After my first physical therapy appointment, I’m trying to convince my body and brain that PT is my new favorite. Unfortunately, it’s not working. My quads are crying from the sheer exertion required to attempt standing. My biceps/triceps are exhausted from taking the brunt of the work. My head is pounding from the sensory overload of it all, as well as the determined focus required to coerce connections that once came freely. While PT is not my current favorite, it is the vehicle I must diligently utilize in order to transport myself back to normal.
Normal. That word has certainly taken on a new meaning, hasn’t it? We are living in a time where so many things do not look or feel at all normal. Try envisioning giving birth, grieving a loved one, getting married, graduating, or any other significant life event in this unprecedented time. None of it seems normal, not everyday life nor any special occasion, at least, not what we used to call normal.
However, life either continues on or it doesn’t. I’d like to say the choice is entirely ours but that would be a supremely arrogant statement. Truth is, now more than ever, we are reminded how little we have total control over. Frustrating, isn’t it? You’ve probably heard this at least once before: all you can control is your attitude, effort, and communication. I know this is something often taught to athletes. But I’d like to add one more: your faith.
You see, when things feel anything but normal, our faith (or lack there of) is what will guide our attitude, effort, and communication. Will we seek solace in our faith or lash out with our lack of it? Will we allow His Holy Spirit to fill us with peace or unfruitfully fester from fear? These are choices absolutely within our control and will unequivocally influence our attitude, effort, and communication.
All of these, including our faith, require diligence. It is especially easy to lose focus when there are so many things vying for our attention, the worst of which are rattling around inside our heads. Or maybe that’s just me? Maybe I’m the only one with a mind battle at war, the two sides being the easy way or hard way.
The devil instigates his evil schemes inside our minds. He bends and blurs truth until it is almost unrecognizable. He wants us to take the easy, sometimes sinful, way to lure us into his web of deception. However, Jesus overcame the devil’s temptations, and so can we.
“My dear children, you belong to God. So you have defeated them because God’s Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world.”
1 John 4:4 ICB
What settles the score in the easy way versus hard way mind battle is inevitably our faith. What we believe in our core. Whether we will listen to what the world says or heed scripture, which tells us this:
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NLT
Jesus tells us point blank we will face “the hard way” on Earth through MANY trials and sorrows. It won’t be one trivial trial or simple single sorrow. Scripture, unfortunately, says “many,” of both (hence the word “and”). The good news, however, is if you’ve read the back of the book, then you know who wins: we do, through the gift of Jesus and all the sacrifices He made on our behalf!
So my friend, while whatever you may be facing might not be your favorite, it may even be painful, it does not hold the power of having the final say. We do, through our faith in Jesus Christ, when we allow Him authority over our lives. It is in this delicate dance of handing ourselves over to Him, following His lead, and allowing His spirit to move us in the right direction that brings us through with the least missteps. Let’s open ourselves to His sweet melody while we sing along in praise, even if sometimes, it requires a little more diligence on our part!
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