WWW: Workouts For Your Comfort

This might be the stupidest title I’ve ever put. If you disagree I’d love to hear from you because my creative juices may be slipping away from me as I’m nearing my old age as I’m about to turn 23. But anyway, I just got done watching some ladies work out. They claimed to not like to hurt, sweat, be sore, or be tired. Well, I thought, you might as well go back to your couch and A/C. I don’t think anyone is born enjoying pain or uncomfortableness or back-breaking labor. Maybe the pain part if you are a masochist. But even then, it is rare.

This life that Jesus called us to, told us it would be hard. He didn’t tell us to lay back, kick our feet up, fight Satan occasionally when he messed with us, and then take the easy ride to heaven. No, he said we needed to carry our cross daily and that the world would hate us. Yes, he said that he came to this earth that we would have life and to the fullest, but we don’t get that by doing nothing. Anyone, even non-Christians, can attest to the fact that they feel good when doing for others or overcoming or accomplishing or doing something good.

This life, just like our exercise, is not meant to be comfortable. It is meant to break us, change us, mold us, shape us, and make us into something better. If not, why are we trying? What’s the point? Our earthly body has to be in health so that the temple of the Holy Spirit (our bodies) is in good health. Also, so we can share that spirit with others. If you don’t have a healthy temple or body, you probably won’t be around long, and if you are, it won’t be to the same degree as it could be. Think of all the people crippled by their sicknesses and obesity. They can’t go on roller coasters with their kids, go shopping with their friends, climb stairs, climb a mountain, mow the yard, anything. This is why we have to focus on our overall health and fitness. But to do that, it won’t be comfortable. 

I’m not saying kill yourself, but my mother and grandma are some of the hardest working women I’ve ever met in my life. Granted, I’m sure you’d say the same about your family member. However, they were both farmers and worked the field and are no stranger to a hard life of barely getting by and working sun up to sun down on their feet doing manual labor. And they are the ones that have to get the grandkids out of the house to go for a walk to get exercise. Heartbreaking because those walks for my mom and grandma still make them uncomfortable. It’s not enjoyable. It gets their heart rate up, they stay on their feet longer than they have to, they sweat, and are taking away time that they need to be cooking or doing laundry.

Here’s what I’m trying to get across, and sorry if I’m not doing a good job at explaining it. We are not called to a life of comfort. We are called to a life of hardship. Our comfort is in heaven. Just in the same way, our exercise should not be excruciating and injury-prone. You need to know when it’s safe and not. But just because it hurts or is hard or makes you cry, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. It is uncomfortable and you’ll be thankful when you press through and live life to the fullest.