I just got back from working out at the Wellness Center, (Yes, I do that. I am an amazingly toned machine. *snicker*) and I was thinking. (I must have gotten some blood flow to the brain.) Sometimes it feels really good to sweat; to push the body to its limits of endurance; to make it work, really work; to feel the heart pounding and the muscles doing what they were designed to do. Of course, at the beginning it doesn't feel good. One has to push past the initial bodily whining that occurs. Maybe it's just my body, but it is a great one for initial whining...kicking and screaming actually (which is why for so many years I didn't exercise). Anyway, once the body realizes that it's not going to get its way, it settles down and gets to work. After a while, it realizes that, wow this really does feel good! This is what I was made to do! And its endurance increases. It actually releases some endorphins, and one feels that natural "high" that our bodies are capable of producing.
"So," you say, "thanks so much for the lesson on endorphins. May I go now?" Not quite. I was thinking that maybe our physical bodies are analogous to our spiritual bodies. How often I kick and scream when I am pushed to the limits of my comfort zone spiritually. When I bring my body under subjection, as the Apostle Paul talks about, it has physical benefits (and spiritual ones as well). But how much more my spiritual body, when it is daily subjected to the leadership and disciplining of the Holy Spirit? How often those edges of my comfort zone become doorways of exciting ministry opportunities; venues for me to discover what my spiritual body was designed to do. How will I know what I am capable of, through Christ, if I coddle my spiritual body and allow it to become spiritually fat and lazy? How much more effective can I become if I allow the Holy Spirit to push me to the edges; to tone and discipline my spirit; to keep me sweating honest, spiritual sweat?
A Quiet Wood
20 comments:
Thanks Sonja, this is just what I needed to read today!
I give you a smile...:)
Excellent. Thank you.
~
Saw your bro Sunday... Good service.
Spiritual sweat. What a great concept and one so full of truth!
I really appreciate your writing, and what you bring to the table of discussion. It's good eats~!
Hey there stranger!!! How nice to get a message from you. It has been such a blessing to catch up with all my old HSBC buddies. You had open heart??? I used to work in Chicago in the post op recovery open heart unit. Really loved that job--my fav in nursing. VERY stressful,the rush and the intensity I survived on. Your blog is great and you haven't changed a bit. So many memories. I was such a slacker at HSBC. I think I was only interested in boys and the beach at that ripe old age of 17. I went on to Indiana Wesleyan University and got serious. Pretty much lived in the library for three years. You were always brilliantly smart. Did you also go into nursing? Any how, know what you are talking about with working out. I just started again after the first trimester tiredness and vomiting has passed. Most of the time I whine about it. Always so much fun with the big belly. Great to hear from you I will add your blog to my favs and check it frequently!!
God bless Cherie
Really good stuff! May the Lord give us the will power to discipline our physical bodies, as well as our spiritual ones. Seems like they are inter-related...if one part's good, so is the other, and vice versa. I guess it all comes down to determining to do the right thing, regardless of fickle feelings.
See you very soon :) Hopefully at the airport..haha! Don't forget me...
Hey Sonja,
Thanks for your comments on my begining blog...the comments from everyone is really what made me decide to give this blogworld a try.
So agree with the "emotional high" you get from physical exercise I've been missing that I lot over the past 4 months as my old herniated discs and back problems have come back to haunt me in a major way, 2 epidural steroid injections, month of bedrest, and 3 months of Vicodin later I am finally starting to move away from daily pain and able to do more than just swim. Due to the encouragement of my roommate I had learned to run (albeit slow) over the past two years and LOVED the high that gives you. You are so right though the first 10-15minutes is awful and then you hit this sweet rhythm where your body is so very happy to be moving and pushing itself.
After a good workout (which I definately need to do more of:)
it is the best to drink lots of water...so satisfying..likewise, what a blessing for the Lord to quench our thirsty souls after particularly big spiritual workouts..not sure if that makes sense, but trying to follow your analogy! Love Ya!
Superbly said, my friend. And, if I might add, it is usually in my mind where I defeat myself first when exercising. Could that also be a trick of the Enemy to render us ineffective in fighting for the Kingdom?
I LOVE this thought...it is what I needed today! Thank you!
Thanks to all for your encouraging comments. I really like the continuation of the analogy, both with the need to drink water and the battle in the mind. I think your points are well made!
Hello also to old friends whom I haven't been in touch with for a while. It's good to "see" you again!!
Thanks for the challenge. You've encouraged me to be more discilplined in my spiritual and physical life.
Hi, Sonja~
I greatly enjoy your blog...lots of nuggets of truth sprinkled with humor!
Your post is so true...and isn't it amazing how many excuses we can think of to avoid discomfort both physically and spiritually?
I will be checking back to you often....blessings on you!
Julie French
My dear ole friend:
I so enjoyed seeing you and hearing you sing tonight via the wonders of live streaming. Appreciated your testimony and sweet spirit that's always been the same. I'm so glad you're my friend. Love you!
My parents report that your solo was very good...you're famous!:)
(Of course it was!)
Sonja,
Great thoughts. I needed to hear that. Hugs!
I just watched you sing "Face to Face" at HS via the internet. Tears were streaming down my face. What a blessing that song was to me. I know you've been throug a lot this year. A scripture comes to mind.
"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10
It was a beautiful refreshing sight to see you sing that song with confidence.
Thanks for the inspiration to sweat, in every way.
Found you! Neat to see your blog! Take care!
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