Lord I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
I recently went back to gym and I have been taking it easy (I don't need my Lupus flaring up😩) just to get my body into the rhythm. Yesterday I decided I need to increase the intensity of my workout; and so instead of walking on the treadmill, I ran, instead of using the elleptical machine on level 5, I used level 8 and instead of no strength training, I did just a set of each workout for my lower and upper body. Halfway through the running I was ready to quit. I wanted to give-up, even before I had started running, I had told myself that my body won't be able to make it beyond 3 minutes and true to its nature (the mind that is -very powerful instrument) on the 3rd minute I already felt like I wasn't strong enough to do this. And then God... Luke 2:52 "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature..."Our Saviour, Reedemer, The Creator of the universe, The Word that brought everything into existence, did not only spend time communing with God in prayer and scripture but He increased in stature: size, build and physical make-up. I can guess a couple of workouts He did, walking around during His ministry to get from place to place, working with His dad (the carpenter) and eating healthy foods. That kept me running until 15 min (I was set to run for 20 min)... On the 16th minute...I was ready to call it quits again 😳 but I completed the run and moved on to the Elliptical (this machine always shows me flames😲) From level 5 to level 8...God had just spoken to me about Jesus,so I was motivated, until I felt the burn (people who workout know what I'm talking about), I was so getting of that machine and leaving, I hadn't even done the strength training and I was just about to give up. But look at God *in Mama Braxtons voice* Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (the ladies and gents in Hebrews 11), let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us (clings to and entangles us), and let us run with ENDURANCE (Random thought just crossed my mind: my ex-Art Director used to say "the Lion is coming" to push us to continue running when we felt like stopping. Lol. - read 1 Peter 5:8) the race that is set before us. Your thoughts can be a weight that you may have to lay aside, the "I can't", "I won't make it", "I shouldn't" and the doubt we harbour, are the thoughts that hold us back, prevent us from reaching our full potential, from enduring, preserving, persisting, prevailing and continuing steadfastly. Lay aside these negative thoughts I felt a surge of determination rush through me, I kept chanting (in a low voice of course) "I'm not giving up, I'm completing this. I'm getting myself that look-good-at-the-beach-in-a-bikini body👙" and verse 2 says "Looking away (from all - the weights and the sin - that will distract) to Jesus, Who is the author and the finisher of our faith. He, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Psalm 110:1)" This just brought into perspective my Christian journey, the moments I want to give up, feel unworthy of God's love, feel I cannot continue with the race set before me, that my path has too many obstacles, that I'm not strong enough. God says to me (and to you) you don't need to this alone,just look unto Jesus and believe this... " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." [Phillipians 4:13] and when you are weak, that's when you're strongest because "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." [ 2 Corinthians 8:9] And finally Isaiah 40:29, 31 "He (God) gives power to the weak and to them that have no might he increases strength....they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings AS (indication of comparison) eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint" I completed the workout, I'm going back again tonight 💃but above it all I was ministered to. God is able ya'll. Rely on Him. Grace and Peace.
