Learning lessons from our physical bodies: Humility

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them..." Romans 12:3-6

What if the body parts would decide to compete who is the best and the most important? What if there was a full scale rivalry going on during physical activity?

Would the right leg want to go to a different direction with the left? Would the lungs decide to go on strike when the rest of the body needed a lot of oxygen? 

Pick any team in the sport or in the corporate world or even in a church and you will have trouble finding a team that works in unity and harmony like the human body. There is no rivalry or competition. Even if one part or system is empasized or honored, the rest of the body will still graciously support each other and rejoice for the common success. In truth, there are no solo-missions within the body but everything is for the team, not just on paper but also in reality.

The true functionality within mankind could only be found through unselfishness and humility. Anyone, who sincerely examines their heart knows that this goal is not possible with human strength and effort. Only in Christ, with the transformational power of God, I can get closer to being a true servant, less interested in me and more interested in You.     

Tommi The Trainer

Ankylosing Spondylitis & Amazing grace!

My journey and work of physical training and conditioning could have easily become just an extension of my own "weight lifting" -hobby without the ankylosing spondylitis. AS is an auto-immune condition that affects the spine, joints, eyes and unpredictably pretty much any body part. My condition started as frequent iritis, then became semi-chronic sacro-iliac inflammation, lower back pain and migrating muscle inflammation. It gave me a gift of empathy for others in pain and also a refreshed appreciation of just being able to move.

I learned that walking is not a less of a miracle than squatting a full rack of weights. Through the experience of ankylosing spondylitis my own exercise became a necessity even more than a passion and I gained a new perspective to life in general. I know now that the abundant grace of God will prevail and strengthen me even in the midst of sickness and adversity. But even more than just sustaining me, He is willing to heal, and in my case has already done so.

I look at the pain of a person differently through my own experience. Pain makes you consumed by your own situation, it makes you fearful of the future and it very often steals your joy and peace in the present time as well. At the same time, it helps you develop a new perspective, makes you cry out for God more and certainly shifts your priorities around. A lot of times the end result, learning lesson if you will, depends on our own response and attitude at the time of crisis and struggle.

In my work I aim to prevent pain with correct exercises and sometimes can even ease some discomfort that is already there, but as the Word says, God Almighty is the one who heals:

"Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases..."
Psalm 103:2-3

Tommi The Trainer