Back at the Starting Gate

Why is it so hard to get back to something that is beneficial to you? We build good healthy habits. We study our Bible. We pray. Spiritually, we are in a good place with God. We exercise our physical bodies. We try to eat better, healthier. We seem to have things figured out and life is good.

But then something happens that throws us off track. Someone gets sick or a divorce kills a marriage. Maybe we just have a really bad day. For me, it often doesn’t take much to tip my boat. We become overwhelmed and maybe even a little mad at God. We close our Bible and stop talking to Him.

We come back off a holiday or from a vacation of eating what we want and being a little lazy, and then we just can’t seem to get our exercise routine started back up again. Our good eating habits went out the window.

Why is it so hard to get back to God or the things that made us feel good? Two days pass. And then a week, a month, six months….

When we finally have had enough of feeling bad, we find ourselves back at the starting gate. And starting over isn’t fun. There might be extra weight to get off now or a sluggishness in our exercise. Maybe there’s a slight rebellion at the thought of lifting a weight or even stepping foot inside the gym. We find ourselves clinging to sugary and processed foods. And we’d rather sit in front of the TV with a bag of Cape Cod kettle chips than open our Bible or close our eyes in prayer.

Life is about finding balance. All of nature is balanced. We are too. But our human nature comes with a very complex mind. A mind that’s often conflicted with its own self. We can talk ourselves into or out of anything. So we need to have very positive self-talks in order to bring ourselves up to the bar and keep us there. That will build strength and character.

If you find yourself in this place, all hope is not lost. Recognizing where you are is half the battle. Putting your energies forward and upward is going to take effort but you aren’t alone. This isn’t an isolated issue. I bet most of us find ourselves back at the starting gate numerous times throughout our life. I confess…I’m back at the starting gate.

Chin up. Eyes up. Ask for help. I believe this is always the first positive step. Start with God. And what better day to start than the day He set apart from all the others; Sunday, the first day of the week.

Be kind to yourself, but firm. Realize the benefits outweigh the disappointment we feel within ourself.

Be grateful for new beginnings. Push yourself. It will get easier. ♥️

Andi

Photos: taken on our little country drive last weekend.