Whether it's : Your Fitness Level, Your Diet, Your Marriage, Especially Your Salvation. It's always a slow fade
Hebrews 2:1 "It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off."
Rome wasn't built in a day, and most often People never Crumble in a day. This applies to all facets of life. If we don't stay consistent in these things: Our marriage, Our salvation, Our fitness, Our diet, Our Relationships, etc ; it won't be long until we're looking back wondering "What happened". Let's apply the "Slow Fade" concept to each category below.
Our Marriages
Whether you are a husband reading this, or a wife, our purpose in our marriage is to love. Not just love in an easy, cheap, half effort love. I mean love with a sacrificial, whole-hearted, Jesus-type love. It takes INTENTIONALITY. Our spouse if the one person on this earth that should and will always be there for us.
If we don't focus on our marriage and make it a top priority in life, it's a slow fade. You lose touch. You start putting yourself first. You get selfish. It becomes about the one individually and not the ONE that you form together.
Marriage is the greatest gift in this life. God created marriage. Aside from salvation, my most prized possession in this lifetime IS my wife. She is amazing. She is beautiful, smart, kind, crafty, sexy, funny, and my best friend. God designed her FOR me. She completes me and is an actual real-life representation of Christ's love for us.
Give yourselves one to another BECAUSE of your love for Christ. Eph 5:21
Love each other. Serve each other. Make your spouse your priority, above yourself.
Our Salvation
What is most important is our relationship with Jesus, our walk with the Holy Spirit. It's so easy to come to God. He did all the work. He sent His Son. Jesus came. He paid the price for us. He provided a way to be in right standing with our Creator. It's so simple. We believe in our heart, we confess that we're a sinner, and BOOM!!! Just like that we get a ticket to heaven. Ok, that was an extreme simplification and some slight humor, but it's the truth.
What I want to mention is that just like our marriage, we have to maintain that relationship. Our Father wants His rightful place in our life, at the TOP. Rightfully so, who wouldn't want a Father like that leading us throughout our lives. He gives us love unconditionally, perfect advice, and instructions on literally everything we may face.
Galatians 6:9 " Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Here's the thing. Wake up every morning, tell the Holy Spirit, "Good morning, welcome into this day with me." Allow Him to lead you. Invite Him into your thoughts, feelings, desires, and conversation with others.
Just like we love our own children and ask them to trust us, how much better of a father is our Father in heaven. Do this and do it repeatedly. Not just a daily basis, or occasionally, but continually, as in ALWAYS.
The goal: Finish the race. Don't let the one relationship on this earth that matters FADE AWAY. It's impossible to always be faithful as human beings, or to even be consistent. (Sad but true) Any time we allow someone/something to take God's place, simply reorganize. Restructure. Realign. He allows it. He even helps you. If you ask, the Holy Spirit will even reveal things that our out of alignment. Just ask. Give it a try. He is faithful, even when we are not.
Our Fitness and Diet
Workouts are fairly easy to keep up for some. Not all, but some. Diet and our nutrition, however, not so easy for almost all. Talk about a slow fade. This one reminds me of how you can be out in the ocean on a float, you close your eyes for just a moment to enjoy the sun, the waves, and the relaxation. Again, BOOM!!!! You look up and you don't recognize the umbrellas on the sand, the buildings up on the shore, nothing. You have officially DRIFTED away from where you once were. Isn't this so accurate. You are at a place, you're comfortable. You relax, for what seems like a moment. Just like the current of the ocean, LIFE has caused you to DRIFT to a place you didn't mean to be.
I'm not saying that everyone should eat chicken and rice and bars that taste like cardboard. I believe everyone should live life. Enjoy food, especially if you have a wife like mine. See how we use a Flexible diet approach in our programs at Rise Up Training. https://www.riseuptraining.fit/nutrition
Oh yeah, the slow fade. You're killing workouts, you're drinking your water, you're feeling great, AND you're seeing great progress in the mirror and your clothes are fitting different......then....there is a bday party...right??
WRONG!! Not the problem
The tides start turning when we gradually let complacency set in. Our relationship with Jesus changes when we let sin creep in. Our marriage loses it's spark when we stop communicating, when we get a little selfish or entitled. Even this is NOT the end of the world.
The Solution to all 3:
Constantly realign yourself with what is important. Find "Your Why". Know "Your Why" (check this out for more on Finding your Why) https://www.riseuptraining.fit/yourwhy We are all running a race. It's hopefully a very long race. 80-90ish years I hope. It's NOT a sprint and it's MORE than a marathon. Learn as you go. I still am. Constantly. God is more than gracious, and merciful, kind, and LOVING. If we live our lives like He designed us to, then we show mercy, patience, and grace to our spouses and ourselves.
When your start to fade. Come back.
When you fall down. Get back up.
When you make a mistake. Ask forgivess. Learn from it.
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