In crossfit, the trainer will notify you each day what the "WOD" or workout of the day is. Workouts vary significantly from day to day. One thing dependable and true is me questioning why on earth I am paying for any of it.
During burpees or wall balls, I think of excuses I can give to get out of this commitment I signed up for. Seriously, I get so exhausted, the ball actually hits me in the face during wall balls. I wonder if my nose is bleeding as I'm preparing my story of why I have to quit in my head. I about spread eagle and just stay laying down during burpees.
I definitely lie in crossfit. I never count honestly - never. My trainer has some sort of superman hearing because he always corrects my counts, and he isn't even looking so I have no idea what his problem is policing me. GAH!
But then I get home.
I see results and I mean fast results . How can my modifications (which no one but me requires how modified I need modified LOL), bring me something I can see and feel? Next I begin realizing that it was so hard of a workout, I cannot fathom wasting it. No way can I grab some chips or cookies after putting my body through something that has made me walk like I was in a car accident.
- The sweat poured out during the WOD, -the soreness that begins the second I stop,
-the want to quit moments I know I can't do another,
And then ...
my trainer all of the sudden comes out and runs with me until I finish, all of it pushing me beyond what I thought I could do.
Our pain and sufferings are no different. We can waste them in anger, bitterness, pity, or even give up on the only thing that heals, comforts and matters and that's Jesus Christ.
Jesus allowed things in my life that hurt so bad some days I couldn't help but give up (so I thought). I was forsaken by someone who should not have been able to give up on me. But- and it is a strong "but" here.... after years of seeking something from Jesus to stop my pain and suffering and soften my heart of stone, I can testify as a witness that my pain is in the past - but make no mistake, it will not be wasted.
It hurt so bad and caused so many moments of wanting to quit in life. Do you hear me on this? Just like crossfit and wanting to say "I can't" when the suffering and pain we go through ourselves or witness in others leaves us feeling so weak and thinking of excuses to check out entirely on life. We cannot waste these moments of hardships. The battle was worth it. I have guns to show, I am stronger than I thought. I can conquer things emotionally because God did pull me out of the anger, and hatred I was filled with. He even worked out my distrust of people and the church. He worked out so many things in my heart that I remember far more good things in my life than bad any day.
The Lord took longer than I would have liked, but He was faithful with my commitment to not quit and He did heal me, soften me, and utterly change every part of my mind, body, and spirit.
I pray no pain you have faced or witnessed is wasted. You were trusted to use your pain and weakness to cling to The Holy Spirit for the best part of you to come out a blazin'! YOU HAVE BEEN TRUSTED with this pain to comfort someone. You survived so you could step out and push someone else ahead to flourish. You were made new and alive in the suffering to tell of the work Christ had to have done in you because no medicine out there can explain it.
You have strength, perseverance, faith, and muscle built that you cannot possibly think of quitting.
Can you?
1 Corinthians 1:4. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others when they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us
Comfort usually doesn't come in the form of a lecture and it isn't well received from a proud person.
Comfort is usually in meeting a need and in love showing up as a supporter and encourager. I'm speaking from experience. Things like "get over it" do not comfort me. It will not comfort anyone.
The fact is, we have to get in the box with them. They, like me will not get over anything. They must go through it to come out fierce.
We see they are losing ground and we know their sweet head is so filled with lies telling them they can't, that we, have to help them not quit or loose site of the hard work to make it. Just like my trainer who hears me say "I can't.". He takes my bar right where I cannot lift another inch and helps it go up so I finish. He sees I'm jogging no faster than a walk because I am so out of shape (this is obviously almost more than I can take), and without saying a word, he joins me in each lap. No matter how hot and sweaty we get, our trainer high fives or gives a quick hug to celebrate finishing.
While we take our pain and use it to help others flourish, it takes sweating with them
The phone calls, the prayers, the showing up more than anything else means running with them. They will finish the day because for God's glory, we comforted them. We helped lift the bar so they could finish when they were about to throw it down. That's kingdom minded living. That's friendship in Christ Jesus. This is what matters. Most other things won't end up with God. But love and by love I mean doing. I mean showing up. I mean time --will always end up with God in the end.
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