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Pleasure vs. Discomfort

We were designed to gravitate towards pleasure and to eschew discomfort or pain.  These innate qualities are what make us human. Yet, to live a healthy and fit life, we must learn to tolerate discomfort.

In order to get the most out of exercise—to lose those pounds, the workout must involve some discomfort.  The heart must be challenged. But those who do not like the discomfort exercise brings tend to struggle to lose those pounds or maintain the weight loss. I remembered when I was training for my bodybuilding competition, a middle aged lady said to me “you look like you are training for the Olympics lifting all that weight.” I felt a little embarrassed by her remarks. Why was I putting myself through all of this discomfort? Training required a lot of work. After about 5 years, I have come to appreciate the rigid training I subjected myself to. This thought was affirmed by the late Jack LaLanne who said that in order to live a healthy and a fit life you have to train like an athlete. People may have looked at LaLanne as an extremist, but what he was saying, in other words, was in order for us to reach an optimum fitness and health level, we had to work hard at it. The pleasure would be the reward of a healthy body.

Pleasure without hard work is only an illusion.  Pleasure is temporary and fleeting.  That warm, cozy bed, that delicious crunchy bag of salty potato chips, that moist chocolate slice of cake, or that warm slice of bread with some butter smeared all over it are some pleasures of life that if indulged can cost us later. Hard work is a principle that is not limited to intellectual pursuits or a job. Physical exertion also applies to our bodies. According to Bob Greene, author of The Life you Want: Get Motivated, Lose Weight, and be Happy, physical exertion when applied is what “may separate those who are eventually able to lose weight and keep it off from those who can’t seem to get it right”.

So I will start from the beginning again: we were designed to gravitate towards pleasure and eschew discomfort and/or pain. Yet to live a spiritually and physically healthy and fit life, we must learn to tolerate discomfort. To arise early in the mornings to pray or work out, to find time for spiritual activities such as prayer or meditation, and to find time for physical exercise require discipline. The two—the spiritual and physical, appear to be polarities, but when disciplined, they complement each other, so that we can live a healthy whole life, enjoying life ABUNDANTLY.

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Is this being Healthy?

I see many people working out at the gym, trying to get fit, trying to reverse the aging clock, trying to lose weight. Yet is this being healthy?

Maybe I’ll become a vegetarian. I’ll eat only whole grains and vegetables.  All red meat will be eliminated from my diet. Yet is this being healthy?

I see many people at church—most of the time the same ones, lifting hands in worship to God and listening attentively to the sermon.  Yet, is this being healthy?

Who cares if I run my body down, serving in God’s kingdom? Who needs rest? There is much work to be done for God, and heaven is my reward?  Yet, is this being healthy?

I look fit. I look great! But I feel a wreck on the inside. My mind is cluttered. I struggle to focus. But I look great! I’m on the front cover of the magazine. Is this being healthy?

Is it being healthy physically? Or is it being healthy spiritually? Or is it being healthy mentally and emotionally?  To only be healthy physically is like a car without the internal organs—the engine, the radiator and all that makes it work.  To be spiritually healthy without being physically healthy is like a car with only the internal organs. How far will the car go without its body ? To be healthy mentally and emotionally only is like a car without its body and its internal organs. It just doesn’t exist.

To be healthy is to be one, whole—a body, mind and spirit engaged with its Creator.

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The Body and the Divine

I stumbled upon a blog by Dr. Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, entitled “The subtle body—Should Christians Practice Yoga”? I thought the article would be informative and, indeed, it was. But it was not the information on yoga, per se, that got my attention. It was this line below:

“Christians are not called…to see the human body as a means of connecting to and coming to know the divine.”

But what if I personally connect with the divine through my body, and it is not yoga that is the vehicle but through the realization of the body as the temple of God?

The Body is The Temple

It is within us the Holy Spirit of God lives. It was a fantastic plan by God. No longer would He dwell in a building as He did in days of Solomon, for example. Instead He would inhabit the human body called the Body of Christ. Who would have come up with such a magnificent plan? That God would come and reside within me and within you.

The Holy Spirit

Jesus’s purpose on earth was fulfilled after His resurrection, but the best was yet to come: The Holy Spirit—the Comforter, the Helper, the Counselor—all that we could ever need would be wrap up inside of us. No longer would He be only Emmanuel—God with us but also God in us.

Our Bodies are Sacred

Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, our bodies are sacred. Paul admonishes strongly about defiling the body sexually, in particular. But the body can also be desecrated through recreational drugs, smoking, unhealthy foods, lack of exercise. If the body is holy because of the Holy Spirit, why would we repeatedly eat junk food? Why would we smoke? Why would we not exercise to help it function more efficiently?

The body is God’s zenith of Creation. Look at its circulatory system, its digestive system. Look at the cells, the arteries, the organs.  Oh, my soul shouts out like David “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Oh to feel His energy, His life running through my veins makes me feel so alive and joyful to be His child!!!

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Experiencing the Greatness Within

A friend called me feeling really frustrated about a situation at her new job. Though she had only been at the job for six months, she already had a proven track record. Yet she was not happy. She complained that her manager treated her as if she was incompetent. The situation was compounded by the fact that her manager was ten years younger than she. She disliked the way he communicated with her, and she had made this known to him. Internally, she struggled with this relationship because she was the cloth excellent managers were cut from. Unlike her manager, she had excellent leadership and communication skills. Working with the young manager was a challenge. Pride fought to have its way.

I reminded her about the story of Jesus. How did He do it? He was God, yet He humbled Himself to become human like us. In fact, He made himself lower than the angels. How could He withhold His greatness? He was God! Yet, He allowed them to mock, beat and crucify him. Though we know how the story ends, that is, Jesus being crucified and resurrected, He endured this humbling process. He could have called angels to help Him. But He remained humble, carrying out the Father’s will.

How many of us could imagine containing such greatness within? Would we have uttered these words: “do you know who I am?” Jesus demonstrated true humility. He did not go around bragging about His greatness. He possessed a quiet strength. True humility is quiet strength. It is a type of strength that resides next to true greatness.

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Are you Dying?

The minute we are born we begin to die. But to be reborn in the spiritual sense is to experience eternal life! However, it is only when we choose to live in love we experience this continual life, it seems, even while on Earth. The Bible talks about experiencing “death” when we do not walk in the spirit. Somehow our well being– our physical and spiritual health, is connected to the ability to walk in love. We experience life when we choose love, for God is love. The manifestation of love is life. But what happens when we allow bitterness, envy, hatred, or unforgiveness to reside in us? We experience death. We are dying when we walk out of love. Love brings about joy, peace, meekness, goodness–life.

Today, I chose to have thoughts of love—to allow every thought to dwell in love. I must say it feels so unnatural. Can’t I have a moment to resent somebody? But this is the path of death. Revenge is the path of death. Hatred is the path of death. Unforgiveness is the path of death. Life does not exist on this path. No wonder some of us experience sickness or misfortune, because we are not only using our energies in the wrong way, but also we are allowing our energies to become toxic within our mortal bodies.

The bottom line, to choose thoughts of life is to choose thoughts of love. If your thoughts are not about love, you are on the path of death. Choose life.

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Rest your Mind

Imagine a sports car traveling 80 miles an hour. Imagine capturing a camera shot of events past, present and future—some beautiful, some fearful, some regretful, some prideful. Imagine a “to do” list with no end in sight. Imagine a choir of voices consisting of your mother, father, teacher, pastor, friends, boss all creating a cacophonous of sounds and somewhere there is your voice. This is your mind.

Sh! It’s time to take a break. To do nothing but bask in love. God is love. Let every thought be about love. Let every thought dwell in love. Close your eyes. Be still and do nothing but bask in His love. For God is love. Let every thought be about love. Let every thought dwell in love.

Sh! It’s time to take a break.

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