Rick Warren's Blog, page 662

God Gives You Abilities to Help Others

"Now you belong to him who was raised from death in order that we might be useful in the service of God." (Romans 7:4b TEV)

God created you to help others. Regardless of your job or career, you are called to full-time Christian service. A "non-serving Christian" is a contradiction in terms.

The Bible says, "He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose" (2 Timothy 1:9a TEV).

Peter adds, "You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you" (1 Peter 2:9b GW).

Growing up, you may have thought that being called by God was something only missionaries, pastors, nuns, and other full-time church workers experienced, but the Bible says every Christian is called to service.

When you use your God-given abilities to help others, you are fulfilling your calling. The Bible says, "Now you belong to him who was raised from death in order that we might be useful in the service of God" (Romans 7:4b TEV).

Talk It Over

How are you using your God-given abilities to help others?

What is God calling you to do that you've thought you were not qualified to do?

How can you encourage other people in your small group, church, or community of believers to serve in ministry?

To Become Daniel Strong, Commit to Your Group

"You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." (James 3:18 MSG)

For you to become Daniel Strong, you need to be committed to a small group of friends who will love and support you in your Daniel Plan journey and for the rest of your life.

And your friends need the same commitment from you. Your Daniel Plan group is not just for this study but for a lifetime of pursuing God's best for your health - spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

The Bible says, "You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor" (James 3:18 MSG).

Commit to loving each other even at your worst, when you want to unload your frustrations, and when you've slipped up on the Daniel Plan four weeks in a row. Commit to loving each other as Christ loved you. Commit to carrying each other's burdens and helping each other become Daniel Strong.

Talk It Over

Why is it important to invest in friendships that last? What are reasons that some friendships don't last?

Why do you think it's important to develop quality friendships as opposed to a large quantity of friendships?

Who do you know is committed to you and your success? How do they show you that?

Embrace What God Has Done for You

"Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him." (Romans 12:1 MSG)

The Daniel Plan integrates that which we tend to separate: food, friends, fitness, focus, and faith. Tackling the five essentials together actually makes them easier.

The Bible says to "take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him" (Romans 12:1 MSG).

In prayerful movements, our faith and fitness connect and strengthen one another, reminding us that in God, "we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28 NIV). He is the giver of life and breath.

When you take a walk, think of what it means to walk with God. When you get up to take a break from sitting, make a mental list of your blessings, or pray for the people in your home or workplace. These prayerful movements will help you focus your everyday activities on God and what he has done for you through the Daniel Plan.

Talk It Over

What are three prayerful movements that you will engage in today? There's no wrong way to do this - any movement is the right one!

What do you understand more fully or notice for the first time about yourself as you engage in prayerful movement?

What do you understand more fully or notice for the first time about God as you engage in prayerful movement?

Let God Breathe New Life into Your Healthy Efforts

"We will never turn our back on you; breathe life into our lungs so we can shout your name!" (Psalm 80:18 MSG)

Psalm 80:18 says, "We will never turn our back on you; breathe life into our lungs so we can shout your name!" (MSG

Breathing is one of the few functions of your body that you do automatically - but it can also be done mindfully. When you remember to breathe deeply, you can actually clear your body and mind. By slowing your breathing, you can lower your heart rate and your stress level! Breathing is a powerful way to strengthen your body.

Mindful breathing is a reminder that your need for intimacy with God is like your need to breathe in air. King David sang, "I live and breathe GOD" (Psalm 34:2 MSG).

God can breathe new life into you and your efforts to become healthier. He says, "I will put breath into you and bring you back to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD" (Ezekiel 37:6b TEV).

Talk It Over

What does it mean to "live and breathe God"? Why is this significant to your success in the Daniel Plan?

What does the truth that God can breathe new life into you mean to your efforts to become Daniel Strong?

Taking five slow, deep breaths before you eat can help you eat less and enjoy the food more. Try this during your next meal. How does it affect the way you eat and the way you feel during and after the meal?

An Attitude of Gratitude Leads to Greater Health

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

As God continues to help you grow and get healthier through the Daniel Plan, you'll want to make a regular practice of telling God "thank you" for what he is doing. The Bible tells us to "rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).

You see, the healthiest human emotion isn't love but gratitude. Gratitude actually increases your immunities. It makes you more resistant to stress and less susceptible to illness. People who are grateful are happy because they are satisfied with what they have. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude reduces stress in your life and leads to greater spiritual and physical health.

You can't just be thankful when your Daniel Plan journey - or life in general - is going well. Gratitude must become a habit and continue even through difficult times in your life. As part of your regular time with God each morning, take some time to list everything you're thankful for. When you make this habit part of your life, you will begin to notice more of what God is doing in and through you.

Talk It Over

What are the first five things that come to mind for which you are thankful?

What are the first five things that come to mind that you see as negative, challenging, or frustrating?

Ask God to open your eyes to small blessings about each of those trying circumstances, and share a word of gratitude for each one.

You Need Friends Who Will Help You Succeed

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24 NIV)

Hebrews 10:24 says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (NIV).

Real friends bring out the best in each other. They encourage and motivate one another to reach their goals. Friends who will cheer you on to success are a critical part of the Daniel Plan.

There's an old Zambian proverb that says, "When you run alone, you run fast. But when you run together, you run far." The Daniel Plan - and the lifetime of healthy habits ahead of you - is not a 50-yard dash. It is a marathon.

Marathon runners know there comes a point when you start getting a pain in your side that makes you want to give up. But if you have other people running with you, you can find the strength to continue to the finish line. The same is true in your journey to a healthier you. The only way you'll achieve your God-given health goals is to have others involved in your life.

"In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Romans 12:5).

Talk It Over

We all have different strengths when it comes to encouraging others. What are some ways you can encourage the people in your Daniel Plan group?

Why do you think it's important to want your friends' success as much as your own?

As you reflect on Romans 12:5, who are the people in your life to whom you can easily reach out for help?

Keep Healthy Habits Through Biblical Meditation

"I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees." (Psalm 119:48 NLT)

The temptation to abandon the healthy habits you're learning through the Daniel Plan can be quite strong at times. Your only chance to overcome those temptations is to follow the model of Jesus. When he was tempted in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus responded with Scripture.�

Jesus meditated on and memorized God's Word. Psalm 119:48 says, "I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees" (NLT).

Biblical meditation is not about emptying your mind but filling it with truth. It simply means to read a passage of Scripture, think about it, and repeat it to yourself. It's the first and most important step to memorizing Bible verses.

No habit will help you in the spiritual dynamics of getting healthy more than meditating and memorizing the Word of God.

Talk It Over

What are some of the temptations you face on your Daniel Plan journey?

Jesus overcame temptation with Scripture. What are some of God's promises you can memorize to counteract temptation in your life?

What can you do today to start a habit of Scripture memorization? Start with 1 Corinthians 10:13: "[God] will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" (NLT).

To Change Your Health Habits, Change the Way You Think

"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts." (Proverbs 4:23 TEV)

Changing your health habits is like driving a speedboat on a lake with your automatic pilot set to go east. If you want to reverse course, you could try to physically force the wheel in the opposite direction, but you'd likely get tired, let go, and the boat would drift back.

But there's a better option: Change your autopilot. The same is true with your health habits. To make a lasting change, you must change how you think. Behind everything you do - even your unhealthy habits - is a thought that keeps you from getting healthy.�Instead, the Bible says you should "have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

God wants you to learn to think like Jesus. How do you do that? You meditate on God's Word and you ask, "Lord, how would Jesus think about this?" The more you fill your mind with the Word of God, the easier that's going to be.

"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts" (Proverbs 4:23 TEV).

Talk It Over

What are some of the beliefs that have derailed your attempts to get healthy in the past?

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What are some truths from God's Word that can change the autopilot that keeps you from getting healthy?

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What do you need to change about the way you do your quiet time or structure your schedule so that you can fill your mind with the Word of God?

You Are God's Work of Art

"You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother's body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well." (Psalm 139:13-14 NCV)

God made you in an amazing and wonderful way! Psalm 139:13-14 says, "You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother's body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well" (NCV).

God sees you as a work of art. He does not look at you critically but with deep love. Our bodies are his workmanship.

Knowing that truth, what is the right attitude toward your body? Don't reject it, and don't neglect it.

Keeping your body in shape is a spiritual discipline. God created your body, Jesus died for it, the Holy Spirit lives in it, your body is connected to Christ, and it's going to be resurrected one day. One day God will hold you accountable for how you managed your body.

But he doesn't leave you alone to do that. He is with you every step of your journey to become Daniel Strong.

Talk It Over

God gave you the body that you will need to complete your mission here on Earth. How does that change the way you look at your body?

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When you reject your body, you are essentially saying, "God, you made a mistake!" What would be a better way to talk to God about your body?

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What are the strengths God has given you? What can you do with those strengths for God's glory?

Sleep Is God's Gift

"God gives rest to his loved ones." (Psalm 127:2b NLT)

The Bible says, "God gives rest to his loved ones" (Psalm 127:2b NLT).

When you sleep, your heavenly Father watches over you in love. Sleep is God's gift; to accept that gift is an act of trust. He restores your body and energy through sleep.

One of the hidden triggers to over-eating is lack of rest. When we're overtired, we often try to boost our energy with caffeine or sugar or carbs, which ultimately leaves us more tired than before.

Trusting God enough to sleep builds your faith. Why does sleep require trust? Because we tend to overload our schedules and think that we don't have time to get the proper amount of sleep.

Jesus relaxed, and he never felt guilty about it. Even God took a day off after Creation. Who are we to think we're too busy to get the proper rest?

Talk It Over

How might giving yourself the gift of a good night's sleep help you meet your Daniel Plan goals?

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Matthew 11:28-29 says, "Come to me,�all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,�for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." What longings stir in you when you read Jesus' invitation to rest?

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What needs to change about your schedule and priorities so that you can make more time for rest?