Move It

Last week during my Made to Crave bible study, there was a chapter on exercise.  I avoided that chapter like the plaque.  I didn't want to be convicted to change this part of my life.  You see,  I HATE EXERCISE.  All forms of exercise make me want to cry.  I am not exaggerating.  I loath exercise. 
But, I read it and this is what stuck with me.
I can either be loyal to honoring the Lord with my body or loyal to my cravings, desires, and many excuses for not exercising. -Lysa TerKeurst
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.  I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name together.  Psalm 86:11-12
I can't have an undivided heart in this journey. I either want to honor God with my body, or I want to be loyal to my cravings.  This solidified in my brain that exercise is part of taking care of God's temple.  I have to do it.  But, I still didn't want to....so it sat in my brain for a few days. 
Then off to church I go.  Pastor Zach was preaching on observing the sabbath.  "Oh, good", I thought, "I do this, I can sit back and relax."  Oh did God have different plans.  As he was talking about observing the sabbath, he said that there are two parts to the story.  Yes, we must rest one day, but we need to be working the other six.  Since our lives are so sedentary, and we aren't using our bodies as God created them to be used, we need to be exercising them.  
I had to laugh to myself.  Before the sermon I was mulling over in my mind to make a commitment to exercise 4-5 times a week.  And then in a way only God can do, he said, NOPE, you need to be doing it 6 days a week!  Man, oh, Man!!!!
This still didn't change the fact that I wanted to exercise.  I knew that I should, but I still had no desire.  So, I asked the Lord to change my view.  This is what he gave me.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  Psalm 16:3
I have to do this for the Lord.  It has to be an act of service to him.  It kind of makes it harder to not get out of bed when you are telling God "No" instead of just being lazy. 
Step one down.  I  will exercise six days a week and I will do if for the Lord.  That is settled.
But, I still was not happy about it.  Then came this lovely verse from the back of my brain.
Do everything without complaining or arguing.  Philippians 2:14
So, within a matter of a week, I have had a heart change.  I will exercise for the Lord and I will do it without complaining.  Now, I am sure that I will have to remind myself of this often.  But, this morning, I set my alarm, got up and worked out.  Day one down and I am relying on God to give me the want to and praying that God's strength can replace my excuses step by step.