SoulFit: Integrity In The Middle

We talk about why so much of life is lived in the in-between and why those ordinary days shape us more than the big highs and lows. We focus on integrity as the steady choice to be the same person in private and public, trusting God to build our character while we wait. 
• life in the middle between prayer and answer 
• why routine seasons can weaken focus and invite temptation 
• integrity as being whole and consistent 
• Proverbs 10:9 and walking securely 
• how compromise creates anxiety while integrity creates peace 
• everyday examples of cutting corners and justifying small disobedience 
• why small compromises today become big consequences tomorrow 
• Luke 16:10 and faithfulness with little 
• the race training analogy for spiritual growth in the “off-season” 
• handling small frustrations as character training 
• integrity as internal stability that does not depend on outside conditions 
I'll see everybody next week.

https://aarondegler.com/

Transcript

Welcome To SoulFit

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to SoulFit. Thank you for taking time to join us today. If this is your first time, welcome. Each week we just join our live call that I share Soul Fit with. And each week, really, we just talk about a topic. We take some scripture from the Bible and how is it applicable to our life, our everyday life? How does that look when we put it into play in real life with our all the things that go on? So I just share that each week. And so again, thanks for joining Soul Fit. Let's join our live call. So a lot of times, or most of our life, where do we usually live? We talked a lot about over the last five weeks, we talked about waiting, what we do, what's our responsibility, what God does while we're waiting, all the different things when we're looking for something, we're waiting on something. But if you think about, we spend a lot of time, and really when waiting, when we are waiting, what's it feel like? It feels like we're waiting forever. Like that takes up our whole life. But really, it's kind of like you know, a minute-long sprint feels like it's our whole life, like it's taking forever. But the recovery goes by really fast. And so our life really isn't, as we think about in the times of waiting, it seems like forever. But where do we really spend a lot of our time at? Our lot of our time is spent in the middle. It's either it's between the prayer and the answer, or the starting and the arriving. Maybe even we've had a prayer and it's been answered, and now we're spending time in the middle, the in-between. What and that's really what we're going to talk about today is what does that look like? What does the middle look like? What does the in-between look like? Because probably a lot of us when we when we really want something, when we're in that waiting season, we're in prayer maybe all the time. We're constantly looking for uh different signs. Is this a sign? Is this what I'm supposed to listen to? Is this what I'm supposed to do? We're constantly looking for that. But when we're not really waiting on anything, you know, it's kind of like we might just say life is just going on. There's no big ups, there's no big downs. Life is just kind of rolling on. It's kind of whatever it is. It's going okay. It's not anything we need, we have big prayers about, and there's no big celebrations to pray about. It's just the everyday in and out. We're doing our routine, we're doing our thing, and that's kind of what we're gonna talk about. And and really that in between too is there's nobody really patting us on the back, giving us, you know, a lot of attention, like we we needed this or that. Progress feels like it's about normal. It's not fast, it's not slow, it's just kind of moving along. And and sometimes, you know, even in the between, sometimes we have different temptations that can creep in in the between, because nothing's really going on. We have a little bit more free time, our minds free. And so all these different things. And so we're gonna talk about the integrity, the integrity in the middle, where it matters the most. Because really, think about if a lot of people get ready for Cowtown and run whether it's a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, and there's a lot of training going on. There's a lot going on, you know, putting in miles every day, making sure you hit all those, that training schedule, doing all the things leading up 10, 12 weeks before the big event. And so then what happens after the event? It and that's kind of what happens between now, and let's say, you know, I talked to many that, okay, I'm good till next year. I'm not doing another one till next year. Perfect. What happens in the in-between? What goes on? And if we look at as us in our spiritual life, that's kind of what it is. Sometimes we're we we're trying to make a big decision, so we're praying hard, we're on a schedule. I'm praying morning, noon, and night. I'm really getting after it. And then that big we we hadn't answered prayer. Now what do we do? It's almost like, huh? Well, I'm not sure what I'd do now. And so we're gonna talk about that in-between and and kind of what how integrity matters in the in-between. Kind of like what are we gonna do between March 1st after the event got done at Cowtown to the next February? What's gonna happen before we start training again in at the first of the year? So integrity really is about integrity is the whole. It's undivided, it's consistent. And so, what does that look like for us? It looks like for us, the same person privately as we are publicly. I always love the saying that whatever you eat in private shows up in public. Well, because you can't you can't always hide overeating in private. You think nobody's notices until it starts to add on the pounds, and then it shows up in public. And the same is really true for us. The things we're doing in private show up in public. How we're acting, the words we use, the responses we have, all of those things. In Proverbs 10, 9, it says, whoever walks in integrity walks securely. But whoever takes the crooked path will be found out. The crooked path, if we're talking about food, is whatever you're eating in private shows up in public. It's not the best choices. And so the same is true of what we do in private is in our tech integrity. It's consistent, it's whole, it's undivided. That's gonna show up. And and think about this integrity brings peace. Compromise brings anxiety. So, in other words, integrity goes, I'm confident in who I am and what I'm doing. I'm confident in when I'm around people, it brings me peace. I know that's who I am. When we start to compromise, I mean we're gonna talk about why the in-between gets kind of dangerous. Because sometimes we start to compromise a little bit. So if if we look at a race, if we look at everybody get done cowtown, they ran a half marathon, marathon, and ah, whew, that's done. What does a compromise look like? When we're talking about running or walking, whatever you do it, I'm gonna skip a few days. It's not a big deal. I was supposed to do a 30-minute run today, I'm just gonna do 25. I was I had planned in my mind a six-mile run, but I'm just gonna do two. Nobody sees. I didn't tell anybody, it's not a big deal. And so, how does that look for us in everyday life? We cut corners, we lower our standards. It's okay just this one time. I mean, I I kind of got what I prayed for, and I'm kind of good. So it's okay if I lower my standard a little bit. We compromise our values, which those should really be our compass. And we go, well, I don't really agree with that, but I really like that person. So I guess it's okay this one time, and I just won't say anything. It'll be okay. Because I mean, I'm not really trying to get anywhere. I mean, my prayers, I'm I'm pretty good with God, and so it'll be okay. He'll understand. We kind of settle, and that you know, and maybe it's in friendships or in relationships, whether with family or friends, co-workers, we just kind of settle, like, yeah, I guess this is okay. It's kind of like cutting corners, we take shortcuts, we justify small obediences. Yeah, again, those start to bring some anxiety because we know, we know that we're justifying small disobediences. Well, I don't really want to be honest with them because it's kind of kind of hurt their feelings. So I just won't say anything, even though it's it's really not right, I'll just let that one slide. It's not a big deal. How many times you know I'm guilty of that sometimes, it's not a big deal. It'll be okay this time. And and then we we also think this it's okay because no one will know. And how many times, maybe over your lifetime, have you done things that uh no one will know? You accidentally, because you're you're your own checker, you you for a little bit worked for Walmart, I mean, even though they weren't paying you, but you checked out your your order, and you went, got out to your car, you're unloading and goes, oh man, I forgot that case of water underneath. Or oh, my purse was sitting on top of this little thing. What do you do? So let me ask you, what should you do? What do you do? It's two different things.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

I have gone back in. So that's a big deal about it. They kind of make it a pain in your ear when you go in. Exactly. But I have gone back in and they roll their eyes. They do. Like they're so irritable at you. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:47

And so what does it make you want to do the next time?

SPEAKER_00 9:50

I'm just gonna leave it because I'm not gonna irritate somebody with that next.

The In Between Builds The Person

Everyday Irritations Reveal Character

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Yes. And and so so that's the in-between. That's this, that's the the justifying the disobedience. I didn't do the right thing, but they make it such a pain. I'm just gonna take it. They won't ever know. It's too big a deal. And I'm not saying we're all guilty of that because we are. I'm just simply pointing it out that that is, you know, a small disobedience that we do justify, and that's a little thing. But if you think about it, we do that in other areas too. And because we say, because we try to do the right thing, and how many times have you done the right thing and go, well, that didn't get me anywhere? Why should I do that? And again, we've all been guilty of that. Like, okay, I know this is the right thing to do, I know what the right thing is to do to take it back, or the right thing is to say, you didn't give me enough change. And but then in our mind we go, well, she didn't even count out to me, or he he just handed me a whole lot of money. It's his fault or her fault. But in those instances, and again, this is food for thought to be that little voice in your head that goes, I'm I'm trying to justify, but it's really not right. And again, integrity really is what what you do, and nobody's looking, no one will know. But guess who and and what starts to create of a a shoulda, coulda, woulda in your mind. And that is what is speaking to you that no one will know, but I compromised. And I think this is really good. Small compromises today become big consequences tomorrow. Because when we start to compromise on the small things, we start to compromise on the big things. Because I think we've we've talked about in something we've done, talked about that what we tolerate, we will accept. If we're tolerating the small compromises, we will eventually accept the big compromise because we can justify ourselves from that one little thing that we took from a store for a dollar up to the big thing that we will compromise on. Because this is really, I think this is really something I wanted. This is what I wanted to do. And so you compromise on it. And then later it has big consequences, and you go, whoa, I shouldn't have done that. You know, and and in our when we in those moments, in the in between, I think about, and I just love I love physical exercise, fitness because it goes so along with with everything. But in between March 1st, when Caltown, the big day was, until when training starts about January, maybe in December, you're in the in between there is when you develop. Yes, you start training for that event come December. But in the in between is when maybe there's a few pounds lost. Maybe that's when your pace gets a little bit faster. Maybe that's when your VO2 max gets a little bit better. Maybe that's when your recovery rate becomes better. All those things happen. The training isn't to increase all those things. That 12-week training for a half marathon or even longer for a full, that training is not to improve those things. That training is to simply be able to get those miles in at a certain pace. The in-between is when everything is really worked on, is made better. And so for us, that is what God is doing on us on the in-between, is He is working to increase our patience, to increase our understanding, to increase our obedience, to increase our empathy, to increase our sympathy. Because when those things come about, when that big event comes, we're already we already have those things that God's been working on us for. So we're we're we're ready to start training. We're because if if we have to go do all that stuff again, we're not even close to being ready for training. So as we talked about when what during waiting, before blessings comes building, before training for that that event comes the preparation. You're preparing all that time in the in-between. Because think about we have nine more months before the next before training starts for cowtown. Nine months. What can happen in nine months? You can do a lot, I mean, you can become fitter, faster in those in that time. In Luke 16, 10 through 11, it says, whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with much. And whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much, as we talked about. Well, small compass compromises today become big consequences tomorrow. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And so the integrity, the in-between is all the little stuff. How do you handle when if you have little kids when they won't get in the car? How will you handle when older parents just irritate the fire out of you? How will you handle when that eye roll from the Walmart employee when you took the thing back? That is the the the in-between.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

That moment or when your pizza is not ready when you get to pizza.

Confidence Peace And Final Challenge

Prayer And Closing

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Or when your pizza is not ready when you get to pizza. And that is a challenge for me, I gotta tell you. When when they say it's when the little app says 15 to 20 minutes, and you get there 30 minutes because you know it's a Friday night and it's gonna be late, and they say, Oh, we just put in the oven. I have to do a lot of self-talk in the back behind the old salad bar, in the space where there used to be tables, and talk to myself that says it will make no difference if you get ugly with this person. They are not gonna make it go faster, it's not gonna change anything. And so I just sit back there and have to talk to myself for 20 minutes while the pizza comes out, and then text Kim, and she has to remind me that you have to be nice. It's not gonna make a difference, it's no big deal. And remind myself that that is the in between. That is the middle. That is when nobody's looking, nobody knows that I'm holding it in. That it makes no difference. Um I have to remind myself that that person came today to work to earn a living. And me jumping their case is not gonna speed it up anymore. Me throwing a fit is just gonna make a butthead out of me. It's not gonna matter to anybody. And anybody that's around goes, oh, okay, that's how he acts. I get it. And so it that's really the in-between. And then think about that when we do get the eye roll, when do you get those the pizza's not ready, or we get the wrong order, or we have to engage with someone, that is the in between. That is the middle. And that is when we're really our integrity, our character is being developed. Because there it's being developed and it's being worked on, because there's there's somewhere down the road that we're gonna have a prayer, that we're gonna be in a season of waiting, that this is working on, that we don't even know we're gonna be in a waiting season. We're not don't even know we have that need. We don't even know that we have that prayer. And those are the moments that we're being worked on, that we're being built. And we've talked about before, God cares more about our character than he does the timeline. And those are the moments that are developing that. Uh and again, our integrity, it produces confidence. It gives us when we have confidence, what do we do? We walk taller, we walk prouder, we sleep peacefully, we don't fear exposure, we don't need to manage perception. We're confident. And integrity builds that, it it produces that. And the integrity is built in the small moments, not the big moments. It's in our everyday interactions, it's in our everyday talk, it's in our everyday thought, it's built in the small moments. We I think we see a lot of miracles and and things that God answered prayers and all these things. And they're the big applause and with hugs, and this is wonderful, and this is great, but it's in the small moments that really prepare us for the things we don't even know we need. It prepares us that that training throughout the year prepares us for things we're going to encounter during training that we didn't even know about. We didn't even know that was gonna come about. And integrity gives us the internal stability. I always like to say it's not letting outside conditions affect inside conditions. And when our inside conditions are, which is our integrity, are stable, it doesn't matter what goes on the outside. Our internal will always be the same. And in Psalms 25, 21, to finish up, it says, May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. And that and and when we have that integrity, we can go to bed at night and sleep good. And we can walk tall, we can be confident in who we are and what we are, because who we are and what we are is a child of God. And how can we not be more confident with that than anything else? So the challenge is really just think about the small moments, and that's where that's the that's the middle, that's the in-between. Yeah, we have valleys, and yeah, we have mountaintops, and and we cry from the valleys and we cheer from the mountaintops. But a lot of our time and life is spent in the middle, in our everyday middle moments. It's the in-between, the lows and the highs that we spend time on. And when we have the lows and highs, the in between is what prepares us for both. How do we handle both on opposite ends? It's the in-between. So the challenge is the in-between is the small daily moments, set small daily habits, small daily actions, small daily interactions. What do you do with those? And those are really what is building your integrity, which is producing your confidence in God and what He does in your life. So that's really the challenge this week. Well, I'll just finish this up in prayer and then we can go on about our fantastically fun Friday. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us all together today. Lord, the middle sometimes is overwhelming because we forget that that's where we spend a lot of our time and our life. So, Lord, give us each the strength to uh remember that we are in the middle in those moments that we don't think matter, that sometimes we overlook, they really do matter. And that's the time when you're helping us become fitter in life so we can be ready for the big things that we need and we ask for, and that others will see that the light from us because of the work we've done in the small moments. And I just pray, Lord, that each one of us go out from here and work on those small moments and remember that your hand is in each moment, big and small. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thank you, everybody. Um, have a great Friday, and I'll see everybody next week. Thank y'all. And thank you to each of you for joining us on SoulFit. I look so forward to seeing you right here next time on SoulFit.