Have you ever lowered yourself to the ground in push-up position? {not as often as you try to avoid it, right? I'm with you.} Have you propped yourself up in push-up position and just h.e.l.d...i.t...t.h.e.r.e...?
It's harder than it looks.
Waiting is not passive--it is no place for twiddling thumbs, wishing on dandelions, or complacent recline. Waiting is a posture of suspension and focus. With eyes fixed straight ahead and heads lifted, we breathe deeply, we engage our core. And we hold.
According to Mayo Clinic, strengthening the muscles surrounding the pelvis and trunk ("the core") improves balance and stability for exercise and daily activity. About.com credits a strong core with stabilizing the spine and creating "a solid base of support" enabling "powerful movements of the extremities." When your arms start to shake and collapse seems imminent you have to rely on the strength of your core. When you feel your toes slipping beneath you your mind needs to know that your base is solid.
It's in this state of suspension that we gain strength. It's in this holding pattern that we learn perseverance. It's in this posture--low to the ground--that we understand humility and begin to see wisdom.
I very much enjoy running. Not so much the first mile, or the third, or the tenth, but all the steps in between allow me to exercise the wisdom I've gained from emotional & spiritual long-suffering and invite my body to endure likewise. The same is true in reverse: often times lessons gleaned from running--hurdles jumped and walls broken through--come to mind when I find myself faced with a new trial. In my experience, resilience and stamina are the by-products of a sturdy midsection, a secure identity at the center of my being.
Trials and marathons test the strength of your core. They expose your weaknesses and push you to draw from a well deep within. You may be able to run some hills with the strength of your calves, you might be successful for a time by chanting, I think I can, I think I can. But when you realize you are in a state of suspension and control escapes you, you will need to lean on the inner strength that only comes from God.
Most likely you've got some time on your hands, don't wait to strengthen your base. Instead, while you wait, here are some exercises for stabilizing your spiritual spine (aka: backbone, courage of convictions column) and building a solid support base for enduring emotional and spiritual trials.
1. Center yourself in Christ. Seek The Giver, not the gift. Enter into relationship with Him, humbly acknowledging that apart from Him you can do nothing, but by His strength you can do all things. Get to know His purpose for your life, His dreams for you. Let Him plant you to flourish in His courts. Stand firm, grounded by His unfailing love for you.
2. Love Others. When you're struggling and tired, when you feel thoroughly mauled and discouraged it's easy to become self-centered if you're not actively seeking a neighbor to love to the degree that you love yourself. You cry out with "unprecedented" depths of despair, wallowing in comparison and feelings of helplessness. Your core gets mushy and giggly from sweet & salty bites of comfort. But this will not do. Nope, it's time to wipe the crumbs off your shirt and engage in meaningful relationship with others. So you don't have it all figured out--neither do they--but despite what's happening in your life His grace is sufficient for you. After all, it is more blessed to give than to receive.
3. Renew your mind with His Word; be transformed by His truth. When you're holding a deep squat or pushing through that 3-mile wall it's the Truth that will keep you upright. When negative thoughts flood your mind: I can't do this, I've never been good at this, I'm too tired, I want to quit, What's the point anyway? you must stomp out every lie with the truth. You must know who you are in Christ and believe that He is strengthening your frame and widening your path. You must replace the old potty-talk with His words and allow them to transform and refine. When you plop down into push-up position and declare, "I'm telling you, my arms are not that strong!" and your trainer looks you square in the eyes and says, "Your arms are not that weak," it changes you. You won't make it through hardship with positive self-talk based on self-reliance; you will, however, find sustenance in every word of God.
4. Examine your life and allow God to make good use of this time. Waiting is not about punishment or condemnation. It is not a sign of God-forsakenness or a game of favorites. Countless stories in the Bible indicate that prolonged waiting and severe trials are often precious times of preparation, redemption, provision, and refinement; very personal attention from God. Examination and exercise are not means of earning that thing you're waiting for; both demonstrate humility and reverence for The One who has called you into this desert for a very specific reason. Engage in His plan and use your time wisely. Ask Him to examine your heart and reveal any bad seeds He'd like to uproot and replace with fruit seeds. Lift up every area of your life and seek His will--daily priorities, relationships, the food you eat, physical ailments, future dreams. Keep your eyes focused on your own path and let Him guide your steps.
When your feet start throbbing and your shoulder muscles burn, remember that your core is strong. When the going gets tough, remember who you are. When you don't know how much longer you have to hold the posture and sweat threatens to steal your grip, take a deep breath and tell yourself it's not over yet. In trial, steady your mind on the truth. Consider the firm foundation of Christ at your center, enjoy the blessings of loving others, recall the power of your mind renewed by His Word, rest in the purity of a life examined and shaped by God.
While you wait, strengthen your core. Don't waste your time raging against what might have been, resisting the special call to be trained by God. Engage your core. And hold.
No comments:
Post a Comment