A couple of nights ago, I took a rare opportunity and went to the movies by myself. Usually my brother and sister are with me, but it was a school night for them and I wanted to allow myself to completely absorb the movie. Since the movie didn’t start until about 10 pm, there weren’t too many of us at this particular theater. So, I sat down at a table in the concession area to wait until I could go in the theater.
There was one other table in that area and two men where sitting there waiting for their theater as well. While one was engrossed in his smart phone, the other started to unpack a small duffel bag. Before I knew it, at least 20 prescription pill bottles were on the table stacked and ready to be dosed.
I couldn’t believe what I saw. Not because the man was sick and needed medicine – I have my own medicine to take – but it was the volume that he had to take, and probably multiple times per day.
After the initial shock of a table full of prescription drugs, I started to feel sad, then angry. I felt badly for this man because many days I don’t want to have to take the small number of pills that I have, so I know his level of frustration with this process must be high. And if he’s not frustrated anymore, then maybe he has given up and resigned himself to a life of pharmaceuticals.
Either way, it just seemed wrong.
Every day we make choices. Some are big, but most are small. And it’s those small choices that add up over time and can create great things for you or a nightmare. This applies to our finances, our faith, and, especially, our health.
I don’t blame this man for the position he’s in right now because I don’t know how he got there. But, as a health and wellness coach, my job is simply to educate and help point you in the direction you already know you should head.
But what if you’ve given up?
What if you think that it’s too late to be healthy or too much damage has been done?
If that’s what you think, then I would pose the following questions to you: What if God decided humanity wasn’t worth saving after all? What if God decided that man was too far-gone and had no chance for redemption? What if God gave up on us?
I hope you, the reader, know that God has not given up on any of us, no matter what we have done. The forgiveness we receive through grace and faith assures us of God’s continuing love for us. After all, he did send his only son as a sacrificial lamb!
If, after all we have done, the creator of the universe still believes in us, we must do no less and believe in ourselves and endeavor to care for the earthly bodies that are a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Let go of what you’ve done in the past and commit to moving forward; that’s what I would have told the gentleman if we were talking about improving his health. Start right now and take those small steps forward that make a big difference later. Will you do it perfectly? No. But that’s okay. When you fall down, get up and keep going. You are worth the effort.
What are some of the small steps you can take right now to improve your health and create a more fulfilling life? I want to hear what you’ve got to say so we can inspire and pray for each other, so leave your comment (or question) below!
Photo from Wikipedia Commons