Ahhhhh … summer is near! Life is in bloom. My windows are open. I am enjoying walks at night. The promise of summer fun is only weeks away.
As life is blossoming with me, I reflect back over the long and cold winter. A blessing in disguise. A perfect storm on purpose.
I quickly learn the intense in-season training of being still. The same training, now a part of my daily life is my balance during this off-season.
Simply another choice we are given in life.
Glynnis Whitwer writes:
The temperature was pushing 100° Fahrenheit on that hot summer evening. Golden sunshine tinted the trees and shadows lengthened, as the lone runner caught my eye. He looked like one of the high school boys on my sons' wrestling team. But what was he doing running now?
With wrestling season still months away, his dedication to training impressed me. Training in-season is common; training off-season, rare. And yet the off-season warriors consistently push themselves to their personal best, out-performing those who begin training in-season.
Readiness characterizes these highly trained athletes. They are ready at a moment's notice to face the next opponent. Seldom surprised, they move with grace and assurance. Their discipline pays off when needed most.
I've watched this same principle lived out in the lives of godly men and women I've known. They apply themselves to spiritual training, are committed to learning God's Word, and pursue a life of faith. Day in and day out, they discipline their minds and hearts to stay in alignment with the truth. They strengthen their devotion to Christ in spite of circumstances. They take false thoughts captive.
Then, when they least expect it, their training is called into action.
There's usually no warning. It's a phone call. A medical test. An email. In an instant, their "opponent" is raging. Fear, grief and despair threaten. But they aren't overwhelmed.
Shaken? Maybe. But not devastated.
These past few years I've faced events that have shaken me. From losing our savings due to the economy to having kids make choices far from how they were raised, life has rocked me a few times. I've faced things I never thought I would face, and no one gave me a map to navigate the details of these circumstances.
In the darkness of these times, I've held on to what I know to be true in the light. When my flesh wanted to panic and run screaming, God's truth told me He will provide. When I wanted to despair that I'd lost my child forever, God's wisdom reminded me that everyone sins. Without training, I'd have collapsed on the floor in a confused puddle of fear.
Being a woman of faith is easy when life is smooth. It's easy to love others, be a good steward and make wise decisions when everything is going great. It's when there's no warning and a storm hits that we need to be well-trained.
No one can do this for us. We are the only ones who can study God's Word. We are the only ones who can push through a dry season and spend time in prayer. We do this in-season (when circumstances are rough) and off-season (when circumstances are smooth), so that when the battles of life strike, we are ready.
The good news is you can start your training today and when you face a battle, this discipline and training will pay off in peace, confidence and joy in spite of your circumstances.
