In order for me to carry out all of the things God has deposited in my spirit; I have to be healthy. Healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually; my whole being. That’s what the Lord spoke to me more than a year ago. I had been spending more time in His word, and I do mean yearning for it. In my yearning, I looked for additional Bible studies (joined BSF), women’s conferences, etc. and I was appreciative as I felt my relationship with Christ growing.
Now when it came to physical changes, it was a bit more challenging, I mean, I am a meat and potato girl. Yep, give me meat, three sides, dessert and I am a happy girl. It wasn’t until I was experiencing some health challenges when the Lord brought back to my remembrance (John 14:26) that I needed to be wholly healthy to finish the remainder of the journey He has me on. This was not going to be an easy task, but I was determined and more focused on taking care of business. Whole was and still is the goal!
Exciting, right? Well, let’s get to it! Instead of waiting till your normal “Monday” or “at the beginning of the week”, I plunged right in on a Wednesday. No better time but the present, huh? A week had gone by and I became pretty consistent attending Planet Fitness once a day building up my endurance. I was learning more and more of how patience and endurance go hand in hand, but lest I stay on task. Fast forward going to Planet Fitness consistently over a 2-week period, I had been going strong and Praise God I was walking on the treadmill over 2 miles at a good pace.
On a particular Wednesday, I proceeded to place my items in the locker, so I could get on the treadmill. I opened up my walk as normal with a warm-up, at a speed of 1.5; while working my way up to the steady pace of 3.0, I was feeling pretty confident. Walking with stride, I was proud of myself for making so much progress in such a short period of time. When God has ordained something for you to do; trust Him and He will make your pathway straight (Proverbs 3:6); all you have to do is walk the created path.
So here I am striding, good pace, can you see me! Well, about 40 minutes in, a more “seasoned” woman came up next to my treadmill. As she began her session, we both said good morning, and went about our way. I quickly noticed she was going much faster than I was. Now remember, I was going a steady pace at 3.0, so curious and wanting to know, I glanced at her machine. WHAT!!! 4.4? Really? Like I know she had to be in her 70's, she just started her session, AND is going considerably faster than me?
That’s when the Lord quickly said to me, run your race! Run my race? I chuckled. You see, I had become discombobulated, frustrated, and discouraged ALL from looking at someone else’s journey. OUCH!! God only intends for me to run my journey. When I was focused on the pace and destination ahead (the end goal of 3 miles), I was able to move forward without hesitation. But the moment I looked over, my feelings interrupted my pace and I began stumbling (Galatians 5:7)…yes on the treadmill.
It is oftentimes easy to glance over at someone else’s journey (especially if it appears like yours) and become jealous, envious, or even think “WOW, why am I not where she is?” But trust you are exactly where you are supposed to be. God has called you to do something that no one on this Earth was created to do. He has a plan for our lives. Plans and thoughts for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give us a future and hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Glancing at someone else’s or comparing another’s journey has the potential to trip us up and/or distracting us from the path God has intended for us to walk.
Needless to say, after I was convicted of meddling with the woman’s treadmill journey, I told the Lord, “Thank You!” Thanking Him for revealing the dangerous path of comparison but allowing me to continue to walk on my own path. Thanking Him in although I stumbled, I didn’t fall and hurt myself by my own actions. Thanking Him, that now I am at a pace of 5.6, because I stayed focused on the path, He created for me knowing me before I was formed (Jeremiah 1:5).
