Practice Makes Perfect

When we say the word repent, it means to turn away from and go the other direction. This is something in our spiritual life that we make a conscious effort to do, in order to live in a way that would glorify God. So in our journey to lose weight and exercise we have to repent, to turn away from the old behavior that keeps us unhappy and unhealthy and turn toward new behavior. And just like with any "new journey" it's somewhat easy to start, it's the sticking with it that can be hard.

The apostle Paul spoke using athletic metaphors to teach us that disciplined practice is what we need to overcome our obstacles and make the other direction our new life, a natural behavior. We burn out often times because we take that all or nothing approach, I will only eat this, I will workout everyday,etc. A healthy lifestyle comes with time, with persistent practice, and when our motives are clearly to seek changed behavior, a NEW LIFE!


Below is a blurb from PeaceMeal. PeaceMeal is a weekly e-publication of Peacemaker Ministries (www.Peacemaker.net). All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2012. Reprinted with permission. To sign up for this free weekly email publication, go to the Peacemaker Ministries website at www.Peacemaker.net.

Sticking With It
If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive. 2 Peter 1:8

Practice. As Paul warned the Philippians, we cannot change unless we put what we are learning into practice (Phil. 4:9). In other letters he used athletic metaphors to teach that godly character qualities must be developed through disciplined practice in which we seek to overcome our weaknesses, master the proper techniques, and make a desired behavior natural and automatic (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3:14; 2 Peter 1:4-8).

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 135.

Food for Thought
Did you do well right out of the gates, only to lose momentum during the race?

January and February are excellent months if you're in the health club business. People resolve to be healthier in the New Year and usually follow-up on that by joining a gym, enrolling in an exercise class, or even hiring a personal trainer. It can be quite challenging to find a parking place in January and February at many health clubs. But come April and May? It's a different story.

There is always some excitement over the initial moments of anything, be it joining a health club or your Christian life. There's nothing wrong with that at all. However, many of us fizzle out when the disciplined work of training finally sets in.

As believers, we must consistently be working those peacemaking muscles -- training our hearts, minds, souls, and strength to respond to the promptings of Christ and not our natural desires. Jesus needs peacemakers in January and February and March and April and all year long. So let's all put into practice those things we've been learning!

So where are you, have to turned toward your new lifestyle and started walking that way, putting more space between you and your past lifestyle? Do you feel the change happening? Is what you practice day to day becoming your new normal? Let the journey continue!

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