So my mother is a preacher and i have been in church all my life. I truly love church and always go whenever I get the chance. I started my weightloss journey because my blood pressure was getting high and i just didnt want to be diagnosed with high blood pressure.
I work 2 jobs everyday and don't really have that much time because i don't get off work until 8 most nights. Now the only days I get off early are mondays, tuesdays and fridays. So, i take those opportunities to take classes at the gym because its something that ive fallen in love with! I love zumba, kickboxing, and body pump and they keep me motivated. So far ive lost over 30 pounds and love how I feel.
My mom talked to me the other night and she told me that I was putting the gym before God because i miss biblestudy class each tuesday night and I miss a service we had last week. I had every intention of making the service on time but my ride was super late picking me up from the gym!
Now I don't think I am putting the gym before God because i still have a great relationship with Him. I still go to church each sunday and i attend services during the week when im not working. It really hurt my feelings when she accused me of not putting God first. I just think I need this time now to get healthy because i don't want to have to take pills everyday. Now i can't even enjoy the gym fully because i know how my mom feels about it and I can't enjoy biblestudy because i miss being at the gym. I just don't know what to do. Any ideas?!?!?!?!?!
Do both! Maybe on bible study night you can do a exercise tape when you get home. Then you would be fulfilling two obligations. BTW congrats on the weight loss, 30 pounds is a big achievement!!
thanks fatarnp. The reason why i love the gym is because it motivates me. Working out at home is not for me because i never want to do it. I was thinking about alternating weeks.
In my personal opinion..church is not limited to a building..you can have church anywhere..It could be as simple as watching Joyce Meyer or Kenneth Copeland on TV or it could be discussing a passage of scripture over the phone with a friend..or it could be in your room singing praise..One thing to remember..the Bible talks about training are body as well as spirit..We should not neglect either..but there are many ways to have church..its not just a sunday..but also remember we should not neglect spending time with others who are likeminded..
Just because you are missing a weekly bible study does not mean you are not putting God first. it is easy to get legalistic about these types of things. do you spend time reading your bible or praying regulary? You say you attend on Sundays, I don't feel like you are putting the gym first. If you loved the gym more than God then that would be putting the gym first, if the gym controlled you and you spent every spare moment there, that would be putting the gym before God.
There is nothing wrong with balance in our lives, parents can get scared if they see their kids moving away from God or if they think their child is moving away from God I know that cause my kids did just that and it is a fear because parents just want what is best for thier kids. Sounds like your mom just needs an encouraging word from you to let her know your relationship with God is still first in your life.
Make sure you have a daily time with God. A time that is just you and Him, and as long as you do that, you will be right in the center of God's will.
Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Psalm. 119:103-107 How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth 104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
Psalm 1:2-6
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
I understand your struggle and sympathize with you. It is very hard when we reach adulthood to transfer sole accountability to our Lord and Savior and not our parents, but it is the way it is suppose to be. I understand how it can be especially hard for you with mom being a pastor. It is in her very nature to worry about everyone in her flock. My husbands father was our pastor for 12 years before I married his son and we moved away for work. Bottom line if you have peace with the Lord, then you have no worries.
I hope I give you some advice by sharing a (tiny) part of my own testimony/why I'm working out...
A few months ago I went through a "faith crisis". I have always attended a Lutheran church, but began visiting a Baptist church. Until that point, I had never had any question my salvation or my relationship with Christ. The pastor at the church, with good intention, made me re-evaluate what I believed, why I believed it and whether or not I was truly saved. After praying and searching my soul, I became confident that I was, indeed, a true believer in Christ. But then I had to make myself look at my life and my choices. Did they reflect my declaration? Sadly, they did not. No wonder someone was asking me if I was truly saved! Along with other personal changes, I was also forced to change the way I treated my body. Take a look at these verses... they are probably familiar to you but so fitting for this situation:
Romans 12:1-2 ESV
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Proverbs 23:20-21
20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat ;21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
God doesn't desire for us to be overweight or unhealthy. It isn't because God hates "fat" people; it's because God wants us to be happy and capable of living up to our potential. God doesn't want to see us relying on pills and medicines to be healthy, He wants us to take care of the body He gave us... our vessel to spread His word. How can we do that if we are struggling to walk? Struggling to live?
Your mom is obviously worried about your spiritual health and is worried that you'll fall into the sin described here:
Ex 20:3-4 (NIV) "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below."
But it's important that you let her know that you are admitting you have other faults, and that you are going to the gym for spiritual reasons as well as personal reasons.
When I go to the gym, I take my iPod and I listen to upbeat, Contemporary Christian/Praise/Worship music. I have a friend who gets on the treadmill and listens to sermons on podcasts. The Zumba instructor at my gym even does a zumba routine to some Christian music! Even if your gym won't do that (although it's worth asking) remind your mom that you're getting healthy physically but even more importantly, you are taking care of God's temple (your body) at the same time. Christ is with you in that gym! It is because of HIM that you are able to be there... your motivation, your inspiration is through Him, because of Him! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise, girlfriend.
I pray you have this worked out with your Mom. Only you know your heart and if you know that you are not neglecting God and are not putting the gym before God, then there should be no doubt for you. Others, including your Mom, only see what they see - they can't see your heart - and they make judgments based on that. Live your life in the Lord and you will be fine. And I agree with comments above - God doesn't intend for us to be unhealthy for lack of caring for ourselves - that's why we are on this particular journey. Best wishes.
I know you are not Jewish but this still might help. In Judaism, we believe that our bodies are vessels from G-d and therefore it is our responsibility to care for G-d's "property." Therefore taking care of your health is of the utmost importance and I'm pretty sure weight control falls under that category. Therefore, by staying healthy you are finding an alternate way for praising and appreciating G-d. Remember that our bodies are miracles and we should not take G-d's miracles for granted.
Onic28....That is EXACTLY what was in my heart as I read her post also!
MzJuicyD... Please don't allow your mom or anyone discourage you! Congratulations on your amazing success! You are taking care of the body that God has given you. I also take my mp3 player with me filled with christian music. I am Praising & Exercising! It is a WONDERFUL feeling for me. Sometimes life gets so crazy and it is so easy to be distracted by daily routines, errands, work, etc. It is our responsibility to make time for our friend and Savior. When I put those ear buds in and start praising him. I can do anything! I stay motivated, I get more out of my work out, and I feel more refreshed then just exercising.
Whatever you do in life it is the little moments that you take out to talk to God that makes him happy. That is what will strengthen your relationship and let him know you are putting him first. He knows our hearts and minds. He is with us always. There are many alternatives to attending a weekly bible study. The church that I attend has several different activities during the week so that no mater what your schedule is you should be able to find something. Also I know they put the sermons onto the website for people who could not attend service.
Bottom line...search your heart, pray on it. THEN If you feel that you are right with God and he is your first priority then continue doing what you are doing. God has given you a wonderful gift. The ability to change and the motivation to do so. Embrace it and reap the rewards of what you are sowing.
Thanks you guys! I have now compromised with my mother. I still go to the gym and all but on nights we have special services, i skip the gym and go to church. I also workout more in the mornings with my boss. My mom hasnt had anything negative to say since.
I love the comments about taking care of the body that God gave us. It is truly inspiring and a form of ministry to me. I have a lot of people asking about my weight loss and how they can get involved. It truly makes me feel good about myself!
I really need some advice!!!!!
