RUN!
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV (Zondervan, 2002)
At first glance, the verse above seems to have a "well, duh" response to it. Of course I'm going to try to win. I personally have never really raced. I've done some 5k's (and by some, I really mean like 3... maybe...). Each time my goals was to keep a jog-like motion to the finish... or maybe, just finish. I've never really run to win, much less trained to run to win. When I focus on "run in such a way as to get the prize," pictures of the Olympics fill my mind. Line up...look at your competitors (or don't)...focus on the finish line...picture yourself being the one to cross it first...the explosive start. But, that's not what the Christian walk is. It's far from a 100m dash, a 5k, or even an 11k. It's more like a marathon... or those 100 milers I've seen pop up on occasion. When you start living for Christ, you're in it for the long haul. Add to the verse above the verse that comes after it:
"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that lasts forever." 1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV (Zondervan, 2002)
Strict training. All of a sudden that throws things into a different perspective. Especially when you focus on "run in such a way as to get the prize." That's almost an all-or-nothing challenge right there. When I first started running, I had small goals... to be able to "run" for a mile. Then it increased to 3 miles, then 5. Then I started seriously thinking about training for an 11k. I got some advice from experienced runners, got a plan, and started following it. Pretty soon I went from thinking, "I hope I can just finish an 11k" to "How hard do I have to train to win the 11k?" It's a totally different mindset. You start making lifestyle decisions that revolve around you being able to run farther faster. You get up earlier to run before the heat of the day. You eat to fuel your body--maybe you go on a "runner's diet" or maybe you turn to Paleo {like me =) }. You do everything you can to make sure you are operating top notch.
So what does that have to do with CrossFit? A lot I'm sure, but I'd rather tie in Paleo (which is a pretty big part of CrossFit, so that counts, right?)
A Paleo diet is eliminating the stuff that's not the best for your body and eating only things that can best fuel your body... things that help you operate the best. One of the points that was stressed was that Paleo is not finding replacements for your favorite foods (i.e. a glass of coconut milk as a replacement for a glass of regular milk.) It's changing how you eat and how you view food. That's exactly what it means to start living for Christ. Being like Christ is the ribbon at the end of the race and we should live to "win the prize". That means changing our lifestyle. Eliminating things that aren't the best. It doesn't mean that we replace it with something similar (our "Christian swear words" come to mind). It does mean that we have to replace it with something better. Need carbs? Try sweet potatoes. Find yourself struggling with lustful/mean/hateful/sinful thoughts? Replace them with God's promises ("I can do all things in Christ").
Let me be honest here. This hit me between the eyes this morning. Hard. I've been running my race with Christ with an attitude of "I just want to finish" instead of "I want to win." I'll be one of the first to admit I get really bad road-rage. But reading these verses? These verses mean changing habits and lifestyle choices I've justified a long time ago. Are there grey areas and things I'm still unsure of or things I think are alright when other Christ-followers believe are wrong? Absolutely. Are there grey areas in a Paleo diet or things I think are ok that other people avoid? Absolutely. Is trying to change some of these things a scary thing? YES! Was the thought of giving up my dearly beloved bread for Paleo scary? Yes! (I almost didn't do Paleo for this reason). "Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good becomes your better and your better is your best." (Shout out to my mother for that one!) The real question should never be, "Am I ok?" but "Is this the best?" Am I doing the best I can to reflect Christ? Right now? No. God give me strength and courage to change that.
At first glance, the verse above seems to have a "well, duh" response to it. Of course I'm going to try to win. I personally have never really raced. I've done some 5k's (and by some, I really mean like 3... maybe...). Each time my goals was to keep a jog-like motion to the finish... or maybe, just finish. I've never really run to win, much less trained to run to win. When I focus on "run in such a way as to get the prize," pictures of the Olympics fill my mind. Line up...look at your competitors (or don't)...focus on the finish line...picture yourself being the one to cross it first...the explosive start. But, that's not what the Christian walk is. It's far from a 100m dash, a 5k, or even an 11k. It's more like a marathon... or those 100 milers I've seen pop up on occasion. When you start living for Christ, you're in it for the long haul. Add to the verse above the verse that comes after it:
"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that lasts forever." 1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV (Zondervan, 2002)
Strict training. All of a sudden that throws things into a different perspective. Especially when you focus on "run in such a way as to get the prize." That's almost an all-or-nothing challenge right there. When I first started running, I had small goals... to be able to "run" for a mile. Then it increased to 3 miles, then 5. Then I started seriously thinking about training for an 11k. I got some advice from experienced runners, got a plan, and started following it. Pretty soon I went from thinking, "I hope I can just finish an 11k" to "How hard do I have to train to win the 11k?" It's a totally different mindset. You start making lifestyle decisions that revolve around you being able to run farther faster. You get up earlier to run before the heat of the day. You eat to fuel your body--maybe you go on a "runner's diet" or maybe you turn to Paleo {like me =) }. You do everything you can to make sure you are operating top notch.
So what does that have to do with CrossFit? A lot I'm sure, but I'd rather tie in Paleo (which is a pretty big part of CrossFit, so that counts, right?)
A Paleo diet is eliminating the stuff that's not the best for your body and eating only things that can best fuel your body... things that help you operate the best. One of the points that was stressed was that Paleo is not finding replacements for your favorite foods (i.e. a glass of coconut milk as a replacement for a glass of regular milk.) It's changing how you eat and how you view food. That's exactly what it means to start living for Christ. Being like Christ is the ribbon at the end of the race and we should live to "win the prize". That means changing our lifestyle. Eliminating things that aren't the best. It doesn't mean that we replace it with something similar (our "Christian swear words" come to mind). It does mean that we have to replace it with something better. Need carbs? Try sweet potatoes. Find yourself struggling with lustful/mean/hateful/sinful thoughts? Replace them with God's promises ("I can do all things in Christ").
Let me be honest here. This hit me between the eyes this morning. Hard. I've been running my race with Christ with an attitude of "I just want to finish" instead of "I want to win." I'll be one of the first to admit I get really bad road-rage. But reading these verses? These verses mean changing habits and lifestyle choices I've justified a long time ago. Are there grey areas and things I'm still unsure of or things I think are alright when other Christ-followers believe are wrong? Absolutely. Are there grey areas in a Paleo diet or things I think are ok that other people avoid? Absolutely. Is trying to change some of these things a scary thing? YES! Was the thought of giving up my dearly beloved bread for Paleo scary? Yes! (I almost didn't do Paleo for this reason). "Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good becomes your better and your better is your best." (Shout out to my mother for that one!) The real question should never be, "Am I ok?" but "Is this the best?" Am I doing the best I can to reflect Christ? Right now? No. God give me strength and courage to change that.
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