Peggy Boldizsar Nunley

So in the recent months I have picked up a new habit of going to the gym. You see for the last two years God has been convicting me of getting in shape. As much I knew His voice was speaking, I kept delaying obedience.

Now – I know I’m not alone! How many times have you heard God speak and you knew It wasn’t the lasagna from the night before? Well that was me. I heard Him, I knew He was speaking, but I just kept delaying obedience.

At first, I couldn’t figure out why? How could I be disciplined in so many areas of my life- and in this one- not obey? It finally hit me like a ton of weights ( no pun intended) . You see I’m not overweight and I don’t have any health issues. My need was minimal. I could fit the jeans I wanted and I could push myself beyond limits when needed. Because my need seemed small, I felt obedience wasn’t as vital. So what was my problem? Jesus clearly told me to discipline my body.

You see, I desperately needed His Word, just to survive! So I disciplined myself to study and learn and grow.. I would dig deep until, all my insecurities & failures were bound up in His confidence and purpose over me.

Engulfed in deep struggle I pursued His presence so I discipled myself to wait, sit and worship, until I felt Him surround me and crumble my Jericho walls.

Every place I have had deep need, I have sought Him fiercely. I obeyed, because the option not to was too devastating & overwhelming to me.

Well, as it goes, God sent me this energetic young girl from Florida to disciple. She showed up at my house and immediately I knew, she wasn’t there just for me to disciple, but for me to get obedient! She just “happen” to be a fitness instructor! Can you believe that? Only God would love me so much, that in my disobedience, not punish me, but send me exactly what my lazy rump needed to do what He was telling me to do!

So we started training….

Weights, cardio, more weights. I learned the older you get the more weights become more attractive. Less active but more return. That’s my kind of workout!

I learned an important lesson in my few months of training. When you build muscle you tend to want to show it off. I started seeing more definition in my arms and I found myself flexing to my kids. I know, silly right? But the more I flexed the stronger I felt. I was proving my obedience in my flexing.

Then it hit me. I could see so many around me doing exactly the same thing, well kinda… Flexing their muscles to prove they had value, worth, significance. Instead of reflecting their value, worth, and purpose in Christ. They had this need to “prove” they were good, happy, fit.

God spoke to me again. He said, “ You don’t have to flex anymore! You don’t have to prove your obedience, your worth, your value, your significance. You just have to walk and I will do the displaying!”

I don’t know if your still in the “flexing” mode trying to prove you are qualified. But let me encourage you, in Christ, we don’t have to flex anymore. He proves, displays, and affirms our significance, value, worth, and purpose for the whole world to see. “You need only be still and watch as the Lord fights for you.” So don’t you think it’s time, to stop flexing and let Him do the proving… You are fully qualified in Christ alone!