpose? Just take the time to ask God what your purpose is and write out a vision and go after the GOAL! People perish for lack of knowledge. You will be sitting on the side lines watching the game if you have no goals of your own. FOCUS ON THE GOAL AND TAKE THE SHOT. You may miss it every now and then but guess what? There's always another shot to be taken!
Keep your "head" in the game by changing your "heart" about the game!!!!
YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH!
Philippians 4:13
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