A Spandex Faith
There I stood in front of the full length mirror–jaws dropped. “I can’t wear this top, look at all those rolls!” I stepped back into my closet, grabbed my spandex body shaper, put it on to get rid of those unsightly bumps and bulges, and walked back out to the mirror. “Much better! Now no one has to know I’ve let myself go the last few months.” And then I turned sideways to admire my bulgeless figure. Imagine the horror when I realized that ever bulge that was smoothed over on the front and sides was popping out over the top of the spandex shaper making my upper back look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame!
A spandex body shaper can only do so much. Unfortunately, it can’t remove excess fat (Opps! Did I just say the f-word that most of us women fear the most?). It’s only a superficial fix to give the appearance of being in better shape than we really are. To actually look like we do in spandex we’d have to get into shape physically, get disciplined about eating right and strengthening our body through exercise. For some of us that’s just a hard thing to come to terms with. We feel defeated before we even get started. It’s just easier to keep buying larger sizes of spandex body shapers.
As I stood before that mirror, I thought about the inspirational picture my adult daughter, Missy, made for my birthday last year. It was during a time of my life when I was working hard to lose weight and get my body into shape. Even though I hadn’t arrived at my goal weight, my body was taking shape because I was exercising and toning up those lazy muscles. I didn’t need a spandex body shaper. I resolved to make no more excuses. I did it before, I can do it again. I can be disciplined and finish strong. I’m resolved to take action by continuing to eating healthy, work at strengthening my body, being patient (and forgiving) with myself, go into the deep end of the pool for exercises that challenge and add more strength.
There’ve been times in my life that my spiritual life’s been more like a spandex faith. I wasn’t really actively living out my faith in a growing and vibrant way. I was just putting it on to look good in front of others. I’d go to church, bring my Bible, offer up a prayer at Bible study, pull out a passage I’d read over and over before and looks well marked up if others were to look on, and then act like it’s something the Lord gave me today to show I was in the Word (when I really wasn’t).
Regardless of our age, we can have a strong faith. Take a look at the account of Abraham in Romans 4:19-21. His justification by faith (his salvation) was evidenced by his growing faith.
19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.…
A strong faith is an active, disciplined faith. One of the ways God desires us to strengthen our faith is by exercising spiritual disciplines to become more Christ-like. How many of these are you exercising? 1) Study the Scriptures, 2) Biblical mediation – reflecting upon God, His Word, His character, His works, and our relationship with Him, 3) Prayer, 4) Resting before the Lord, 5) Solitude and silence to hear His voice, 6) Fasting, 7) Simplicity of Living, 8) Service unto Him, 9) Worship – this should permeate our entire life in all we say, do, and think.
I’m going to get myself back into shape physically again. I’m not going to hide inside a spandex body shaper for the rest of my life.
And no more spandex faith. I want to finish strong.
Lord, I lay myself open before You. Increase my faith for Your honor and glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.
So true and convicting, Marsha! I find myself doing the same in both realms. Thank God He is merciful and gracious towards me when I fail so much.
I had to laugh! I have been there – in front of the mirror putting things on… trying to control the uncontrollable rolls. You are right; the discipline it takes to keep our bodies in shape is similar to the discipline it takes to keep our souls in shape. Those holy habits you mentioned are the spiritual exercise we need to stay healthy in our relationship with our Heavenly Father; Spandex just won’t do it:)
Powerful message, Marsha. May God continue to show me where I need to get in shape.