About a year ago, I decided to sign up for one of those 10-week fitness challenges. It meant getting up earlier to get to the gym six days a week and tracking my nutrition to make sure I was eating the right balance of carbs and protein. I'm a bit competitive, so I enjoyed pushing myself to meet the weekly goals. After the 10 weeks, friends and family noticed a difference, a transformation in my energy level and how my clothes fit. They wanted to know more about what I did to get those results, and I jumped at every chance to tell people about the workouts and my changed eating habits.
Since then, both of my sisters decided to go through the same 10-week challenge. The external results and what I was sharing led them to join. I guess the outward results were more motivating than the less visible changes like my resting pulse rate, muscle strength, and BMI percentage.
I notice a similar response when it comes to sharing my faith or inviting people to church. Most often, conversations are sparked or people respond to an invite to church because they notice a difference on the outside.
Outwardly, they see a change in the person who used to prioritize accomplishing tasks over people and was quick to judge those who didn't share the same goals or keep the same pace. I still struggle with those things, but inwardly the Holy Spirit has been working a change.
Inwardly, through spending daily time with God and with people who model selfless love for others, I'm experiencing an increased sense of joy and patience. Outwardly, people experience my greater capacity to notice and love others. I started to realize it's way more fun to relationally connect with and encourage people than to see them as obstacles or instruments to my agenda. So, people started to experience a difference in my interactions, which initiated more conversations about faith or invites to church.
In John 13:34-35, Jesus says,"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
Like the challenge at the gym, I know I have to be committed to the right training so that I continue to grow closer to God and love others as he loves me. It certainly takes practice, but it can have the greatest impact on how God empowers me to reach others!
