New Muscles

     “New Muscles. New Muscles. New Muscles.” This is what I've been repeating to myself over the last couple of months to affirm that most of my current unease and growing pains stem from exercising new muscles. When we start new workout routines, formerly underused muscles awaken often presenting quite a shock to our bodies. This is also true when we begin new routines to elevate and strengthen our spirits and minds.

God would not bring me this far just to leave me.

     When the Coronavirus first hit, like the majority of us, I didn't know what we were in for and how to deal with the specifics of what was happening. I was in a very happy and peaceful place in my life. I was in the midst of some positive life changes and the pandemic threatened to upend all of my work and progress.
     I was preparing myself for a long-needed medical procedure. I was engaging in the healthiest exercise and diet regiment of my life. Financially, I was blessed that my needs were being met. I was writing regularly. The book that I've been working on for what seems like forever was starting to take shape. Most importantly, my relationship with God was great; I had finally learned to accept, receive, and believe that good things were on the horizon.
     After the initial shock and after a fall-down-on-my-knees, cry-my-eyes-out prayer of desperation, I rose and a couple of things came over me. First, I was reminded that God would not bring me this far just to leave me. He had delivered me from so many situations already. This would be no different. This was not the time to lose faith. In fact, I knew I would need to cling to it more than ever.

God desires that we exude joy in the best of times and that we find it during the worst.

     The second thing was that I was limiting God. Initially, I had asked that He bless me and my loved ones to survive this horrific pandemic. When I rose from prayer, that desire changed. As a child of the King, it seemed like I was setting the bar low to ask God for only survival. I didn't want to just survive the Coronavirus but I wanted to thrive despite it.
     Don't get me wrong, I would be thankful to survive but my God is more capable than that. He wants more than just our survival. He desires that we exude joy in the best of times and that we find it during the worst. He wants the faith that we have in Him to be reflected in how we approach and handle dire situations. I needed to ask Him for more than survival.
     Knowing that God will help does not relinquish me of my role. I still had to do my part. I gathered myself and developed a strategy. I began incorporating a few new things into my life that I had long desired. The most important of which was spending more time with God. I set aside at least half of an hour in the morning and the night just to talk with Him minus any distractions.

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The intimidation of the unknown makes it easy to stay in the same mindset.

Click here to read "Amazing!" in its entirety.

     That doesn't even include prayer. It was time set aside to simply talk to Him about my day, about any and all subjects that came to my heart and mind. I wanted to be completely connected with Him. After just a week or so, I noticed a change within myself. My faith strengthened, my attitude adjusted and I felt more capable of accomplishing the things I absolutely feel are part of His mission for me.
     I was changing and though the changes were desired and very necessary, it was still a scary and unsettling time. People struggle with change for those very reasons. The intimidation of the unknown makes it easy to stay in the same mindset to which we have become accustomed. To reject backsliding and regression, I had to remind myself that I was feeling different not just because of the impact of the Coronavirus but also because I was becoming acquainted with new spiritual muscles.
     I had to understand that it was not a lack of faith to not always feel OK during a storm. I had to reassure myself that it was not wrong when I did feel OK. My spirit soon ventured even further by encouraging me that God wants me to be more than just OK. He wants me to thoroughly enjoy my life. I was learning to let go of the guilt and uncertainty that often accompanies moments of progress; no more survivor's remorse for me. No more feeling guilty for feeling good. No more denying myself joy because past mistakes had convinced me I wasn't worthy.

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God is our constant regardless of what's new.

     Those were feelings that I had been struggling with for a good part of my life. I am amazed but not surprised that amid something so catastrophic as the Coronavirus, God was able to guide me to a new level of spirituality. I had to become accustomed to not just permitting myself to be OK, but I had to become accustomed to feeling good and enjoying life. That was a huge deal for me.
     Because of Coronavirus, many of us have had to develop new life norms. These new norms require introducing and executing new routines and patterns which in turn awaken new muscles. God is our constant regardless of what's new. If you are aligned with Him, He will lead you in the right direction. If you are not aligned with Him, He will mercifully and gently steer you. Whatever the goal, trust God to help you get used to your new muscles. Stand your ground and continue to move forward with positive changes. He didn't leave you before and He won't leave you now.

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