Galatians 5:22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives HE will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
[Living Bible]
Summary
Another SUPERFRUIT of the HOLY SPIRIT is FAITHFULNESS.
Faithfulness is remaining true to a commitment or promise. When Thomas O. Chisholm reflected on the FAITHFULLNES of GOD, he wrote the words of this song*:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with thee,
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
As thou has been, thou forever will be.
Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above;
Join with all nature in manifold witness,
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Some of the words and ideas that Thomas Chisholm notes in his poem about GOD's FAITHFULNESS include that GOD is unchanging and a reliable companion--forever consistent, loving and concerned. HE is the SAME--day after day, month after month, season after season, year after year. The fact that GOD is SO unchanging and consistent, despite our human faults and frailties, is not only a powerful reflection of GOD's GREAT FAITHFULNESS, but also of HIS GREAT MERCY and LOVE.
GOD's faithfulness is consistent with HIS promise, in Hebrews 13:5, where HE says: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." See also, Deuteronomy 31:6. Because of GOD's GREAT FAITHFULNESS, we can count on HIM to do EVERYTHING HE says HE will do!
BEING COMMITTED
Mother Teresa of Calcutta, an Albanian nun who ministered over 45 years to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying in India, once said: "I do not pray for success, I pray for faithfulness."
Applying this notion to our commitment to physical and spiritual health, what this means is that it is not important how successful we are at any one meal, or whether we are able to do a specific number of pushups or sit ups or exercises on a specific exercise day or how many Bible verses we read on a given day; rather, what is important is our faithfulness and commitment to good food health, our commitment to physical fitness and our commitment to spiritual growth (i.e., to grow into the moral and spiritual likeness of JESUS CHRIST (2 Cor.3:18)) every day. We have to make greater physical and spiritual health a lifetime habit.
In "10 Easy Ways to Make Exercise a Habit: Try these tricks to become one of the fitness faithful." Leanna Sarkmulis list the following 10 helpful tips to developing a lifetime habit or commitment to exercise:
- Do a variety of activities you enjoy. And remember, there's no rule that says you have to go to a gym or buy equipment...Having a variety of activities -- weight lifting, walking, running, tennis, cycling, aerobics classes [also, water exercises, chair exercises, yoga, zumba, dance] -- will ensure that you can do something regardless of the weather or time of day.
- Commit to another person. "The social aspect of exercise is important for me," says Wanda Stevens, a stay-at-home mom in Austin, Texas. "I'll let myself off, but if I've agreed to walk with a friend after dinner, I won't let them down." She is six weeks into an exercise program, thanks in part to her husband's support. Roy Stevens, who works as a management consultant, has become her "in-house personal trainer." They work out together every morning, doing a combination of aerobics, strength training, Tae Bo, and stretching. If he's out of town, he gives her a wake-up call, and she takes the dog for a walk.
- Make exercise a priority. "It has to be a non-negotiable," says Roy Stevens
- Exercise first thing in the morning. Experts agree that a morning schedule is best. "If you go to a gym, it should be located between your home and work," says Klein. "Exercise, take a shower, and you're energized for the day."
- Or, exercise on your way home from work. The next best thing to exercising first thing in the morning is to do it on your way home from work, Klein says."Don't go home first," she says. "I learned that the hard way. There aren't a lot of people who are so motivated that after they go home and change clothes will go back out again and exercise."
- Exercise even when you're "too tired." Chances are, you'll feel better after exercising.
- Log your activity. Write down the things that are important to you. It could be how much time you exercise each day, how many steps you walked, how far you ran or cycled, what you weighed, etc.
- Be aware of all the indicators of progress. It's great when your clothes fit better and you can lift heavier weights or work out longer without getting exhausted...[O]ther progress indicators, include:
• Getting a good night's sleep.
• Thinking more clearly.
• Having more energy.
• Seeing your resting heart rate drop over time.
• Hearing your doctor congratulate you on improved cholesterol, blood pressure, bone
density, triglycerides, and blood sugars. - Walk -- with a pedometer (or a dog). "If you enjoy walking and haven't exercised for awhile, 10 minutes three times a day will give you 30 minutes," says Klein.
- Reward yourself. Are you telling yourself that you don't deserve a reward for something you should be doing anyway -- or that once you can zip your jeans without lying on the bed, that will be reward enough? Well, honestly, how inspiring is that? Experts say that making behavior changes is hard, and rewards motivate. So decide on a goal and a reward, and work toward it. You might buy yourself a video you've wanted after you stick to your fitness plan for one month, or buy new walking shoes when you achieve 5,000 steps a day. Do whatever works for you.
See, "10 Easy Ways to Make Exercise a Habit: Try these tricks to become one of the fitness faithful, " by Leanna Sarkmulis, www.webmd.com .
COMMIT TO RE-COMMIT
The GREAT thing about GOD's promise never to leave us alone is that when we are weak or feel like we "fall short" we can always ask for help! We can seek HIS help to commit and re-commit. We can re-start our journey toward greater physical and spiritual health EVERY DAY---morning by morning, week by week, season after season, year by year!
So, keep striving. Move forward. Look to GOD as our SUPREME example and help.
Rely on HIS GREAT FAITHFULNESS!" and BE BLESSED!
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*From "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," originally a poem written by Thomas O Chisholm in 1923.
