Lasting change

Tonight’s post is truly a treat. The amazing woman who penned it will surely say she is no writer, even though her words say otherwise. Follow along, and re-read just as I did, because it’s just that good.

Recently a trainer and I had a discussion about whether or not our efforts were truly changing lives.  Or with our unwavering approach to changing peoples eating habits/ exercise habits could we just be suppressing bad behavior or worse yet creating out-of-control patterns with deceiving bouts of discipline.

LASTING CHANGE

There is a plan and purpose for my life.  I believe that.  That is true for ever soul born into this world.  ABUNDANCE  That’s the word Jesus used.  EVERY GOOD THING  Why am I 38 (soon) and still struggling with the same addictions, the same selfishness, the same anger issues, the same lack of financial discipline?  These issues have plagued my relationships, my peace and my joy.  

Have you ever broken down in tears by yourself and cried out loud, “God, why I am I like this.  Why won’t you change me?  God, my issues are huge, without naming the ways I would simply like to be: my best consistently, more kind, more patient, stronger, more joyful and loving, less irritable, less bothered by people who are different than me, less resentful, less likely to blame other people for my own problems. I want to change for good.”

RIGHT THINKING = CHANGED LIFE

When new politicians come on the scene, their first speech has got to be the best they can give.  The inaugural speech of the President has got to capture and inspire people to action or belief.  The same is true for the first sermon ever given by Jesus.  After 30 years of studying God’s word and listening to God in meditation, He is ready to make His entrance, give His first speech, start changing lives thru teaching and miracles.  His inaugural sermon was simple:  Change the way you THINK!  Ok, actual sentence was Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.  In Hebrew the word repent is metanoeo which translates…change the way you think.

Even Jesus knew there is a huge correlation between what happens in our thoughts to what happens in our actions.  Every action/step we take was premeditated by a thought.    Our minds control everything.  In essence, Jesus said we think wrongly about everything.  His first sermon to make His first big impression and He says…lasting change is not in our behavior.  We can not will ourselves to change.  There is a thought going on in your mind that you first have to change.

THE REWARD PATHWAY

The brain is divided into several distinct regions.  In the center of the brain sits the reward pathway, which is responsible for driving our feelings of motivation, reward and behavior.  The central job of the reward pathway is to make us feel good when we engage in behaviors that are necessary for our survival.  These beneficial behaviors include eating, drinking and sex.  The reward pathway connects to several other important areas of the brain.  These connections allow the reward pathway to gather information about what is happening outside of the body, and to strengthen brain circuits that control desirable behavior.  In addition to making you feel good when you engage in beneficial behavior, the reward pathway is responsible for trying to make sure you repeat the behavior whenever possible.  It does this by connecting to regions of the brain that control memory and motor skills.  When the reward pathway signals brain regions involved in memory that what you did felt good, it strengthens the likelihood that you will repeat said behavior.  When it signals the brain’s motor center, it strengthens the wiring for behaviors that help you achieve your reward.

I WANT IT NOW

A spiritual decision is not going to automatically translate into a physical behavioral change.  When your mind develops a pattern of behavior it wants to keep going especially if it makes us feel good.  That’s why when you eat sugar or blow up in anger, you have a “feel good” release, over time that pattern will get stronger if you continue in it.  Once those patterns are there, they don’t go away.  We can not un-create neurological pathways.  But, we can create new ones!  New thoughts and new patterns will starve out the old.  It takes learning/time in focus.  However fascinating, this is a biblical principal. 

Romans 12:2 states, Then you will LEARN to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Once you have a knew thought then there’s a learning process.  It’s the difference between studying and cramming.  Cramming means your going to forget it in a day.  Studying and learning takes time.  This means putting it to the test every single day in order to strengthen the pathways being built.  It does NOT happen in a moment.  This gives us a new formula… Right Thinking/over TIME = Changed Lives.  

THE AWESOMENESS OF GOD

God designed our minds to work off patterns of behavior.  He created our physical lives and spiritual lives to come together and work together.  There is relief in knowing that our Creator knows this and knows that it can be two steps forward and one step back at times.  The binge eater, the anorexic, the pornography addicted, the co-dependent.  No one is excused from the learning process who wants God’s ultimate best.  And He crafted it this way so it sticks…so it’s a life change – eternal.

Dynamic:

Front Squat
12×2@ 70% 1rm

For Time:

2- One Muscle-up+3 Dips
10-Deadlifts 155/225
4 Rounds
*Performed as RXD each round would have 2 muscle-ups, and six dips. Performed as described. The dip immediately following the muscle-up transition is part of the muscle-up, not the following three dips.
*Scaling should be done with dips alone, failing that, push-ups.

Post weight moved and time to comments