Wellness Wednesday - Tuning Up Your Instrument

I can't tell you exactly when but sometime over the past nearly 6 years now my friend, Shari and I, began to learn what had only been words to me up till that point: Our physical health effects our spiritual health which effects our emotional health.  Now don't get me wrong. I'm a woman. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my physical health effected my emotions.  If I'm tired, look out! I could explode or melt down at the drop of a hat as the old saying goes.  I, like many,  am learning That we have spent most of our lives, "growing our souls, not always realizing that lack of physical discipline can undercut and even erode spiritual growth." as Gary Thomas says in his new book, "Every Body Matters".  I have totally used the line of thinking that our spiritual health and maturity is much more important than our physical health. What that boils down to however is an excuse to not exercise on a regular basis when time is tight. Seriously, it's basically just another excuse in my long line of excuses.   While I still believe that my relationship with God is or should be my number one priority there is much to be learned from physical discipline. Physical and spiritual discipline are not mutually exclusive, even if I would like them to be at times.

Gary Thomas does a good job of reminding us of all the times that the Bible talks of the silver-making process as a metaphor of personal refinement. Psalm 66:10-12 says,

For you, God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.

A silversmith doesn't gently massage silver into being. He doesn't talk it into shape. He puts it through the fire. He hammers it until it becomes what he has designed it to be.  God refers to his people like this on several occasions. Here's one: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver."  Malachi 3:3.

I think one reason my excuse of needing to spend my time on spiritual fitness over physical fitness if I can only do one or the other is encouraged by today's way out of control emphasis on the perfect physical body. Women never appear to age, with shining non-grey hair and small waistlines. Men who's muscles bulge...well you know what I mean. Being the wonderfully mature christian woman that I am, I do not want to allow "vanity" into my life. (cough, cough - I'm nearly chocking on my humility)However, common sense will tell you if I'm too tired to exercise, I'm going to be too tired to go visit my neighbor who needs help. If I'm overweight and out of shape it's going to be really hard to stand and serve food at the homeless shelter or chase those young kids in Sunday school. If I really have given my life to Christ to use as He chooses, and I have, then doesn't that mean being prepared to do whatever He asks me to?  In 2 Timothy it says, "In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." (emphasis mine)  So there is a reason to want to be in good physical shape. It is to be ready to be an instrument for special purpose, made holy and useful for God. This means stopping our treatment of our bodies as if it is extra-cirricular - just a side note. Our bodies are the tools God created for us to use for Him.

Now don't get me wrong on this.  I am NOT saying that God cannot use us for His work if we are overweight or out of shape. He can and does, daily. Just look around. I'm saying that it is possible we could do things more easily or more completely if we were in shape.  We would probably be more effective as well. As a nurse I've always hated it when an overweight doctor starts talking to his patient about needing to lose weight.Who knows, we'd probably even enjoy it more!

So think about it. How are you going to tune up the instrument God created you to be?