Those Wonderful Stairs...

My husband and I have been running/walking these wonderful stairs for the past couple of weeks. We have been trying to do them every day, but while he was gone I took a break from them. {shhh don't tell} We restarted doing them this week and let me tell you...I shouldn't have taken a break. It's hard to get back in to the routine of it. It's going to kick my out of shape behind and will be worth it in the end but man do I want to give up while I'm in the middle of the stairs. There are four sets of steps with a little break in the middle. I have to just put my head down and focus on where I'm going because if I look up to see what is ahead of me I don't feel like I can make it. I convince myself that I'm tired and don't have enough strength to make it to the top. Success. Que the Rocky song-Eye of the Tiger.

So, as I was climbing the wonderful stairs last night I was thinking about life and how these stairs are similar to my/our relationship with God. I take these "breaks" from my relationship with Him. I step away from church and daily reading. I know that I need to be at chruch and read to stay close to him and have a "fit" relationship with him, but every day life seems to be like that next set of stairs. It is getting in the way of me making it to the top...to my success. One of my teachers at RHEMA {can't remember which one or which class it was in} told us that if you aren't moving forward in your relationship with God you are going backwards. There is no such thing as standing still or staying in the same place. I am in full agreement of this now....with my little "breaks" from God or church comes the not so nice things in life. For example...relationships-with my husband, family, friends, co-workers, and the general public. I seem to be more irritable and quick to anger, very judgemental and impatient with people. Wow, that is not the person that I want to be. I tend to do things that I wouldn't do when I'm close in my relationship with God. The way I act and the things I allow myself to do are not who I really am. When I step back and look at myself I wonder why. Why did I let myself get in that position or situation? Was it worth it? Most of the time the answer is NO.

Just like running/walking the stairs will get me in shape and help my endurance physically, reading daily, being in the Word, church, and fellowship with uplifting and people who want to encourage is what we need to be spiritually fit. Meditating on the Word...it doesn't have to be a 4 hour long meditation....take one scripture a day and meditate on it all day long. Write it down and keep it in front of you...use a little sticky note to keep you focused on God instead of "looking up the stairs" at the obstacles and crummy situations that are in front of you.

Life is better with Him than away from Him. This is what I am learning. I have been in church and taught these things my whole life, but sometimes I take advantage of my relationship . I don't cherish it like I should. I never had the "life changing" experience that some chrisians have to help me look back on where I have come from to where I am now. I have always had a pretty amazing life {with a few exceptions and slip ups} that has let me take for granted the love and grace that God has for me. He is saying to me...."c'mon you can do it...I'm waiting for you at the top of these stairs. It's really not that bad and it will get easier the more you do it. Just take the time and make the effort and I will be right by your side cheering you on the whole way!"Thank God for that. We do have someone cheering us on even when we feel like were going to collapse. {and trust me...I am out of shape} We can come just as we are...out of shape, flub and all, and He will help us. We just have to put forth the effort. We don't have to be perfect, it's ok to make mistakes. If you sin, keep going to church and surround yourself with people who will help you get through it. Don't stay away from church because you think God doesn't want you or will be angry at you. He won't...He's a loving God who wants to help you through it!!!

I am working on living my daily life better...to not look so much like the "world" and more like "Christ." It's not easy...but its who I want to be!

Think about it...I hope you are encouraged to "climb those stairs."