Fresh Starts - in more ways than one

I haven't posted to this blog in a VERY long time! More than a year, actually... But a wonderful aspect of the Christian faith is the idea of fresh starts... new beginnings... resurrection. And so I am taking a fresh start on "Pursue Holiness" with this post. Perhaps I might get a fresh start from readers who choose to follow this blog, too!

Resurrecting "Pursue Holiness" is only one fresh start - and it isn't even the most important one. What is the most important is the real subject of this post and the source of my enthusiasm for all my other fresh starts.

Last Monday morning, January 10, I began my second week of training in the Nehemiah Leadership Institute (NLI). Along with about 25 other pastors and religious leaders from all over the Midwest, I engaged in some powerful learning experiences and spiritual breakthroughs. Much of the focus of this week's training was introducing us to the "Personal Management Plan." This, along with the "Ministry Management Plan" introduced in week one, are the core components of NLI. All the tools and training are intended to bring us into effectiveness with the promise found in Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

We began our Personal Management Plan work with the "Life Dimension Analysis." The chart at right shows the nine categories in which we analyzed our "as-is" situation. First, we were asked to answer two questions:

1. What am I thankful for in each area? 
2. What problems, frustrations, concerns or challenges do I face in each area? 

We wrote our answers in each of the spaces. Second, we took the same chart and measured our level of satisfaction within each area by shading it in. The shading was not to indicate the amount of time spent in each area, but rather our personal satisfaction with what we accomplished/experienced in each area. My chart ended up looking something like this:

As you can see, I'm not equally satisfied with all areas of my life. In particular, finances, health and hobbies are areas in which I am least satisfied. The finances sector requires a blog post all its own, and I'll save that for another day. Hobbies, too, are suffering - mostly because I've not kept up with my oil painting or song writing; nor have I successfully learned the art of reupholstering, which is something I want to do. Healthwise, I'm overweight, starting to experience what could be pre-diabetic indicators, and I lack the energy to do all that I would like to do.

Following the analysis, we switched gears to discuss dreams. Not the dreams that happen in our sleep, but the daydreams we have about ourselves, our possibilities and potentials. We were asked to first describe the dreams or ideas from the past that have become reality. What are the successes that we are proud to have accomplished?

I surprised myself by realizing that I had achieved some of my dreams. That realization gave me the freedom to take the next step: visualizing dreams for my future. We were asked to think about the kind of people we wanted to be, the contributions we would like to make to society (solutions to needs), and thing that we would enjoy achieving or doing. We then tied these open-ended dreams into a specific goal-writing exercise. I surprised myself again when what came out of my pen for the health goal was this: "Lose 25 lbs by June 11, and 40 lbs by the end of the year."

As soon as I looked at what I had written, I gasped. Could I really mean that?

Throughout my life, I have considered my body to be "plus sized." I was bigger than most of my classmates in elementary school.  Sometimes I was proud of that fact, but mostly I was embarrassed by it. In high school, I had a 34-inch waist. Not too bad, but in comparison to my two best friends - who were probably 30-inches and 28-inches - I was far bigger.

As an adult, I have allowed my weight to exceed 250 pounds. A decade ago, I worked hard and managed to get down to around 225. But in less than two years I gained it all back, and recently almost broke the 260 mark. Through all these years, I held onto my "230" clothes in hopes that I would lose enough weight that I could wear them again. However, as recently as last Thanksgiving, I'd given up hope that I would ever do so. I was ready to give that bucket of clothes away, resigning myself to the idea that I was a "260+" guy and there was nothing I could do to change it.

Yet there on the sheet, in undeniable black and white, was the goal to lose 25 pounds by June and 40 by the end of the year. A new sense of hope for weight loss, accompanied by a more healthy lifestyle, crept into my soul. But I still had some major doubts about my ability to accomplish this goal.

Almost as if the instructors could read my mind (and probably the minds of the other participants), we moved into a discussion of the reasons we doubt our abilities to accomplish our goals, and how we can overcome those doubts. And the saying is true: it's all in my mind! Although most people have been trained that belief is a reflection of performance, the truth is that belief impacts performance. The Little Engine That Could was right!

Scripture bears this out:

• Mark 11:24 - [Jesus said:] I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
• Matthew 17:20 - [Jesus replied:] Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
• Matthew 21:22 - [Jesus told them:] If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 - For we live by faith, not by sight.

The world tells us, "I'll believe it when I see it. The Bible tells us, "I'll believe it, then I'll see it." We struggle to accomplish our goals because we struggle with putting believing first. Our self-concept often argues against it, because it wants to keep us the way we are. Deep down, we all have thoughts which are not true, but we act as if they are. These thoughts hold us back, and we are mostly unaware of it.

Our self-concepts are located in our minds. And the mind is like an iceberg, most of it is submerged below the surface. The conscious mind is like the portion of the iceberg above the water line. It is the part that we can access, direct, and evaluate. The subconscious mind is the far greater portion of the iceberg that sits below the water line. It's there, but we don't control it. Memory starts above the water line (consciousness) but extends into the deepest recesses below (subconscious) where they can linger for years and years. The self-concept is formed through both the conscious and subconscious portions of memory.

But what I found to be most fascinating is this: the subconscious cannot tell the difference between what is reality and what is strongly imagined.

So what does God say about our minds?

• Ephesians 4:22-24 - You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
• Philippians 4:8 - Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:13 - Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

My conclusion: What I think matters, and my thoughts can be controlled through the grace of God. I can choose what to focus upon, and in so choosing, I choose to become more like Christ. In him, I am a new creature. It's no longer about me, but about Jesus. I have a new identity - one that is not limited by my old self-concept. Who I am in Christ determines what I can do!

I still wrestle with the old self-concept that resides deep in my memory, but now I have some tools that help me overcome it. One of the most helpful tools introduced at NLI is the "Christ-centered Affirmation." This is a statement of faith about the kind of person I believe God wants me to be. It begins with "Because Jesus Christ is living in me..." and that's the most important part of the affirmation. The statement is true because it's rooted in Jesus' living in me. My power doesn't accomplish it; Christ's power does. My efforts don't bring it to be; Jesus' grace does.

The Christ-centered Affirmation uses the present tense verb because it indicates God's immediate activity. The Christ-centered Affirmation is positive, reflecting the outcome that results. It's short, so that it can be more easily remembered and repeated. It's believable, but beyond my current comfort zone. It indicates action and emotion because that's how I am motivated to live into it.

My challenge: My self-concept included a poor body image that had allowed me to become gluttonous, overweight and unhealthy. It was robbing me of the energy and joy that God desires for me. Some of the statements about myself that I had believed and are not true:

• I'm a fat person
• I have to eat everything on my plate
• Only foods that are calorie-laden and/or fattening are tasty
• I don't have time to exercise
• There are more important things to do than exercise
• I'm lazy

Here's just a sampling of Scripture that indicates what is true:

• Psalm 16:8-9 - I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.
• Proverbs 3:5-8 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
• Matthew 6:25, 32-33 - Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
• 2 Corinthians 4:10 - We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1 - Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Therefore ...

Because Jesus Christ is living in me, I enjoy the exercise and nutrition necessary to honor God through my body.

Because Jesus Christ is living in me, I am healthy, active, and at my optimum weight so that others can see God's work visible in my life.

I will continue to repeat these Christ-centered Affirmations so that I imagine them vividly enough that my subconscious mind believes that they are reality, replacing all the lies that my self-concept currently holds.

In subsequent posts, I will describe the ways that these Christ-centered Affirmations are being lived out.  I will share my joys, successes and achievements, along with my frustrations, disappointments, and failures.  If you are following along in this blog, I pray that you will post encouragements, describe your own experiences with healthy living (or not so healthy living), and most importantly - pray that God will be glorified both through what happens with my weight goals and the descriptions that appear in this forum.

Grace and hope ... Pastor K