Lots of people have the New Year's Resolution to 'get fit'. It's a worthy goal but a hard time of year to take it up. The weather is hardly inviting us out to 'enjoy' a run or a bike ride. There may even still be boxes of chocolates left over from Christmas, tempting us to over-indulgence.
As many of you will know I exercise pretty regularly. It's a hard routine to maintain in winter. I run and swim and cycle, but in January I mostly swim because it's the only discipline that's warmer than the outside temperature!
Sometimes when I am half way through a work out I am really tempted to give up, maybe I'm feeling stiff, or out of breath or just not in the flow of what I'm doing and I think 'that'll do for today, just give up now'. At that point there is something I tell myself that often keeps me going.
'The difference between a bad workout and a good workout is about 15 minutes. Just 15 minutes'. In other words even if I don't feel good if I simply keep going I will complete a good workout and not a poor one. I haven't got to be fast, I don't have to feel good, I don't need to set a new record. I just need to keep going.
Paul said the same
'I press on towards the goal' Philippians 3:14 [TNIV]
What is it that's making you feel today like giving up? What would 'pressing on' mean? It might not feel great but when you reach the end of the day, how will you feel knowing you've persevered instead of giving up?
'Father, some days I just need to press on and find the courage not to give up. Not to give up loving, not to give up praying, not to give up working, not to give up caring. I'm not superhuman Father; fill me with your strength when I feel like giving up. Amen.
Sheila Bridge
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