by Physical Fitness Coach, Daniel Stein

 

Are you patient and kind when it comes to personal fitness?

VERSE REFERENCE for Physical Fitness

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

 

SPIRITUAL MESSAGE for Physical Fitness

We have all heard or read this verse many times in church and in the bible. Sometimes, we hear something so often that it just becomes “repetitive” and it loses a lot of its meaning and value. As Christians, we forget that this verse is arguably one of the most important verses in the Bible – God did say the greatest commandment was to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.

I often read this verse and think to myself … “I’m not patient” or “I’m always selfish and rude.” I’ve even said these things out loud, making these statements a part of my belief system. The more that I tell myself “I’m so impatient” or “I’m so selfish” the more I start to believe and act out in a way that shows I’m a selfish or impatient person. When the speed limit is 60 and the person in front of me is going 45, I get very impatient with the person going slow to the point that I’ll even cut them off! Why? I believe I’m an impatient and selfish person, therefore I act in that manner. “I’m just an impatient person – I can’t help it.”

Recently, a friend challenged me to examine the words I was speaking over myself and compare them with what scripture says. I found that many of the things I was saying about myself did not line up with scripture. Then, I spoke this over myself.

DANIEL is patient and kind. DANIEL is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. DANIEL does not demand its own way. DANIEL is not irritable, and he keeps no record of being wronged. DANIEL does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. DANIEL never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Which takes more faith – believing my default nature (impatient and selfish) or believing my new nature in Christ that says I am patient and kind?

 

PHYSICAL MESSAGE for Physical Fitness

When it comes to health and fitness, we can be so hard on ourselves. One piece of cake (or maybe two!) and we’ve blown it and are now walking in guilt and regret. We start to beat ourselves up for “messing up” and ruining any progress that we may have made during the previous days or weeks. When you do that, are you being patient and kind with yourself? Are you demanding perfection from yourself? Do you keep a record of all those bad calories you’ve just consumed? Do you lose hope that you’ll just never be able to eat the “right way?”

Health and fitness both require patience and kindness! You didn’t get to where you are today overnight, so don’t expect yourself to make changes overnight. It takes TIME to see the changes you want and it starts with being patient and kind with yourself. Like I always tell my clients … “Baby steps … one step at a time! It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon.”

 

 

APPLICATION for Physical Fitness

1.) Speak out loud 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 substituting your name in the verses. Consider printing it and putting it on your mirror.

2.) For one full day, examine your thoughts and words. Do they line up with what God says about you?

 

PRAYER for Physical Fitness

Lord, thank you that I am a new creation in Christ and I no longer have to surrender to my old selfish nature. Thank you that your mercies are new every single day and I don’t have to be perfect because you already accomplished perfection on the cross. Father, I repent of being so hard and impatient with myself and ask you to help me to be kind and patient just like you always are to me as the perfect father. 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