What Insanity Is Teaching Me About God – Pt. 1

I’m in my fourth week of the Insanity workout. Man, is it a killer! Whoever named it named it correctly. I’ve never worked out like this before. It’s a killer 40 minutes of cardio and it’s still just as tough as the first week but I can feel my body is able to push a little more…just a little more.

During today’s workout, I heard Shaun T say something I haven’t caught the other times I did this particular workout.

“I’m not trying to hurt you. Just trying to make you better.”

Right there in the middle of working out, I felt like the Holy Spirit was telling me: that’s exactly God’s plan for us. When the tough times come, God’s not trying to hurt us, He just wants to make us stronger. In the book of James it says:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3)

James says it: testing your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance is “enduring in the face of obstacles, discouragement, or difficulties”. In these four weeks of Insanity so far, I’ve felt like quiting. Honestly, almost daily I have to make myself get out of bed at 5:30am to workout. And in the middle, when I’m tired and sweating, I ask myself: “why do I do this to myself?” But once I do workout, I feel so much better afterwards because I was pushed to my limits and stretched my physical abilities.

I feel the same way through a trial. I want to quit. I ask: “why me?”. I get discouraged. Sometimes it’s tough to face another day because you just know what’s coming. But once you get through it and see how God worked, I can see the benefits or what God taught me through it. He pushes me to my limits and stretches my faith. And while it doesn’t insulate us from the next trial, it does give us a little boost to get through it.

So today, God wants you to know, no matter your circumstances – He’s not trying to hurt you, He’s just trying to make you stronger.

Part 2 tomorrow

Run Your Race

I went on the elliptical this morning. About 5 minutes into it, I was tired. Not sure why, but I had this moment’s thought: “let’s try again tomorrow”. I was faced with a moment that I could quit or keep going. I kept going.

The hardest part of exercising (and life) is not starting or finishing. It’s the time in between the two.

Endurance is a tough thing. Pastor Carl gave a message on endurance. The definition he gave for endurance was “crashing through the quitting points”. I was faced with a quitting point this morning. Was it a big deal if I cut out on my workout? In the scheme of things probably not. I very well could have picked it up tomorrow and been ok.

But the other side of it is that it makes it a little easier to quit next time the going gets tough.

Our Christian walk can be the same. This is why next steps are so important. Some are big steps while others are small. Regardless, if you’re taking another step you’re moving forward.

Our model for this is Jesus. He had every reason to quit before the cross. The crowds had abandoned him. Most of his disciples were no where to be found. He had done nothing wrong, yet he faced the cross for one reason: you.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)

When the going gets tough, and believe me I know it can, keep going. When it looks like there’s no answer. Don’t quit. When you’re tired, push through. The problem or failure you’re at right now is just a hurdle, not the finish line. Run your race and finish strong.

It’s better to inch your way toward the right finish line than to finish first place in the wrong race. Stay focused. – Steven Furtick