Hungry? I know I am!

I have done many workout cycles in my many years of athletics and training. I work really hard a few times a week and after about 6-8 weeks I begin to really see improvements. I get stronger, I can run faster, I begin to look stronger. But there is alway a plateau, as if just doing the exterior physical work can only help me gain so much.

Getting ready for my Mt. Whitney climb has been no easy feat. From collecting gear, pledges, planning the trip, and the workout schedule; it has already been a trip. As usual though a little over a week ago I felt that I hit my wall. My point where I'm not gaining like I want to gain. This was also right before our family vacation. It's alway difficult to eat right and train the way you want to when you are on the road, 2,700 miles in one week. On the way back I decided I needed to try something different in my training; I needed to work on my inside as much as my outside. I needed to "diet" to get my body moving.

Now let me clarify here, I don't really need to loose weight. I'm well within my zone for height and weight. But when your body has junk to burn, you can't keep putting junk into it. So I started the P90X "diet" last week. For me it is a small amount of calories, especially considering the amount of running, strength training, and cardio work I am doing every day. But if you want your body to act and react, sometimes you have to confuse it and change it up.

Funny how the same thing happens spiritually with us. Sometimes we just get stale, we stay in one thing or mode of spirituality too long. Sometimes we have been doing the same thing over and over again, hoping it will continue to have an effect, long after it has lost its effectiveness and relevance. We only work on the outside and neglect what we bring into our insides.

Here's what I do know. If we hunger and thirst for righteousness the promise is that we will be filled. Jesus promised us that in Matt 5:6. I may be hungry physically in order that I can kickstart my body into using some of its reserves that I have stored. But I don't have to be malnourished spiritually to get it to kick off my need for God. Being hungry spiritually is really what we need. God is all we need. When we look to Him to fill those needs, and look to him when we hunger and thirst for that which is not good for us, then his promise is to take care of those needs for us. When I am hungry for the things of this world I have to ask my self, "What have I been feeding my spirit lately." Chances are if I am hungry for the wrong things, I haven't been feeding it very well.

On the other hand if I have a steady diet of spiritual disciplines drawing me toward him and letting go of me, then I tend to be satisfied. Are you satisfied by your time with the Father? Or are you looking for satisfaction, fulfillment, and your needs to be met in other places?

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8, 9 NLT)