Have you ever worked out or did any kind of cardio where all of the sudden you are hit with a crazy cramp in your side and it takes everything you have to finish the exercise, or get to the finish line. And even sometimes it’s so tight that you have to stop and apply pressure until it eases up. Most times if you are in the middle of a run or workout you slow down address the pain, breathe, quick hydrate and continue on.
But what’s the cause of this?
There could be many factors but the biggest one is lack of hydration. You did not drink enough water throughout the day and now you’re pushing your body and it’s fighting back.
Now I can only speak so clearly of these feelings because over the last 6 months or so I’ve been working out more regularly and these cramps happen far too often on cardio days!
<>See here’s the thing, my communication with God is very visual. With pictures, words, or scenarios/videos. And this was one He showed me in worship the other day. He reminded me of the feeling of that cramp during cardio, and how so many people choose to do their own thing in the middle of pain. <>
When these cramps hit I found there are three types of people (I think I’ve fallen in each of these categories at one time or another…or I’ve worked out with people who fall into these categories too).
First group of people are those who choose to stop and address the pain, but they never get started again.
OR.
Second group of people, they choose to slow down, apply pressure, and give up without stopping and just walk it out.
OR
The third group of people completely ignores the pain and continues to fight through until the end. Because they have felt that feeling before, they know it’s nothing serious and they can push through.
Each of the three has great qualities, and some have terrible qualities. It’s so important when we experience some of pain we address because that’s our bodies way of letting us know something is wrong. If we pushed through the pain until the end we could be missing important warning signs our body needs and then you will have a larger injury to tend to. But regardless pain is a warning sign that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.
This all goes a little deeper….cause really I’m not talking about water hydration. I’m talking hydration of the Living Water.
I think a lot of times when we first seek out God we believe life is going to be perfect, because that’s how Salvation is presented to us. And LIFE IS GOING TO BE GREAT, and WE WILL GET TO PERFECTION, but we can’t start there.
YES!! Jesus is an incredible Joy, He’s an incredible lover. And life will be GOOD when you receive salvation! However the more we dig into Jesus the more He wants us to be whole and healed so each group that I mentioned above are stages that we walk through with the Lord. Some last longer than others, and sometimes we are up and down depending on the situation.
The first group this is where you are going. Your relationship with the Lord is beautiful, everything is going great. And you feel the tug on your heart and know the Lord is calling you deeper into a relationship with Him. All you can see if your mistakes, your flaws and you complete discredit yourself. You feel the cramp in your side and you stop or give up. And you get stuck there. Sometimes your relationship becomes stale, and you get stuck in the rut on just attending church on a Sunday and Wednesday but that’s all you get to experience, because you don’t believe you can keep going.
BUT YOU CAN!!! You have to dig into truths that God has spoken over your life!
Psalm 139:14 –You were perfectly formed on purpose.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous–how well I know it.
Genesis 1:31 –You are a good gift
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
1 Thessalonians 1:4-You have been chosen.
We know dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.
1 John-4:19 You are loved.
We love because he first loved us.
The list could go on and on! If you feel like you are stuck in these stage. Seek out truth!!! You are incredible and you have a gift and talent that this world NEEDS!
I think all these stages are equally hard, but to me this is the toughest stage to walk through.
The second stage is the battle field. This where I know you have a cramp, you know how to overcome it but it sucks! It’s hard but you don’t stop. You continue to push through. In this stage it’s incredible important to have a community surround you. To fight with you, to fight for you when you feel weak, but most importantly they know where you are going and they continue to seek the Lord with you until you get there.
Isaiah 40:31- Renew your strength daily
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Romans 8:26-28 –Stay plugged in
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Galatians 6:9- Hold onto His promises!
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
The third group; this is a group that has fight through multiple battles, dug up deep roots, and has found solid foundation. This is not an ending point. This is just the rest place until the Lord speaks and continues to call us deeper. People that are in this stage should be using their story, their journey to empower and encourage those around them.
Revelations 12:11- you are an overcomer
“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”
Things don’t happen in our lives to make us stronger, but it’s to push someone that much closer to God. It’s important that at any stage we use our story to impact this world. You never know who is going through the same fight, or who has quit and needs to be motivated.
So no matter what stage you are in, continue to run the race. Continue to seek out the Lord no matter how uncomfortable it gets because it will be worth it. He has a plan for everything that happens to us and for us. GOOD and BAD, there is a plan! You are not alone! Continue to fight through!
You are loved.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! To all of those who have given to make this trip possible! Words can not express how grateful I am! The Lord has already begun to totally wreck me in the most beautiful way possible. He’s stretching me in specific areas. As He reveals new things to me, I’ll continue to share them. He’s asking me to step out in areas that are completely scary to me (more to come soon). But I know as i mentioned above, He’s calling me deeper! So I’m obeying and choosing to listen to His call of “come”. Love you each so extremely much. Thank you again.
