September 13 2011, 8:00 am | Kyle Hollaway
It’s amazing how passivity can creep into your life. It is a subtle enemy that lulls you into a sedentary life that ultimately robs you of your ability to “fight the good fight”. I didn’t plan to fall victim to passivity. It just happened, one small choice at a time. Life was good and I didn’t have any real struggles or worries. Naturally there were financial concerns due to increased costs (gasoline, cellular data plans, kids activities), but nothing that was causing me to lose sleep at night. Physically I was “healthy”, or so I thought, since my weight wasn’t blowing up out of control and I could still play a game of basketball on occasion. Emotionally I was on an even keel with no real spikes up or down. At times I felt apathetic, but I passed it off as being the quiet, steady type. Spiritually it was the same story; no real highs and lows, just a consistent dialogue with God on the events of the day.
I wish I could say that it was some grand awakening that pulled me from the grips of passivity, but it wasn’t. Rather it was a simple invitation from a friend to try his new workout facility, Rock City Crossfit. Scott and I were first acquainted 6-7 years ago when he and his wife at the time were in our church small-group. After a few years Scott enlisted in the Army and left town. After serving two tours in the Middle East and upon returning to Little Rock, Scott opened a local gym specializing in the multi-disciplined Crossfit fitness regimen. I initially accepted his invitation as a means of showing him support in his new venture.
It was a decision that has changed my life. That is a big statement, but true none the less. Joining the program and pushing myself to become physically fit has slowly awakened an awareness of how passivity (and laziness) has blanketed my life. As I began experiencing the benefits of the Crossfit program (renewed energy, increased strength, improved self-esteem), I began to see areas in my life that had become, as my wife Rebekah would say, “flabby”. I wasn’t emotionally engaged, my spiritual disciplines were weak and my desire to pursue Christ was dulled. I was not Cross-fit (worthy of the Cross).
To be the faith-warrior and Christ-follower that I have been called to be meant I would have to make hard choices. I have come to realize that to defeat passivity I have to repeatedly choose to engage. Spiritually and emotionally it is hard, but this is where perseverance and determination come in. Through repeatedly pushing off passivity and spending time in the Word and consciously willing myself to engage in conversation with my wife I am beginning to see the same improvements in “fitness” that I have seen in the physical realm.
It all starts with a choice. Make your choice today. Together we can challenge each other to become Cross-fit!