“That is stupid and I will NEVER do that.”

Straight up. That is exactly what I said to the face of a friend, 14 years ago when she told me that there was such a thing as Christian aerobics. (Ick..the word aerobics..I just totally dated myself.) Isn’t there a saying that goes “Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.” Nothing could be more true.

At the time I was falling head over heels in love with Jesus, I was also trying to figure out what this whole living sacrifice thing meant (Romans 12:1). I loved health & fitness from the moment I put on my first leggings and Reebok high tops, but I did not understand what it had to do with my faith and new found love for Christ. Telling me then that working out was really a worship filled act (a giving away of one self to something or someone) made absolutely no sense to me, but only because at that time I was not really asking God to tell me what it all meant.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

Proverbs 8:17

I like to tell our fitness instructors in training that at some point our comfort becomes our misery. These instructors are brave souls who are willing to get in front of others, with all their human fears and insecurities, and move in love because God has moved them. They all could (and probably did) come up with a list of reasons why not them. Eventually most couldn’t stand it anymore and responded to the call to get in on the wild ride of faith. Fence sitting is never comfortable. To watch others do kingdom work is to tell God you would rather be a bench warmer (aka fence sitter). Nobody scores a touch down, does a victory dance and points to The One who makes it all possible, from the bench.

It’s easy for us NOT to ask the bigger question of God when it comes to ourselves; who we are, and what we are living for. My flesh seeks comfort and familiarity at all cost. But my Spirit, God living and dwelling inside of me, is on the move. When he is ready to move us into new territory, he has the ability to cause our comfort to become our misery.

But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the spirit, and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other. To keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Galatians 5:16-17

Don’t fight it. He is trying to rescue you; the drowning (wo)man of comfort.

I invite you to take a listen to this 12 minute radio show interview, you can hear more about my silly and absurd story of a little girl, with a big dream who was once blind, but now can see. You can find out how I fumbled around in the dark for many years only to find myself doing the EXACT thing I told my friend was “stupid” and I would never do.

Thank God he forgives my stupidity.

Thank God he laughs with me.

This is why I absolutely KNOW there is a God, and he created me and chose me for this call; because there is undeniably no way I was smart enough to choose this glorious and free road for myself.

God knows what he is doing with you. Go ahead..tell him your plans, then listen very very closely for the loving laugh of a Father who will never stop telling you his plans.

God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

Ephesians 2:10

Get off the fence, get suited up, and into the game. Do the work you had best be doing.

Go ahead..comment below and let’s hear your comfort that is becoming your misery.

Peace friends,

Alisa Keeton