Nearly every morning I make myself exercise. I hate it. All that huffing and puffing, and muscles crying out, “Stop! You’re hurting me!” Add to that the boredom factor.
What I do like are the results. My body feels strong. I can still hop up the stairs, lift our toddler granddaughter with relative ease, and get up from a squat without leverage.
I like the increased energy, and the elevated metabolism, too.
But one benefit I never considered until recently: improved balance.
When our muscles are strong, our bodies have an easier time maintaining balance. That means we can reduce the possibility of sprains, injured joints and back, or broken bones.
Three factors contribute to good balance: Stability, strength, and flexibility.
However, it’s not just our bodies that require those three factors. Our spirits need those same characteristics:
- Stability to handle disappointment and frustration,
- Strength to endure loss and pain,
- Flexibility to manage unpleasant surprises.
But how do we create balance in the abstract world of our spirits?
Just as there are many exercises to improve physical balance, there are numerous strategies that contribute to spiritual balance. For example:
- Stability can be enhanced by spending time with stable people. Get in the middle of a Christian support group, and allow them to hold you up with their prayer, concern, encouragement, and counsel. Look for members who demonstrate spiritual maturity and follow their example.
Stability also grows as we spend time in God’s Word. Just as daily physical exercise is important to the body, so is daily reading and contemplation of the Bible. God’s truths and promises, His encouragement and direction, all contribute to our steadfastness of faith.
- Strength can be developed through praise and gratitude. Look for the positive things in your life, and you’ll find yourself experiencing joy. Joy fosters strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
Another strategy for building spiritual strength is to affirm God’s character. He is sovereign, all-knowing, and all-powerful. Our Heavenly Father is trustworthy, good and loving. We can stand firm with such a God at our side and in the strength of his mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).
- Flexibility is needed when circumstances don’t meet our expectations. We have a choice when life takes a sudden turn down an unexpected pathway: 1) Fuss, fume, and balk or 2) Go with the flow and see where the pathway leads.
Kaye Arthur suggests: “Change the D of Disappointment to an H, and you have His Appointment.”* Such an attitude can relax the tension in our spirits, and prepare us to be flexible, to embrace the unknown.
Several years ago, I heard about an elderly resident of a senior citizen facility. She was being transferred from the assisted-living apartments to the full-care center.
As the nurse wheeled her through the corridors, the senior saint said, “I just know I’m going to love it.”
The nurse exclaimed, “But Mrs. __________, how do you know? You’ve never seen the full-care section.”
The woman’s profound answer: “I’ve already decided I’m going to love it.”
Such an example of:
Stability—maintaining her emotional equilibrium in spite of circumstances.
Strength—determining ahead of time to look for the positive.
Flexibility—going with the flow to see where the pathway might lead.
Surely, such an attitude reflects trust in a gracious and powerful God, knowledge and application of God’s Word, and a positive attitude of contentment (Philippians 4:11).
If the spiritual stability, strength, and flexibility demonstrated by that elderly woman were transferred into physical traits, she’d be able to balance on one toe. With her eyes closed.
I want to be like that woman in my spirit.
* * * * * * * * * *
What strategies help you maintain spiritual balance? Please add your experience and insight to the conversation below!
*His Imprint, My Expression, by Kay Arthur, p. 96.
Photo credit: www.sparkpeople.com.
From the Inside Out 
The Mind of Christ
Posted in Bible Study, Blessings, Encouragement, Godly Character, Maturity, Meditation, Uncategorized, tagged 1 Corinthians 2:16, 1 Corinthians 2:16 commentary, Bible Study, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:22-23, God's Creative Genius, Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:6, The mind of Christ on November 3, 2014| 10 Comments »
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?” Paul asked (1 Corinthians 2:16).
That’s an easy question to answer: Nobody! His intellect and wisdom are far beyond our human ability to comprehend.
After all…
God has worked out the complexities of every living cell–with perfect precision.
(X-ray microscopy combine to picture interior of living cell)
He has engineered a staggering number of specialized plants and creatures, carefully interrelated in a web of reliance upon one another.
He has created the unfathomable reaches of the universe filled with countless heavenly bodies of immeasurable proportions.
(Spiral Galaxy M74)
Such intellect and wisdom to accomplish these feats is incredible.
Yet, at the end of that same verse above, Paul makes a statement even more astounding. In fact, at first glance it seems ludicrous.
“We have the mind of Christ.”
What? How is that possible? His knowledge and wisdom are infinite; ours is markedly limited.
But Paul makes clear: we have the mind of Christ because he lives within us (Galatians 2:20).
Not that we can know everything and respond with pure wisdom in all situations. Our perfection is a process that won’t be completed until Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6).
But my heart beats a little bit faster to realize that, each day and for all my tomorrows, I might think more like Jesus, understand more like Jesus, and react more like Jesus.
One particular action will encourage progress: spending time with him, especially in his Word.
Here’s an analogy, though far from perfect. Steve and I have been married a very long time—forty-four years. At this point, we can finish each other’s sentences, supply missing information or words in a conversation, and sometimes even know what the other is thinking.
It’s as if we’ve acquired a bit of the other person’s mind. And it’s happened bit by bit, over time.
So I repeat: We will have the mind of Christ as we spend time with him day by day– especially in his Word.
And how will we know that his way of thinking is becoming our way of thinking? After all, there’s no measuring stick for spiritual growth.
Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest, posed an excellent question that can help us determine our progress:
“Are other people beginning to see God in my life more and more (p. 78)?” Because a person with the mind of Christ will demonstrate Christ-like behavior.
Perhaps we could take an occasional inventory, based on the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The attributes listed in these two verses characterize a person with the mind of Christ–someone who is loving, joyful, peace-filled, patient, kind, good, and so on. We could ask ourselves, how have I demonstrated these attributes this week?
And what will be the result of cultivating the mind of Christ? “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).
Life that is characterized by vitality and purpose.
Peace that includes inner-contentment, freedom from guilt, and security for eternity.
That sounds awfully good to me.
* * * * * * * * * *
Heavenly Father, we praise you for taking us into the high places of blessing in Jesus. That includes this gift: the mind of Christ. And day by day you are transforming us into his likeness, with ever-increasing glory. May I seize this day and its opportunities to think like you, understand like you, and react like you.
(Ephesians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 3:18)
Art and photo credits: www.lbl.gov; http://www.chesapeakebay.net; http://www.hubblesite.org; http://www.crosspointenwa.com; http://www.pinterest.com; http://www.changingthefaceof christianity.com; http://www.footsoldier4christ.com; http://www.motivationalquotes.com.
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