I am hitting the road again, physically that is.
Fitness has always been an important part of my life - ever since I noticed my gut growing in my early 20's and started running so i could keep eating whatever i wanted. Those days are long gone, of course, as i now have the metabolism of 42 year old which holds my inner 21 year old in captivity. My fitness is rather seasonal, and i seem to have an easier time getting motivated in the spring time; when birds are chirping, weather is warming, and my bathing suits don't fit anymore.
Fitness is also an amazing corollary to life...a profound teacher. I think that's part of the reason why God gives us these amazing, flawed carriers for our souls. I was running and thinking the other day, which is basically all there is to do when you run, about how some things in life diminish with use and others grow. For example:
LOSS. The more you use a car the more worn down it gets and the closer you become to an oil change or eventually a new vehicle; The more you eat, the less food is left in your fridge and the more often you have to go spend money at the market to buy more. The more an electronic device is used, the more it tends to get broken or messed up somehow and needs replacement. The concept of "loss" pertains to things we create.
GAIN. There are also things that become stronger & more fit with use-the body is one of them. Although we cannot hinder the againg process, the body needs exercise to remain healthy and to properly deal with the rigors of life. Deny this need, and you experience an ever-growing list of difficulties. Today, there are more Americans struggling with their weight than ever before. I think a lot of this has to do with our ability to believe lies. Things like "if i eat this, it will make me happy," or "Letting my body rest will conserve my energy and health." These are myths. So we end up feeding into our short-term druthers and damaging ourselves long-term. Exercise, for example, has a regenerating / rebuilding effect on our bodies. We literally get stronger and more able the more we use it. This pertains to our Spirits as well.
"What you feed grows, what you starve dies." (street wisdom)
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5).
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