I haven’t missed a single meal or weekly check-in for 4 years! I share that not to bring attention to my own diligence, but to confirm this main idea : wholehearted dedication to what God has called me to is obedience to His command of confirming my calling (2 Peter 1:10) and stewarding the gifts / talents entrusted to me. (Romans 12: 4-8)
The Lord God sees, knows me completely, and is with me in the secret place. My identity is rooted only in Him so seeking validation and value from worldly accolades does not and will not ever satisfy. Since I have learned to operate from this position of complete fullness in Jesus, my identity is not rooted in my physique or my placing, although valuing these aspects of physique and competition are important to the bodybuilding lifestyle. Lately, I have been awakened to a deeper meaning of these key similarities between bodybuilding and my life of faith :
- Shredding is like progressive sanctification, … anyone knowledgeable in the sport knows the greatest growth happens during the “bulking” season. It’s not glamorous but it is indeed necessary to obtain muscle. Similarly, much spiritual growth happens in hiddenness & quiet seasons or in times of suffering. People do not always see the progress but God sees it and is always doing a new thing. The pruning process is where I am refined and made New - like peeled off layers of my old self. The muscles of faith are strengthened through repetition and nourishment. I am on display for Him to shine even brighter at the end of that season!
- Short term denial is essential in pursuing a longer term reward. Just as the day in & day out grind that is prepping for a bodybuilding competition, the Christian walk is one of DAILY DYING TO YOURSELF. Though I am constantly hungry and my body is suffering, letting that manifest in an outward display of negativity and call for pity is wrong “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.” Matthew 6:16 . Hunger pains can be healthy and they indicate progress. They also are a reminder for me to pray. My soul hunger is only satisfied by Jesus Christ: The Bread of Life. His Words are life, sustenance, and fill me like no food ever could: “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Proverbs 16:24 …
- Eternal focus requires a forward mindset, as an athlete has in training. “These present sufferings are nothing compared to the eternal; the glory that is to be revealed to us” Romans 8:18 The long term mindset in this sport is the eternal mindset essential for life on mission for the Kingdom. The struggles I face in the present will not compare to the triumph of finishing the race and reaching eternity. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:2-3, 12
- There’s no CAP! Just as we never outgrow our need for salvation and the cross, we never outgrow our potential to improve in bodybuilding! Season after season, there’s purpose, beauty, and new levels of depth to unlock. If dependence on Jesus is the goal … weakness is to my advantage! “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10