Do not dwell on the part: Start investing into your well-being

Whenever I look at the pictures taken during my marriage ceremony, I beam with a smile. I  always compliment my very cute self and hold on to the fact that I have been very cute before. Certainly, my body has undergone different changes in the past few years. Age and childbirth have been instrumental in these changes. However, if I desire to have a glimpse of my cute self, I should work towards that. Admiring my photos alone will not change anything. If you are looking forward to maintaining a specific weight, do not be content just looking at the past. It doesn’t change anything. It is important to know that not everyone is able to maintain the same body appearance for years. We need to understand that genetics, age, and other factors play a major role in our physical changes. However, as much as we can, we should be intentional about investing in our health and well-being. 

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.(Isaiah 43:18‭-‬19)

Memories of the past should inspire us to strive for the best. We are not past dwellers! In fact, our faith proclaims newness. God is from the past, in the present and in our future.  He moves in each dispensation but He still remains the same. He does not just want us to dwell in the past. He does new things each day and so must we! In Isaiah 43:18-19, God encourages His people with these words: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Dwelling on the past alone stalls growth and progress. If you have tried to take care of your health in the past and have failed, do not dwell on that to determine another failure. Consciously let go of the former lifestyles that caused you pain and weariness. Motivate yourself with the word of God that your newness will spring forth and people will perceive it.

Don’t allow others to discourage you. Your past should not cause you to doubt your ability. Neither should you just dwell on past glory and fail to take action to ensure a future success. Start from somewhere: take baby steps to your health and well-being and you will notice a dramatic change in your life. You cannot change the past, but you have control over the future. Don’t be quick to give up on yourself. You are fearfully and wonderfully made to reflect the presence of God. Remember that our health and well-being is important to God. We will give account to God for how well we took care of this flesh. Start investing into your well-being and you will reap the benefits. If you know people who are struggling to let go of the past and take charge of the future, encourage them that God is interested in doing new things in their lives. Let’s bear one another into healthy lifestyles. 

Renew your strength with physical training

I work from home and that means that I sit for eight hours a day. I thought working from home would be fun but it really is not. Before the global pandemic came, it would usually take some sort of exercise to get to work. Whether you walk, drive or take public transportation, there is an initial waking up, taking a shower, preparing lunch (if you do),  walking around and finally getting to work. For those who walk or cycle to work, the few minutes exert metabolic actions and make them healthier. These days, most people working from home just wake up, wash down (if they do) eat whatever is in the house and sit at their workspace for hours. Periodic lunch breaks still take one to the kitchen and back to the workspace. Then after work, there is the likelihood of sitting to watch TV or cooking or just calling for takeout delivery and back to bed. If such a lifestyle continues for a few months or years without proper schedules for bodily exercise, one is likely to suffer from the lack of exercise and physical activity. 

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

In fact, sitting down is hard work and if your body doesn’t get rid of all the calories we accumulate in the day, it will reflect on your general appearance. You might look healthy on the outside, but inwardly,  you will be so stressed, tired, and constantly battle with fatigue. Our daily schedule doesn’t seem to make it any easier to have a schedule for fitness such as going to the gym, home fitness sessions (paid or free), taking a walk, running, skipping, swimming or any other physical activity that helps to put the body in shape. One Bible verse that has been a sort of encouragement to me recently is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” All things include physical training for our general well-being. You do not have to do much. A walk through your neighbourhood will go a long way to help those tired limbs. Skipping helps the whole body to be in motion, raising your hands up and down while you dance to your favourite gospel song exercises your feeble hands. 

When we understand that the little benefit of physical training ultimately has eternal value (because we can worship God better when we are fit), we will strive to strike a blow to our bodies to make it subject to us. Paul, using the allusion of athletics for self-discipline among believers, noted that: “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”(1 Corinthians 9:26‭-‬27)
If our aim is to get the ultimate prize of salvation, we should also aim to daily renew our strength. After all, Isaiah 40:20 admonishes us that, “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Our inner strength for our spiritual battles comes from the Lord, but to run physically and not grow weary, we need to train the body for that.