Getting My Act Together

 

My parents struggled with moderate overweight for the whole of their lives together, and I do mean, struggle. My mother tried diet after diet. My dad, frustrated with her and then with himself for not being able to lose weight would lose his temper, and I don't know how many times I heard him say, "We've just got to get our acts together."  

The trouble is, when human beings do manage to get their acts together, it often means they have focused with religious zeal on some course of self-improvement.  A friend of mine once made a comment regarding the extremely fit and attractive outward appearance of one of our mutual friends, "You can just tell by the set of her jaw that there is a fat person inside struggling to get out!" And indeed, this woman went around with a grim look on her face and was known to prioritize her fitness routine above all else.  She kept her act together...but just barely.  

Our freedom in Christ includes freedom from the law, and we have to be careful not follow rules of exercise and diet as our law. This does not mean we are to be slovenly in our habits, but that the purpose for our self-denial, indeed, our purpose in everything, is to know more of Christ. We deny the flesh for the sake of Christ in us.  

It's a struggle.  Self-denial for Jesus' sake isn't something we can accomplish once and for all.  We set our minds on Jesus, remember His love in our hearts, and pray each day for strength to honor Him in all we do.  

Body mass can't measure the degree of a person's devotion to the Lord. Blessedly, God looks at our hearts.  He knows what we've been through. He sent Jesus for us. He knows that we sometimes do what we don't want to do and that we must time and again say, "Thanks be to God for saving me from this body of sin and death!"  

Sometimes what we judge as failure is actually a step on the path to full surrender of our lives to Christ. Humility is the gift that spurs us to cry out "I can't do this Lord! Do this for me! Take me and use me as You will!" Failure is transformed by the Blood of Christ into the gift of humility: humbled adoration for the God who has saved us from ourselves.  

We are not to judge others or ourselves by outward appearance. We don't need to get our acts together.  All we need is the warmth of acceptance we experience when we turn our eyes to Him.  

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Flesh denied for the sake of His life in me,

Released from sin's power, 

In Christ I am free!  

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The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 8:6 NIV