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Why do we put ourselves through this? Why do we get fired up only to try to get out of the gym membership by February?
Do we try harder to do better? We usually say “I’m really sticking with it this year, I mean it. . .” or at least that’s what I’ve heard friends of mine say; right? To some degree, each one of us has this in our hearts. It seems that the more we get fired up and motivated, the bigger the letdown (when it comes). When my girth has enlarged it’s territory, my first reaction is to get frustrated. That frustration seems to motivate me to do what? That’s right, try harder.
After I try harder and fail, the cycle begins again… over and over again. “No, this time, I REALLY mean it.“
Do you see the vicious cycle? It’s horrible and quite victorious for the enemy. It can drive someone to the point of not caring or completely giving up on trying.
And that’s what the Devil wants. You see, your enemy knows that God created you to accomplish so much more than going to the gym. If you can be stopped doing the small thing, you won’t reach the bigger thing and that is his goal.
Do you feel motivated now? Well, let’s be careful with that.
So, what’s the solution?
Jesus taught by telling stories, so I will tell you mine.
There was a time when I sucked at relationships. It was all about me, mine and what I wanted. Then I met a person, not just the thought of a person, a real one and I found out that it was pretty cool. So I naturally wanted to spend as much time with that person as I could. I even made sacrifices of my time, my desires and even learned about new things that I thought I wasn’t even interested in, just so I could “get closer” to this person. The next thing you know, I’m asking her to marry me.
Jesus is not just some romanticized, pie in the sky, ideal of good behavior and blessing. He is a real person that you can get to know. It will seem nervous and awkward at first. You won’t know what to say. Let me encourage you, go ahead, talk to Him in King James language if that’s the only thing thou knowest thustly.
Like my marriage, we can look back and laugh at the silly things we did in the beginning years of our relationship. But like the gym, you gotta start somewhere. Why not today? At least you have the day off work, right? Time is no excuse. Be brave, ask for the date.