Our words have the ability to build up, encourage and speak life into bleak situations. I just want to share a few quick thoughts about how some words have taken me (and perhaps others) to the next level in just a few days.
#1 – So, this gym thing is still a bit new to me. But pat on the back, I am about to finish up Week 7 and do my 2 month fitness assessment with my trainer soon. (Stay tuned- I suspect I’ll be boasting about vanishing inches!!!) At any rate, I am doing well with my routine. I don’t always want to do it, but I haven’t slacked on the target of hitting up LA Fitness 4 times a week. The other day I was not feeling it at all. Not for any specific reason, just didn’t want to get out the comfy confines of my warm bed. As I laid there, allowing the minutes to tick by, I knew I was going to go. It’s just that I lacked the motivation to get up. I sent out an S.O.S. text to someone that said a few weeks ago they would help keep me accountable. My request for inspiration was answered very simply and matter of fact-ly in 2 parts. The part that I liked best was “just think of how many days this one gym day will add to your life”.
Because I am not a medical professional or even a well-informed exerciser, I’m not completely clear on this medical fact or assumption. But honestly, I don’t really care. I believe the truth and beauty of these words. We make hundreds of decisions daily, consciously and subconsciously, that impact the quality and duration of our life. No one can refute the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Both the physical and mental strength/fortitude necessary to give 110% during a single workout undoubtedly positively impacts the rest of your life to some degree. As I thought about that (and still do so, as it is lingering in my mind) I agree and find motivation. What I do today is going to determine the quality and longevity of live I’ll have tomorrow. Yes, the not-so-pleasant, but definitely necessary, decision to stick with this thing is a deliberate act to live the best and longest life I can.
#2 – Just a small piece of a larger discussion about spirituality, I was told that my new found commitment to exercise is a method of growing closer to God. Now, this came from a person who I contend doesn’t know me too well on a personal level. But, man. This was right on! As he put it, the very nature of working out- the expulsion of toxins, calories, shedding of fat is purifying both body and spirit. The exchange is energy. The thrill that one feels (or endorphins) when completing a workout is essentially a spiritual connection with our creator, who is pouring back into us the purity that should continually reside there. That is a simple yet powerful declaration. Something as ordinary as exercising can connect you in a new and powerful way to God, inviting you into His presence and unleashing new reflections of who He is. That is some good stuff!
#3 – The final example of the power of words is related to the written word and the impact on others.
See, I wore a shirt to the gym yesterday that apparently struck a nerve. This shirt is one I purchased years ago at a book signing for “I Fought To Be This Happy” (really good read by the way). At that time in my life I totally related to the sentiment. The peace, prosperity and joy I was experiencing (and still am) wasn’t something that came easy. No, not at all. Most, if not all, can agree that to stay sane, to persevere and not give up, it requires a deliberate declaration that you will not quit! Giving up- that isn’t even an option. Nope. You continue to fight because the alternative can never be your reality. Now you get my motivation for buying the shirt. So, I wear this in the gym yesterday and I’m told how much the person likes the shirt and what it says/means. He even went to the lengths of taking a picture of it. This may not mean much of anything to you but to me this is huge. I didn’t say anything to him- he just saw the words scrawled across my chest that spoke to something deep within him. How awesome is it that even something as unintentional as apparel, can speak life to someone!
I’ll leave you with this thought/challenge (which is just as much for me as it is for you). You never know how your words can impact someone. Something seemingly simple or innocent may be exactly what that person needs to hear. Therefore, try as much as possible to be intentional about what you say, and do, knowing it can potentially propel one forward, closer to the purpose and destiny that God has for them. Unfortunately, they are just as powerful in the inverse, being able to pull one down to a level that speaks defeat, isolation or hopelessness that they may not recover from. Therefore, “Speak Life!”