But have nothing to do with irreverent folklore and silly myths. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness [keeping yourself spiritually fit].
1 Timothy 4:7
Atrophy is generally one of those terms that we don’t hear or use unless there is an issue or a problem. Atrophy is what I think of as a negative word, meaning it’s only used in an unfavorable situation. And for good reason. The definition of atrophy is a gradual decline in effectiveness or energy due to disregard or neglect.
There are a few sayings that have stuck with me from my childhood. They had an impact on me way back then and they are still a constant reminder in my daily activities to keep the important things of life in focus. Two of those principles are simple, yet effective in application.
“Move it or lose it” and “You are what you eat” may have been coined from the fitness and nutrition movements, but I would argue that these adages transcend to all areas of our life. By keeping these in mind and putting them into practice, we can guard ourselves from not only atrophy, but also apathy.
The practicality of these sayings from a physical aspect is quite straightforward. Our body was created for action, to work, to be exercised. The more we work our muscles, our heart and our lungs the more efficient and effective our physical bodies become. Conversely, when we don’t exercise our muscles, our heart and our lungs atrophy occurs. We either move it or lose it.
In addition to exercise, what we put into our body will affect our overall physical health and ability. Good nutrition gives us the building blocks to become strong while poor nutrition leads us to depletion, disease and illness. You are what you choose to eat.
But we would be fools to think that these same principles do not apply to our mental status. When we rely upon others to do our thinking for us, we begin to decrease in our ability to problem solve, to be creative, to rationally think things through. When it comes to our mental fitness, we either use it or lose it.
Multiple recent studies are finding the potential decline in cognitive abilities due a new found reliance on artificial intelligence. These studies suggest that as we increasingly depend on AI for tasks that previously required mental effort, our cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking and memory, decrease or atrophy. It’s important to use as well as feed your brain what it needs to stay strong and get stronger every day.
And that brings us to what really matters most. The spiritual component of our life. In the Gospels, Jesus was constantly challenging those around Him to move from a temporal mindset to an eternal spiritual mindset. When we surrender to Christ and enter into a new life with Him, we are spiritually born, becoming eternally alive. We are now on a journey to everlasting glory with Him.
When we set out on any journey the goal is moving from where we are to where we need to get to. Any journey involves movement, effort and endurance. Every day we do not make up ground, we inadvertently lose ground. Our faith is no different. Daily we either use it or in missed opportunities we lose the chance to grow. To exercise our faith is to strengthen our faith. Going to church on Sunday is like going to the gym. If I don’t actually engage and exercise, the location does nothing for me.
In a spiritual sense, we are what we eat. What we put into our mind, what we engage in, who we surround ourselves with will always affect us in our spiritual life. Positive or negative, what we choose to spiritually eat will determine who we are and what we become. Plain and simple, Jesus builds while the world brings atrophy.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.
John 6:35
Jason Metz, lead Pastor
