by Physical Fitness Coach, Daniel Stein

 

TOPIC for Physical Fitness

The Heart’s Appearance vs Outward Appearance

 

VERSE REFERENCE for Physical Fitness

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

 

SPIRITUAL MESSAGE for Physical Fitness

I’ve been excited about writing a blog on this particular topic for quite some time now, particularly because I have seen the impact it has had on my own life and I know the power it can have to those who truly grasp this. I’ll begin by sharing a very brief synopsis of my testimony.

In high school, I was the shortest kid in my class. My nickname was “littleboystein” and I quickly allowed that to become part of my identity – to the point where I used it on social media and my own email address. I was ridiculed on a daily basis for many things, including my physical appearance. As a result, I didn’t have many friends and didn’t even go to my own high school graduation out of shame. When I finished high school, I felt suicidal, depressed and rejected. I wanted to be accepted like all the other popular kids were, so I started working out and taking over the counter supplements to speed up my results. I quickly gained quite a bit of muscle and strength and was starting to see the attention and acceptance that I wanted so badly. From the outside, I looked very healthy and had a lot of self-confidence. People would regularly comment on how much I had changed since high school and how proud of me they were. I started to become pretty proud of myself too – I did this all by myself. There was just one problem … it wasn’t enough.

When my muscles grew, they didn’t grow big enough. When my strength went up, it wasn’t enough to keep me satisfied.

After living in this cycle for years and experimenting with many different supplements, I quickly spiraled into a deep depression and cried out to God, with whom I had no relationship. He answered me in the form of sending someone to encounter me in the gym who invited me to church, where I gave my life over to Christ and started learning about my Father. I learned that He was after my heart, not my outward appearance. Over time, this caused a change in my heart from making fitness all about me (my appearance and needing approval) to making it all about Him.

 

PHYSICAL MESSAGE for Physical Fitness

Most of us make a decision to get healthy and stay fit for one main reason: to change our appearance. Instead of focusing so much on the physical appearance (self-centered), we can make fitness more about the heart of God which is love (God-centered). Like money, appearance has no eternal value whatsoever.

Let’s ask God to change our focus from the temporary things on this earth to things that matter to Him!

 

 

APPLICATION for Physical Fitness

1.) Examine your heart and ask the Holy Spirit why He has prompted you to work out and get healthy. Have you been doing it for Him or for yourself?

2.) Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can love Him and have a deeper relationship with Him through your health and fitness efforts.

 

PRAYER for Physical Fitness

Lord, thank You that You are constantly changing me and making me more like You every single day. Sometimes the pull of this world makes it difficult to stay focused on the most important thing – my relationship with You. Lord, help me to stay focused on YOU and what matters most to You which is loving God and loving others to the fullest capacity. Let that be my motive for everything that I do, even when I eat or how I work out. In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

 

By: Daniel Stein, NFPT-CPT

“Change your Health… Change your Life”

Find out more about this author here  https://www.specialstrong.com/

Originally Posted on Rhema Counseling Associates