Out With the Old, Part Two

In yesterday's post, I described my regrets over the time, energy and money that had been spent in pursuits outside of the Lord's will. Unfortunately, that was not the only regret awaiting me on the bottom shelves of the bookcases. As I tackled the second shelf of notebooks and the menagerie of stacked papers, I was confronted with a variety of health and fitness-related products. Muscle building. Fat loss. Low-calorie diets. Interval training programs. Recipe books. You name it, it was there.

For many years now, Jason and I have been interested in improving our health and living more naturally. The stacks of papers and notebooks are proof of the fervor of our pursuit. And I can honestly say that we tried each and every program and diet that we perused... at least for a while. And that, my friends, is where the regret comes in.

First of all, I regretted my ability or unwillingness to stick with any one program for an extended length of time. Second, as I skimmed through the material, I realized that I was failing to put my knowledge into action. The truth is that I know how to improve my health. I understand the importance of a healthy diet and a steady exercise program. I am aware of what tactics have worked in the past and which ones have failed. So, you see, my regret is not in that I don't know what to do, but that I am failing to do it.

James 1:22 tells us, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  Additionally. Philippians 4:9 says, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." It isn't enough to hear or to know; we must act on that knowledge. Last year, I used that knowledge to lose 15 pounds and to drastically improve my health. Unfortunately, when life threw me a few curve balls, I discarded what I knew and opted for what was easy instead. Since that time, I have regained the weight and my health has deteriorated rapidly.

Skimming through the fitness products, all I could do was shake my head and mutter, "I know this." I could not deny that I knew the material contained within. Neither could I deny the fact that I had failed repeatedly to act on that knowledge. Thankfully, we serve a God of second chances. He accepts me, failures and all, and is willing to give me another chance to be all that I can be for His glory. This start-of-the-year cleaning has been an eye-opening reminder for me to make this a happy "do year", not just a happy new year.