This is a guest post by my good friend, pastor, and leader, Dan Herod. Dan is the Youth Alive Director for Wisconsin & Northern Michigan. You can read more about Dan and check out more of his work on his website. You can follow him on Twitter @DanHerod or friend him on Facebook here. If you are interested in being a guest blogger for my blog, click here.
One of the ways that I stay healthy in life is road cycling. I got bit by that bug a few years ago and am not quitting any time soon. There is a point in every ride when I hit what exercise enthusiasts call “the wall.” It is at this point that my body loudly shouts at me that it does not enjoy what I am doing it, and wishes that I would stop. Amazingly, my mind agrees, and entertains the notion of stopping or just letting off my pace a little. Here is what I have learned about “the wall.”
The amount of discomfort screaming at you when you hit it, has most likely reached its loudest volume.
This means that if we can manage the current level of discomfort and stay focused on moving forward, we will eventually break through the wall. Runners call this moment “getting your second wind.” We just have to keep going, even though everything inside of us wants to stop.
All of us will hit “the wall” at some point. Maybe it is a challenged relationship, loss of a job, crisis of faith, or an overwhelming tragedy. It is at this point that we learn what we are made of. We also learn the limits of The Creator’s design. For as weak as our bodies can be, there is an X factor for those who follow Christ. It is called the Holy Spirit. This divine deposit into our lives changes the game for all of us.
Although God sits enthroned in heaven with Christ at his right hand, we don’t hit our walls alone. God has advanced us the Holy Spirit. Although this gift is from heaven, it for us here on earth. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and was purposely sent by Christ as a comfort and power source for life.
When we will rely on the Holy Spirit’s power as we hit our walls we will never be stopped permanently.
Whatever you are facing today, you need know that there is a maxing out of discomfort with every wall you hit. At this point, the resistance will be at its fiercest and the pain will be the most vocal. This is where we reach our limits and God’s power is perfected in our weakness. This is when we learn to walk through walls.
So keep walking, no matter how much you want to stop. Put your left foot in front of your right and then your right in front of your left. Then repeat. The walls that are impossible for you to pass through are paper-thin obstructions for our God. And He will see you through.
Taking it one step at a time,
~Dan Herod
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