Wednesday, March 30, 2011

My fake ID

I am over 21. I promise. But, for years, I carried around a fake I.D., until I decided to throw it out. I don't mean a government issued ID. I mean a mental one. (We all know that fake ID cards are highly illegal, and I do not break the law. Aside from the occasional speeding ticket...and not using the crosswalk...and the rolling-stop at a stop sign... but speeding up for a yellow light is totally legal, right?)

I'm not perfect! And, I'm usually in a hurry. But, back to my point.


But those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31


I would recite this verse to myself during almost every workout in the beginning. It was only a year and a half ago that I began the Couch to 5k plan, running just one minute and walking for one minute. It was hard. I wanted to give up. I often got frustrated with myself for my lack of physical endurance. But, ultimately I was more frustrated with my overweight, unhealthy body. So, I kept at it. I refused to call myself a big girl, jiggling through her walk/run while gasping for air... no matter how accurate the description.


I realized that my Identity was not defined by my past failures or lack. I was not defined by past emotional eating binges, my lack of self-restraint or self-discipline. I was defined by God himself, and he said in Ephesians 2:10 that I am His handiwork. That's all I needed to know. I was ready to trade in my old fake ID that said "unhealthy and unwilling to change" for my real one that said, "God's Handiwork".


A few weeks ago, I posted on Facebook that I had just completed a great run with great friends, and a FB friend commented that she wished she had my willpower. My response? "You do. The Lord is my strength"


No matter what our past choices, we are all capable of making wiser, healthier choices from this day forward as long as we just believe we are who God says we are. If we choose not to, we can't. We won't. We're weak, and we're unable.







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