Push Past the Exit

As I’m doing a one-legged side-plank in yoga today, I noticed the bright red “exit” sign just glaring at me. In the moment, I wanted to stand up and walk out b/c I was tired and in pain. Walking out the door would have been much easier than finishing the class. Especially since I was only 15 minutes into it.

All too often in life, we want to take the easy “exit” that is glaring at us in bright neon. Something that will give us instant, gratifying rest from this life. Something that will ease the pain. 

In yoga, I concentrate on the results. They may not always be instantaneous, but there are results. But, sometimes I don’t care about the results and I just want to quit. On those days, I repeat, “from strength to strength”. I do this b/c it helps me remember that God is carrying me from a strength I built yesterday, to a new one I am building today.

Life is the same. When I face trials, I concentrate on the result: to be more like Christ. But some days that’s just not enough for my fleshful mind to wrap itself around. That’s when I have to remind myself that God is taking me from strength to strength. Something I couldn’t do a year ago (saying “no” to a cupcake), I have overcome today. What I am struggling with today, in His strength, I will overcome tomorrow. 

There will always be an “exit” sign. But if we quit and take the easy way out, we miss out on becoming stronger in our faith and allowing God to use us for His glory!