Today my husband and I joined my two sisters and my brother-in-law in the park for a nice power walk... or so I thought. In a matter of minutes, my sister suggested that our power walk be turned into a periodic "power run" to increase the effectiveness of the exercise. Immediately, the record scratched for me; I wasn't at all prepared for that. I like to think of myself as a pretty good walker, but running... well, that's a whole other story.
But she wouldn't take no for an answer. My look of dismay did nothing to cause my big sis to change her mind. Before I knew it, we were running "every three light posts". After while, those walking periods seemed to get shorter and shorter.
And boy did I struggle with those intermittent sprints from one light post to another. At one point, I tried to quit, but my sister grabbed my arm and said, "Come on, you can do it!" To which I replied, "No I don't think I can." And I meant it. Once again... no sympathy. I figured out very quickly that I needed to join the sprint or be left behind. The latter wasn't an option. That "I don't think I can" became "I think I better."
So I had to push myself, talk to myself, and MAKE myself keep going when every muscle in my body was screaming, "Quit now before you pass out!" I must admit, it was a grueling twenty-three minutes, but I made it. And I felt good about what I had accomplished just by persevering and pushing.
I think today's workout session is the perfect metaphor for life, in that, we struggle from day-to-day to keep pushing, particularly when times are at their roughest. We have to dig way deep down to find the gumption and the fortitude to keep on trucking even in the face of adversity. Sometimes, the way seems hard and the hilly path seems to continue on for a never-ending stretch of road. But if we don't give up, we'll come out on the other side well-conditioned and in much better shape than when we first began.
I wonder what you may be going through right now that's forcing you to push beyond what seems to be your limit. What struggle has you doubting your ability to come through it in tact? What hardship has made you begin to question the validity of your faith, hopes, and dreams?
Again I ask, what is it? What do you need to push beyond in order to attain the prize God has already set aside just for you?
Whatever it is... relationship issues, financial crisis, unemployment, career challenges, health-related struggles, mental turmoil, emotional baggage, devastating loss... maybe something indescribably painful and deeply personal... whatever you're facing, God has given you the strength to overcome the odds, if you won't faint.
You've got to push.
Someone once said that "push" is an acronym for "Pray until something happens." As you pray, I want you to also "Persevere until something happens." Don't stop pressing; don't stop striving; don't ever stop working to possess everything God says you can be, do, and have.
While your journey may be a lot longer than a twenty-three minute power walk/run, you still have the wherewithal to complete your assignment. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. You'll make it. I know you will.
As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
