Inside Scoop: Thoughts of a new fitness teacher

You can’t fake fitness.apprentice postcard front

This summer, I  worked hard to learn the routine. Sometimes I would practice it five or six times a week. Then I got side-tracked…skip a day…two…a few more. I quickly realized my fitness fades…if I don’t keep up with my own daily fitness routine I can’t lead others. I can’t fake fitness. If I am not prepared I cannot do the movements correctly or have the staying power to get through the entire class.

This made me realize that I can’t fake spiritual fitness either. If I don’t maintain a daily spiritual fitness routine, I will soon be going through the motions, but lacking the spiritual strength to live correctly and fail to have the staying power to live a godly life.

New is suspect; old is comfortable

To introduce a new way of exercising I had to repeatedly offer explanations about the method, benefits and techniques used. Some women were eager to try it. Others were not so sure, as they were already doing this or that exercise routine and didn’t want to try something new. But yet on the other hand, they would be sharing about the aches and pains they were experiencing.

“I have always done it that way.”  Being comfortable in a routine is not a good enough  reason alone to NOT change your ways. I was content with my personal bible study routine, until I learned inductive bible study method. It changed the way I read, studied and applied God’s word to my life. It changed my life.

Word of mouth is the best 

After a summer of apprentice teaching with a small group  of friends, I was ready to open the classes to more women. Promoting the fall classes in the bulletin, Facebook or by email brought in a few interested women to check it out. But when someone from my initial group shared with a friend, the benefits of the class and invited her come, the class grew with committed members.

Jesus never said “post an announcemnt for discipleship.”  When Jesus said to “make disciples” he meant to us to share our faith with people as we lived our lives, teaching them to exercise their faith as they meet together, study His word and share with others.

Teacher & Encourager

To get the full benefits of the workout, I need to teach my students to do the techniques correctly.  As they follow my movements, I give cues that will hopefully help them to correctly complete the movements. I realized as I am asking them to stretch their arms out further and bend deeper in the plies, I need to encourage them each step of the way. It helps the women to not only getting through a class but also to push themselves to keep going and seeing the benefis of the exercises for themselves.

Life is hard. Few of us will stay strong spiritually if we try to go it alone. Just like with exercises, we live better with encouragment from other Christians.

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

EXPOSED!

Having you been hiding a particular “big” sin or maybe a foolish “little” sin…not wanting guiltto deal with it or even admit to it? Several months have passed; the guilt is beginning to fade…Then there is a knock at the door and your friend and spiritual mentor is standing at the door saying, ”We need to talk.”

This is the setting for Psalm 51.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

King David decided not to lead his army in battle but stay in Jerusalem. One day, as evening came, David got out of bed to walk around the roof of his palace. He saw a beautiful woman bathing…he inquired about her…he sent men to take her and bring her to him. Then, discovering the woman was with child and her husband was away serving in the army, David began to plan how to cover up his sin. Plan A – bring the husband home. But he would not sleep in the comfort of his home, when his troops were still at battle. Plan B – send a letter with the husband for the army commander.

“Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” (2 Samuel 11:15)

 Plan B complete. The husband was now out of the way, David was free to marry the woman. He thought all was well; his sin dealt with and no one would know…until the Lord sent Nathan to speak to him.

Nathan told David a compelling analogy, and the very public consequences of his private sinful actions. Only then did David confess and pray for God’s grace. This psalm seems to come out of that time of mourning and petition to God.  (Full story in 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12.)

David, a man after God’s own heart, (1 Sam 13:14, Acts 13:22) was blind to his sin or just in denial of it. It took being confronted for him to see the truth and repent.

What about you…has God placed a “Nathan” in your life? Are you listening? Are you willing to confess and repent? Or are you still denying your sin or trying to shift blame to another?

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.  

Proverbs 12:15

 He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof

Will dwell among the wise.

He who neglects discipline despises himself,

But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.   

Proverbs 15:31-32