Core Strength

Year 6 - Day 199: Today, I am grateful for core strength.

You hear so many physical trainers and exercise programs talking about core strength. Core-strength exercises strengthen your core muscles. These muscles including your abdominal muscles, back muscles and the muscles around the pelvis. Once the core is strengthened, many other physical activities become easier. I am no expert on these things, but I know they are scientifically supported. 

The scripture I was reading today reminded me of this easy analogy to our faith walk. Christ is our "core strength". This is from The Message version, which I enjoy sometimes for a different set eyes on a familiar passage. Look at the phrasing: "It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Worry makes us weak. It weakens our faith. It weakens us emotionally. It displaces our Jesus as the Lord of our lives. How many times to I allow worry to be the boss of me and not trust his Holy Spirit to guide and lead? It is a daily battle for some and few of us escape it completely. 

If fret and worry is not your battle, encourage others. Not with trite words - but with real hope. Pray. Listen. Teach others to lean into Jesus. Rely on his strength in the battle... not just when wounded and feeling defeated... but for the strength for each day. 

A daily time in the word and in prayer is good for your core strength. It is an exercise routine worth your time and effort. He still speaks. Through His word, his Spirit and through others.  

Here is more of the scripture passage:


6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.


8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.  Philippians 4:6-8 (The Message)

I can no longer do the flips and cartwheels of my youth. If I tried, I would likely get injured or break something. I am no longer that flexible and my core strength is not adequate. It does not mean that I cannot work on flexibility. I would have to put into practice some new strength and agility exercises. 

"Put into practice what you learned from me..." - Jesus practiced trust and obedience.

"...you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."  Jesus wants the best for us. The things he wants us to avoid lead to all kinds of destruction. He wants a relationship with us that strengthens our core. He wants us to be fearless and free in the light of his grace. 

Today, I am grateful for core strength.