You Prayed for What

I have been praying for over a year now that God will help me as I have struggled in being a healthy person. I have not exercised as much or eaten as healthy as in years past. It seemed like life took over. With several engagement parties, wedding showers, and weddings to attend, plus trips to go on, working a full time job, and attending graduate school I admit visiting the gym wasn’t a top priority. Back in late summer, my sister invited me to a conference at her church where Lysa TerKeurst was speaking. I already read Lysa’s blog daily, and I had been meaning to buy her book ‘Made to Crave’ which many readers were professing helped them overcome poor health habits. I began reading the book, but grad school and work seemed to get in the way.

Less than two months ago I started praying for specific help from a friend. Someone in my life who could help me get back on track fitness wise. (I know you're thinking - you prayed for WHAT? but I felt like I was totally failing on my own. Ever feel that way?) You know, God didn’t use who I had in mind as I prayed that prayer. Two of my girlfriends from work started running together a little over a week ago. Not often, just twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before work. . .AND one Friday night not too long ago they invited me to join their run!

You think that was a coincidence? Ok. Guess what else…Three other friends of mine have just recently signed up for a half marathon. Although their schedules don’t allow them to work out together, they share a fitness plan and encourage each other on a daily basis. One of them told me today, I could join them. Not a big deal? Well, this week a mixture of gals from those two groups signed up to run a 5k in February together.

That must be God at work!

I know what you’re thinking: you don’t have friends to workout with, it is expensive to eat healthy, cooking at home takes effort, and you just have too hectic of a schedule to do either of those . Can I share something with you: all of that is a lie straight from the devil. The devil wants us to commit to temptations and be unholy. The reason we don’t have time to exercise or feel it’s too hard to eat healthy is because we aren’t letting God through us fight that battle. We are fighting it on our own. Remember the post yesterday about holy vessels? (Click here if you missed it.) No fight, no challenge, nothing in this life you face as a Christian is yours alone. God is always with you. God wants to fight for you! Let me end with a scripture that was recently brought up in Sunday school class.

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Isn’t it ironic how the Holy Spirit works? God ties lessons from Wednesday nights (see yesterday’s post), a scripture someone references in Sunday (the verse above), and a Friday night conversation with friends all together so that we can clearly understand His will and honor that will to glorify Him.

Now, someone may have to remind my achy body, tired muscles, and my sweet tooth in a few days that I equated exercising and eating right to honoring God’s will and glorifying his name.

Will you remind me?

How do you remind yourself to live a more holy life to glorify God?

Please leave a comment below.

P.S. Now, that I am totally done with grad school I am going to fully commit to Lysa’s book, Made to Crave. Want to join me?