As I was shredding my legs this morning to Dr. Axe's "Burstfit Fire" DVDs, I was practically sobbing with exhaustion and pain, wondering how I had let myself get to this point of muscular weakness. Everything in me cried out to give up. Quit now. It's not worth it. It's too hard, and you'll never make it. However, I persevered (with some....okay....many breaks). Better health, stronger muscles, better weight, better body, better life, and godly life, motivated me to forge on even when everything human within me begged me to cease and desist. |
The right attitude within this self-afflicted workout helped me to finish. Finishing will help me grow stronger and have more muscle mass. More muscle mass will help me burn more fat and help my body function at a better level. Less fat and better body functioning will help me live longer and more fully, which will allow me more time to impact the world and glorify God. Most importantly, I will not be giving into my cravings of the flesh, but will be able to dominate and have dominion over what God has created and commanded me to rule.
Sipping on my coffee and protein shake after my workout and during my devotional, I was struck by the message God had for me today. In Psalm 119, God spoke to me, and again tears came to my eyes, only this time during my spiritual workout. Psalm 119:67 records David's poetry proclaiming his love for God's rules and precepts. He states, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word." I was crying because this was true in my life, as I'm sure it is in yours. I've dealt with affliction in the form of rejection and verbal abuse which left me broken, bitter, and insecure. However, as I was healing from that affliction, I was growing closer to God. I grew in my faith, my compassion, my humility, and my love. I loved God more and felt closer to Him after that affliction than I did before being afflicted. What David said was true. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, I did my own thing, but now I trust that the Lord's way is best. I seek to follow Him more. The real emotional impact came when I read verse 71: "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." When I read that, I realized that I too now believe that. As painful and life-altering as that event was for me, I am glad it happened. God became real to me. He was my comforter, my healer, my redeemer, my Savior, my lover, my friend, my shelter, my rock, my deliver, etc. He was and is everything. But without that affliction, I would probably never have realized this at the level I do now. He is my all in all. That's when I made the connection between my physical workout and my spiritual workout.
Without affliction, my muscles have no real chance of improvement. With affliction plus the right attitude, my muscles build themselves up, becoming stronger than they were before the affliction. Hear this: they are better than they were before! The damage to them helps to improve them. There is some healing that needs to happen, and I need to help take care of them. BUT they are better! The same is true after a spiritual affliction. With the right attitude, God can use this horrible, painful experience to strengthen our faith. Healing must happen. But with healing correctly, in the truth of God's grace and love, comes strength and knowledge, wisdom and understanding of who we are in light of who God is.
Are you facing an affliction? If not, you will. According to financial planner Dave Ramsey, if you have a pulse, you will face trials and tribulations. It's inevitable. You need to be prepared. If you increase your spiritual muscles by soaking in God's Word ahead of time and preparing for the affliction, you will make it through better and stronger than you were before. And best of all, you don't have to face those afflictions alone. God will be your workout buddy, encouraging and comforting you until healing occurs. And one day, you will be able to say, "I'm glad for that affliction." Just like hopefully one day soon I will be able to say, "I'm glad I afflicted my physical muscles." Turn to Him, and I am confident that one day, like David, you will be able to thank God for your affliction.
Sipping on my coffee and protein shake after my workout and during my devotional, I was struck by the message God had for me today. In Psalm 119, God spoke to me, and again tears came to my eyes, only this time during my spiritual workout. Psalm 119:67 records David's poetry proclaiming his love for God's rules and precepts. He states, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word." I was crying because this was true in my life, as I'm sure it is in yours. I've dealt with affliction in the form of rejection and verbal abuse which left me broken, bitter, and insecure. However, as I was healing from that affliction, I was growing closer to God. I grew in my faith, my compassion, my humility, and my love. I loved God more and felt closer to Him after that affliction than I did before being afflicted. What David said was true. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, I did my own thing, but now I trust that the Lord's way is best. I seek to follow Him more. The real emotional impact came when I read verse 71: "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." When I read that, I realized that I too now believe that. As painful and life-altering as that event was for me, I am glad it happened. God became real to me. He was my comforter, my healer, my redeemer, my Savior, my lover, my friend, my shelter, my rock, my deliver, etc. He was and is everything. But without that affliction, I would probably never have realized this at the level I do now. He is my all in all. That's when I made the connection between my physical workout and my spiritual workout.
Without affliction, my muscles have no real chance of improvement. With affliction plus the right attitude, my muscles build themselves up, becoming stronger than they were before the affliction. Hear this: they are better than they were before! The damage to them helps to improve them. There is some healing that needs to happen, and I need to help take care of them. BUT they are better! The same is true after a spiritual affliction. With the right attitude, God can use this horrible, painful experience to strengthen our faith. Healing must happen. But with healing correctly, in the truth of God's grace and love, comes strength and knowledge, wisdom and understanding of who we are in light of who God is.
Are you facing an affliction? If not, you will. According to financial planner Dave Ramsey, if you have a pulse, you will face trials and tribulations. It's inevitable. You need to be prepared. If you increase your spiritual muscles by soaking in God's Word ahead of time and preparing for the affliction, you will make it through better and stronger than you were before. And best of all, you don't have to face those afflictions alone. God will be your workout buddy, encouraging and comforting you until healing occurs. And one day, you will be able to say, "I'm glad for that affliction." Just like hopefully one day soon I will be able to say, "I'm glad I afflicted my physical muscles." Turn to Him, and I am confident that one day, like David, you will be able to thank God for your affliction.