Out of Shape

Have you ever started working out after not working out for a long time? Like when I decided to walk 3.6 miles 5 months after having a baby, and (oh by the way) I haven't stepped foot in a gym since before Tucker was born 9 years ago. If you have experienced this, you know what I am talking about. You wake up the next day and you are barely able to walk, let alone sit down on the toilet. Muscles have to be worked to stay conditioned. Once a year (or a decade) isn't going to cut it.

On Sunday I was reminded of this. It has been a busy season of babies and serving and serving with babies. I have not been able to make it to church as often as I would have liked because I have been happily holding babies and whispering in their ears about Jesus in the nursery. This Sunday I was super excited to attend the church service.

As the praise worship washed over me and my hands started the ascent towards the ceiling, it felt as though I had just taken a breath of air after holding my breath for much too long. After a few songs with my hands raised in my favorite posture for worship, I felt the ache in my shoulders and arms. "I am out of shape." I thought briefly. And God whispered, "It's because you haven't been doing this very often." I used to get very defensive with God when He would say something like that to me. "But I...have been busy, have 4 kids, I do it in my heart but not always with my hands raised God, so that's why." But somewhere in the last year I just started being more real and straight up with Him. "Yep. You are so right. It's been too long."  The thought hasn't left me since then.

Anything that is worth anything takes focus, effort, and intention. It is certainly possible and often easy to forget to worship God. My former excuses above are just the beginning of the list I could give you, and I'm sure anyone reading this could help me add some more. But. But, what if we stopped making the excuses when we are gently reminded by God to worship Him? What if, instead, we immediately praise? What if we intentionally carve out space, whether it's an hour or five minutes or one song? The results would be life changing. This quote from my Bible study referring to (Revelation 7:9-12) hit the nail right on the head:
"Because man was made to worship and glorify God, how might this glimpse of worship reshape your thinking so you begin to realize that worship is connected to flourishing as a person?"
God made us to worship Him. We are not fulfilled in Him if we are not making that the center of our life. It is so easy to go about our days and go from a Sunday to a Sunday without spending time in focused worship. We are so quick to fill our days with things that will never be as significant as this.

This is not meant to condemn anyone, because if it was, I would be the first. But like God reminded me, don't let this be something to feel guilty about, let it be the spark to spur you closer to your Creator. I don't know about you, but I never feel more peace, love, joy, gentleness, and goodness as I do when I am worshiping the One who gave me life not once through my birth, but twice by sending down His son. This is a no lose situation people! I would love to be held accountable to daily worship. If you feel the same way, reach out to me and let's do it together.