New Year...New You...New Me!

I Resolve No Longer To Linger

No matter whether you call yours a New Year Resolutions List or New Year Goals pretty near the top of most people’s list are the words; diet and exercise, lose weight, be more physically fit…or something to that effect. I know it’s on mine every year and sometime around Spring I get around to moving the coats that have hung conveniently on the treadmill throughout the winter. Now, before you think this is a weight-loss post or even a new year’s resolutions post… please, be patient and just keep reading.

I was overwhelmed as I searched the web for information on this subject. I did find an interesting fact discovered by John C. Norcross, a professor of psychology at the University of Scranton. After conducting (at least three) studies on resolutions in recent years he found that six months after January 1, only 46% of those who make resolutions have fulfilled them. Well, there you go; once again, I am in the majority…just normal…an average, ordinary American… that’s me!

But, you know what? I don’t want to be average or ordinary, do you? So I searched even further and found on another psychology website the six stages of weight loss and helping you keep your resolution. Hum….interesting and kind of funny… because realistically, I don’t care if I lose weight or not. What is more important to me is my spiritual health...but I kept reading anyway.

Topping the list of tips was “commitment to change.” Then there were words like: “mindful of your actions and addressing emotions.” Included in this six-step program to achieving your weight loss goals were preparation, action, maintenance, and of course, they covered what to do in the case of relapse.” Praise the Lord!! It’s an outline to improving your spiritual life as well!

Let’s begin with the obvious…COMMITMENT. Duh, ya think? It’s paramount to achieving any and all goals…it is the very root of success… commitment. That I can do! So when I say I want to be more spiritually fit what exactly do I need to be committed to? What is “spiritually fit” anyway and why do I want to get that way in the first place?

I guess in actuality I need to make this phrase more than just words, right? Do I want to memorize more scripture? Check! Do I want to apply more scripture? Check! Do I want to participate in more activities in church? Check! Do I want to help others? Check! Do I want to be used of God to lead others to Him? CHECK, CHECK! Wait a minute… those are actions, verbs if you will. What I need are nouns!

WikiAnswers.com tells us: If you are physically fit, you have well-conditioned cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal, systems in order to perform physically demanding activities such as exercise, sports, or manual work. You also have to have low body fat which means your weight is reasonable with your height, gender, and age. This means you pay strict attention to your diet by eating low-fat foods rich in fiber, potassium, carbohydrates, and calcium. You do not tire easily after strenuous activity because you get sufficient rest. Your immune system stays strong against infection so you rarely, if ever, get sick.

So if that is what being physically fit means can I apply this and define what spiritually fit means? You guessed it…I actually went to ask.com and typed in the same question this time I substituted the word spiritually for physically…you should try it sometimes…you will be amazed and probably even get a laugh or shake your head with concern. I think I will just take my chances and let the Bible and Holy Spirit lead me in defining just exactly what it means.

I invite you to join me in this quest for spiritual fitness as we journey over the next several blog posts. Please use the comments section freely. I am interested in your insight, revelations, and information. I like a good dialog! Together may we embark on a fitness program that will benefit not only us, but all those with whom we come into contact!

Hebrews 12:1,2 "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witness, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."~NIV

[I apologize to my doctor friends who might be reading this…you know who you are, John and Ken; and to the nurses and nursing students; Kim, Cate, and you other guys. I know the descriptions are very simplistic and not at all as deeply involved as complex as the function of these systems truly are…please feel free to use the comment section to correct any errant facts. It has been a long time since high school and college!] That’s my disclaimer and I am sticking to it!