This past week, I've hiked, walked, and climbed more than 50 miles in total distance and have reach an elevation of about 2 miles from sea level.
Together with my college buddies, we've hiked through mountain ranges, walked through 50° river water, and trudged through sand dunes.
Right before we decide to go after something dangerous, yet super exciting, I often hear things such as “Oh man, I can’t do that!” “There’s no way my body could handle doing ____”......
......and the responses to the “Why not”s sounded something like “Well it’s because _____”, “I’m just not in shape for _____”, “I’ve never done/been able to do _____”.
At some point on our trip, all of these things were most likely to have come from my mouth, as well. Especially the being out of shape part.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
While I might be a college guy, almost always doing something active throughout my day, I don’t always fill myself up with the right things.
Yes, I have reached and surpassed the 'Freshman 15' and have acquired what some may refer to as the 'Dad-Bod'.
But I'm not just talking about the food and drinks we consume. I'm talking about everything we consume.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (I found this verse on the menu of the restaurant I ate at last night)
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
I told a lot of people before our national choir tour and before my trip to Denver that I was going to get in shape for all the crazy hikes and outdoor activities we had coming up, preparing myself to have the 'Summer-Bod' with the washboard six-pack abs and ripped back muscles.
Well if you remember me saying it a few seconds ago, I did not quite accomplish that goal, yet.
And it all had to do with what I consumed and how I prioritized my time. Nothing else!
While I could talk about this all day and seek pity for not climbing the mountain I most wanted to climb, here's what I learned by not getting what I wanted:
1. Everything that I consume will sooner or later be the image that I present to everyone.
Ex: If I eat pizza every day, I will start to look like a ball of dough and cheese.
If I am reading a chapter or two of the Bible every day and reflecting on how I can apply them to my life, I will start to live out what I'm reading because I put the effort in because I want to become better.
2. Making time for others is great, but making time for myself to become stronger and more organized for my future self and future friends and family is so, so, so important.
If I'm not seeking God as diligently and remaining vulnerable, knowing I don't have the answer to everything (reminding myself I'm 19 years old and inexperienced to many scenarios) then I'm not going anywhere but right where I'm currently standing.
You have to try new things, new strategies, new routes, and be willing to fall/fail until God shows you the right way.
3. Having others to suffer through things with you makes it all vale la pena which translates from Spanish to "worth it".
- Hiking through the mountains of Colorado taking one more step than I think I can each time I think it’s going to be my last step before I need to take a break, because someone says, "If I'm doing it, so can you."
- Trudging through the sand dunes with sand piercing my skin and taking over my breathing, but seeing the people that bleed the same do it just as you can.
- Walking through freezing water temperatures with my shirt drenched in sweat and my shorts full of river water, but knowing everyone else is just as cold, if not colder than I am.
All for photos, videos, once-in-a-lifetime experiences which all can be saved to leave us with some incredibly special memories.
Proverbs 24:5
A wise person is full of strength, and one of knowledge enhances their might.
Just as we can be physically strong, working out to become better than we were the day before, we must FIRST be active and diligent in our faith, creating sparks before the fire under our butt (for me, the fire comes from movies, videos, hype music, e.t.c.) which gets us to want to go do something, AND THEN......have someone to suffer with us, so that we can challenge and nurture one another to do things we've never done before and never thought we could've done!
Questions to ask yourself:
1. How can you break yourself down to build yourself back up?
2. What will it take to do #1?
3. Who is someone/are some people that can/will suffer through things with you to make your group strong, both as individuals and as believers in Christ?
Pray that God will give you wisdom and perseverance to hit up your Bible just as hard as you hit up the gym this week. Pray that He will show you how wrong you were to think you were weak and incapable of so much more.
*Friendly Reminder* --> If you're constantly looking at the ground, you're just giving the devil more attention. Keep your head up and look at the people God has placed in your life, not the one below who tells you that you suck and can't do things you know God can give you the strength to do.
With that said,
Live, love, and be loved.
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