I spent months working out and making my body stronger before being temporarily sidelined by a foot injury. So when I went back to my workout routine the other day and could only do half of it, it took the rest of my strength to choke back my tears. How could I have come so far only to have to start over again?
Ironically, the same kind of situation was happening to me in another area of my life. I had worked so hard to free myself from a certain thought process. By allowing the Holy Spirit to install “filters” in my mind, I diligently captured every unhealthy thought before I allowed it to become an action. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, I found myself making choices based on my old way of thinking.
So, is all of this a lost cause and we’ll never be capable of change? No! But this did remind me of a few things:
Muscles have memory
Muscles will remember how they are supposed to function if they are consistently trained. Sure, I wasn’t able to jump right back into my full workout, but I know that my body will respond faster because my muscles are familiar with what they are supposed to do. As believers, when we spend time with God and align our lives to His word, we will instinctively know what we’re supposed to do even if we fall.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Change is good
When I started my workout routine; I stayed with the exercises I was comfortable with. It wasn’t until much later that I was encouraged to change things around. This allowed me to strengthen my body in different ways by using new muscle groups. Our quiet time is the same way. Do you meet with God at the same time, in the same place, saying the same things every day? It’s time to shake it up a bit! I’ll admit, I had fallen into a predictable routine with God so it’s no wonder I was hit out of the blue with old thinking – I wasn’t prepared for it. I wasn’t allowing God to show me what negative things were creeping back into my mind and, before I knew it, I was right back to an old way of thinking.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 140:23
Knowledge is strength
I didn’t feel sorry for myself and quit because I know my body will regain its strength. I’ve learned what it is capable of. Are we that confident in God? When we spend time in His word, we learn about an unfailing God who is merciful, loving, and just. But do we really know what He’s capable of? Believer, He longs for us to know Him intimately. The truth we learn about God will strengthen our walk.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29
The old me would have been frustrated with these setbacks and given up by now. Praise God that He makes all things new, amen? Are you feeling defeated today? Come on believer, it’s time to get back up and try again. We’ll do it together…
Be blessed!
Jennifer
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17