Working On My Core
“Life is about choices. Some we regret, some we're proud of. Some will haunt us forever. The message - we are what we chose to be.” These words by Graham Brown when first heard, truly resonated with me. It was those words that helped me to really kickstart my weight loss and lifestyle change journey in 2021, which I’m happy to say I have continued into 2023.
During my time of self-reflection, I had realised that I was not being a very good steward of my body. From extreme fatigue to constant migraines and persistent body aches, I realised that my body was rebelling against me in the worst ways possible.
I therefore made a commitment that I would work towards being a healthier and more productive version of myself. In my effort to commit to this journey, I enlisted the help of a trainer. One of the first things she said to me, was that I would have to work on strengthening my CORE to make it stronger. And it was these words that helped to inspire this post.
So, What is Our Core?
Our core is a complex series of muscles located deep within our body, extending from the base of our head to our pelvis. This may be surprising to some people as many think that our core muscles are only located in our abdomen. Our core muscles are the base of support for our entire body. Having a strong core means having the muscles in our pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen all working in harmony.
There are a series of health benefits to having a strong core. These include:
- Supporting better posture
- Improving balance
- Stabilizing the lower back
- Enhancing flexibility
- Preventing pains and injuries
Additionally, having a strong core also protects the internal organs and the nervous system. These benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more.
So, in doing all these things to strengthen my core and improve my physical body, I started to think about my spiritual well-being. I asked myself. . .
Do we have a spiritual core? A base of support for our entire spirituality hidden deep within us?
Sure, enough God answered me. Yes, we do. It is our hearts. Now, I am not referring to our physical heart; the organ that pumps blood around the body but rather the spiritual heart; the place where emotions and desires begin, that drives the will of man towards action. This is why Proverbs 4:23 urges us to "guard our hearts, for everything we do flows from it".
In our natural sinful condition, the human heart doesn’t align with God’s desires or will. Instead, it is wicked and filled with deceit and treachery. This is what Jesus was referring to in Mark 7:14-23
“… that evil thoughts such as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander, malice, greed, envy, jealousy, unrestrained conduct, arrogance, self-righteousness all originate from the hearts of men”.
So wicked is the human heart that we are easily deceived by it (Jeremiah 17:9) but not God. He knows it well. In fact, He is the only one who knows the true condition of our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). Therefore, in order to get people to desire what He desires, which is just and right, God has to remove the 'heart of stone' and replace it with a 'heart of flesh' (Ezekiel 36:26). Basically, performing a heart transplant. This heart transplant is available to everyone but can only be achieved by those who are earnestly seeking after God.
When we surrender our lives to Christ, we are gifted with this new 'heart of flesh'. We are re -programmed to desire what God desires. We become transformed (2 Corinthians 5:17). However, this transformation is a process. Having a strong physical or spiritual core doesn’t happen overnight. It takes work, dedication and consistency.
When I initially started going to the gym, there were many exercises I had to do in order to build and strengthen my core. At first it was a real struggle to get through these exercises. But with a little practise and consistency I realised that each day it got a little easier. For example, when I first started working out, the thing I dreaded the most was the plank. Only because I could only hold the pose for about five seconds.
However, with much practise, I realised that after about a month or two I could hold the pose for thirty seconds because I was getting stronger. It is the same thing with our spiritual core. In order for us to grow and become stronger people, living in accordance to God’s will and desire for our lives, we must exercise to strengthen our spiritual core.
So, how do we accomplish this? What exercises must we do? Stay tuned for Part 2 ✍🏾
Working On My Core: Part 2
© 2023 Faith Writer JA: Christina Barrett. All rights reserved.
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