Permanent Condition

Any athlete or fitness lover knows the body constantly changes. We either improve the condition of our body or it deteriorates. I'll never forget my college track & field coach warning us that we needed to workout three times over Spring Break to maintain our condition. Meaning we needed to do three sprinting style workouts, not just weights or plyometrics, to keep what we had developed in the previous weeks of training. We had to practice our sport, not just some form of physical exercise. Some of us thought we could get away with only doing one or two workouts, but there was a clear difference between those who did what our coach asked, and those who didn't. Those who practiced weren't sucking wind during our initial return; let's just say those who did less had a whole lot more breath to catch. This drove home the lesson that even though we may be talented and skillful, we had to put in effort to keep growing; our bodies weren't in a permanent condition.

This is true no matter what phase of life we are in. Sure there are some activities we never forget how to do, like riding a bicycle, but there is a huge difference between leisurely riding and riding at a fast pace; its clear when we've lost of competitive edge. Which is quite sad and depressing, and is perhaps the major reason former athletes put on unhealthy weight, resigning themselves to obesity. They give up for multiple reasons, but there is one thing they often forget, the body is not in a permanent condition. The body can fall into a state of unhealthiness, but it can also be brought back to wholeness. Welcome to today's subject.

Unhealthiness often starts with an injury. Something small doesn't feel right. We decided to tough it out, that everything will be okay and we'll take care of it when it becomes a real issue. That little pain grows and becomes a big pain. At this point we start asking questions, but we down play the injury; we don't want anyone to know the pain is serious. As the severity of the pain grows we start trying multiple methods of fixing it. If nothing works, or doesn't work as fast as we'd like, we give up on being healed and resign ourselves to the calamity we know is coming. The injury that takes us out of the sport we love, or walking away so the pain will stop but not heal. This whole process could have been prevented if we addressed the little pain at the beginning. If we had treated the small misalignment, strengthened a weak muscle or just held back a little bit while our body adapted, we would have been okay. If when the pain grew we stepped aside and did a little physical therapy and continued with a few modifications and additional exercises, we would have been okay. And when the pain became severe if we had just taken some time off, stuck with a reduced physical routine until our body healed and gradually worked ourselves back in, we would have been fine. But too often we wait for the crash, or come to the point where we've lost love for our form of movement. What once gave us joy becomes an object of our scorn and hate. What a sad state of being!

Health starts by recognizing we are responsible for our movements. Every motion we make with our body has a direct impact on the way we feel. From how we walk, to how we sit, to how we throw a punch; our repetitive motions define us and our health. When we learn how to change these subtle, but daily things, the effect is dramatic. Suddenly, chronic injuries melt away. Unbalanced muscles right themselves. Digestion changes. Confidence changes. The radiance of our life changes. All because we learn how to focus ourselves in the subtle areas of our lives.

Harnessing these little things causes transformation. Not just physically, but also spiritually. Jesus came to transform twisted and broken lives into whole and healthy lives of fruitfulness. A life transformed by Jesus the Christ is visibly and tangibly different. This palpable difference reveals itself in someone who walks the walk, not just someone who knows a lot of good Christian stuff. When John the Baptist, whom many thought was the Christ, saw Jesus walking  he said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" Jesus didn't have to say anything, John knew who He was and what His mission was by the way Jesus walked.

Following Jesus can be complicated, but it can be boiled down to one thing: choosing health. Which isn't as easy as it sounds. Take our unhealthy analogy, there's a lot of life that causes little pains and given time those little pains can become suffocating inabilities. Following Jesus means taking the time to see the little uncomfortable things heal. It also means accepting the severity of our injuries, physical and emotional, by asking for help. It means walking away from the harmful practices of our life, but also finding the strength to maintain health and keep moving in activities that normally break other people's spirits, minds and bodies. A life transformed by Jesus is marked by its ability to improve in health, even in situations that normally shatter and break of hearts. This does not mean we won't be faced with injuries, but rather it means we will respond patiently and diligently work through our part of the healing process.

Our physical conditions are subject to change, but our spiritual condition can be set. We can choose to set our lives on Jesus, the only true Christ (Saviour, Healer, Redeemer, Leader and Friend). Choosing Jesus means letting him guide us through our injuries, and letting him lead us to a place of wholeness. He won't cast aside our bodies, our hearts or our minds, but will bring our entire selves to fruition. Even if its not the fruitfulness we anticipate. It will be better, healthier and fuller for all.