External Obsession

Years ago, I lost weight and became extremely fit and even started doing personal training.  I lived it, breathed it and my life was so focused on fitness that it became a god in my life.  I had my body fat down to 18%, went from a 20 to a 4/6 and could eat so much because of all my muscle - I was a machine!  Then, liver issues started up and I ended up in the hospital and that was my wake-up call.  I had got so focused on the external that the internal became second place.  I constantly talked about exercise, what to eat, etc. because it is what I THOUGHT about most of the time.  It consumed me and my exterior body was so important to me that I did whatever I needed to take make sure it was looking good - while my interior; my spirit went on the back-burner.

1 Timothy 4:6-11

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
These things command and teach.

This has been part of the reason I haven't lost my weight or returned to that level of fitness.  It isn't that I lack the knowledge to do so.  I don't want to get back to that place in my life and become someone so obsessed with the external.  I know that I can lose my weight and be fit without the obsession, but I'm very cautious after God let me learn that lesson.

Obsession:
: a state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal
: someone or something that a person thinks about constantly or frequently
: an activity that someone is very interested in or spends a lot of time doing

Being so obsessed with fitness and nutrition is moving the focus off of Christ and on to our bodies as the god or goddess.  You can feel this spirit when you come across someone that is obsessed with their bodies - they can't seem to talk about anything else and they seem to always think that you are focused on your weight and will readily want their advice (or buy what they are using).

Are we more focused on our bodies than Christ or our ministry?  Are we changing the worship of God to the worship of our bodies or health?  Just at what point does it cross that line?  Are we more successful getting someone on special diet than to get saved?  The world is dying and going to hell but we have fit bodies - after all, health matters more right!?  Cities need churches and preachers, mission fields need missionaries...there isn't much time to be obsessed with ourselves.

Don't let your external become more important then your INTERNAL life - the spiritual one!  Keep God first and keep the worship on Him and stay away from the idolatry of the flesh as it is corrupt and dying.  You can spend your life consumed with health and then die of a heart attack!  God is the one that has all that in control.  Some of the most loving, compassionate souls that I know - who really make a dent in the Kingdom of God of helping to save souls are not so fit and 'healthy'.  As my daughter told me, "Mom, your body shows you love your kids more than exercise."  Sure that was funny but it has so much truth!  We show the world what is important to us and we show God just who we worship.
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