If you have ever exercised for an extended amount of time, you know that injuries are bound to happen sometime down the road. Have you ever gotten an injury that seemed to be more painful during recovery than when it actually happened? Most recoveries are painful, that’s just the way God created it to be. When someone says they tore, broke, ripped, or pulled something on their body, your natural response to them is, “Did that hurt?” and then, “How are you feeling?” Why? Because everyone knows that the injury is not the only part that is painful.
For me, recovery is way worse than the actual injury itself. Simply because I can do some things, but not nearly as much as I could. And the part I hate the most about exercise is that of when you know you must push your muscles a little more than they can comfortable handle in order for them to get stronger. Yes, I’m talking about Strength Training!
I absolutely hate strength training, especially if it is a thirty minute workout targeting a specific set of muscles instead of the full body. On the contrary though, I love cardio! I love feeling the wind in my face as I run down the road, thoroughly sweat purged! It just delights my soul! But feeling sweat dripping off your face while at a standstill, purposefully “tearing” some of my muscles so that I can run that road faster and more efficiently… well, I love the benefits from it, but I hate the process.
Lately God has been teaching me the parallels with this in people’s spiritual lives. In order for us to enjoy the fruit our lives are bearing, we must endure the trials. No trials, no fruit. No fruit, no joy. God has set specific laws in place. Not laws as in the Ten Commandments, but I mean things like, a tree losses its leaves in the fall, remains stationary over the winter, grows foliage over the spring, and bears fruit over the summer.
Our lives are the same way. We have seasons of growth, seasons of loss, seasons of joy and seasons of dryness. It is through all these seasons that we must learn to remain in Jesus. If you root up an apple tree in the spring, will you expect it to give you apples in the fall? Of course not!
John 15 clearly spells out to us not just truths, but promises! Promises of answered prayer, patience, love, joy, hope, peace – the benefits of abiding in Jesus are endless! It is a life that makes us satisfied and fulfilled!
Since April of this year (2020), I have been quite consistent in meditating on scripture. In the beginning I didn’t quite get it, but through accountability and encouragement of others, I kept at it. Then one day it clicked and it’s as if the whole world turned upside down. Everything made sense and fruit began forming in my life! I started looking forward to the time I got to spend with Jesus in meditation. Reminiscing over His very Words to Me, as an individual, became life giving!
Some days are still dry, as I’m sure there will always be some, but when those satisfying days come, they are even more the sweeter!
May God bless you with a hunger and thirst for Him!!
Be Still and Run 