Grace Isn't Natural

Over the last few days, the thought of "growing in grace" has been resonating inside me, and if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know I haven't been silent on the issue. I've listed a few of my thoughts below as way of review, but what I'm coming to learn more than ever is that grace is the only thing that makes us what we are not naturally. (Please chew on that sentence for a second.) Then consider: >>Growing in grace as a Christian in the fitness industry means learning that our walk in the gym is sometimes a stride and often times a crawl, but it's not a strut.

>>Growing in grace as a Christian in the fitness industry means when we gain strength, or endurance, even flexibility, we're more and more sure they're gifts, and less likely to think we've somehow improved God's work.

>>Growing in grace as a Christian in the fitness industry means realizing that one person's walk is another person's high-intensity interval. Somebody's light weight is another person's heaviest possible (or even allowed.) It means less navel-gazing, less self-praising, less subtle-hazing.

>>Growing in grace as a Christian in the fitness industry means we want others to hear God's thunder long before we want to steal it.

Name the topic, choose the venue, select the environment, and grace alters our natural state. My natural self - and maybe yours too - wants to be prideful at times, borderline judgmental, even puffed-up, but the more we grow in grace (the more we become like Jesus) the more our hearts are inclined to do what doesn't come naturally. Like we said yesterday, how God is calling us to align our hearts with His will is completely unique. So, it's your turn. Please finish this sentence as it concerns your heart toward health. No matter where you are physically: "To me, growing in grace means________________________"

(If you put your name next to it, I may use it on social media with your permission.) Can't wait to read your responses. Jimmy Peña

For Thought: In Heaven, we will live in a body that knows no decay, and we'll naturally trust and obey. How? We'll be JUST like Jesus because of grace. We'll be EVERYTHING we're not naturally.