Join me in welcoming guest writer Jack Santora!  

Think your faith and fitness do not intersect? Check out Jack’s perspective!! 

You might be wondering where you can find the work of God in the world of fitness. I mean after all it’s a realm that is highly saturated with self-absorption, vanity, and an obsession for aesthetic results. It feeds on the desires of boys, girls, men and women to have six-pack abs or a tight hind quarter. The industry thrives on supplements, diets, and fad workouts. What worked for Joe Schmo is perfect for you and everyone else in this world for a small monthly payment of an arm and a leg… So where is God in it all?

B.C. (before I knew Christ…) I was someone caught in these worldly lies. Chained by self-consciousness, I relied on the opinions of others to create a false identity. It was easy to get pulled into, but the reality is that all the hours spent in a gym and those “Men’s Health” muscles still leave you feeling empty inside. Some people strive endlessly and work tirelessly to fill that giant void, only to come up empty handed.

And even though physical training is of some value, holiness will serve a greater purpose in this life and the one to come (1 Timothy 4:8).

God desires that we as Christians are disciplined (1 Corinthians 9:27) and that we worship no other idols. While the gym is a great place to begin with self-discipline, society often idolizes the athletes and models that spend their days there, making them into something more than human. Or, just as dangerous, we can even begin to obsess over our own appearance or abilities. Either way, it’s at this moment that the focus has been taken from God and placed in the world. We forget that God created us as beautiful unique individuals. He delicately wove our path with a purpose to fulfill and He’s providing us a unique platform to further His Kingdom.

I’ve found that the gifts the Lord has blessed me with, have given me the opportunity to come in contact with many broken people, physically and, more often than not, spiritually. Although they may not recognize it. I see temples left in ruins from years of abuse and mistreatment (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20).

Bound by fear, they wander in aimlessly looking for an answer in a change of appearance or marching orders from a physician threatening them to exercise “or else”. Their mindset is usually hesitant and they lack motivation, faith, hope, and the belief that they can ever accomplish what they’ve set out to do. If only they knew they could do all things through Christ who gives them strength (Philippians 4:13).

My point is this… the Lord is with us every step of the way in all that we do. I believe the more focus we are able to put on Christ in every environment, the more God will continue to bless our lives and the desires of our hearts. Keep in mind, God does His work from the inside out. So is it really that surprising that we often have to change the way our hearts feel about exercise and nutrition before we see the visible changes physically?
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More often than not, we become impatient or lose focus. The devil will always be there to try to distract, derail, and misguide our efforts. He wants to see us fail and fall into his traps because he is out to destroy all things beautiful.

Regardless of the path, I know that God has plans that are good for each and every one of our lives, plans to prosper and not harm, plans to give hope and a future. What more loving promise is there than this? All we have to do is seek Him with all of our heart.

So where is God in it all? In you…

Jack Santora is an Exercise Physiologist at a wellness & fitness facility in Columbus Ohio. Connect with Jack at www.facebook.com/JSantoraEP

Check out this blog site!!http://purposefulfaith.com/