Going Forwards, not Backwards

Several years ago a dear friend was traveling alone with her young son, from Colorado to Texas and planned to stop over one night for a visit with me. She called around 3:00 in the afternoon to say that she was about 3 hours away and couldn't wait to get to my house, as she was exhausted. I told her she'd arrive right in time for a great meal and we'd have a blast in no time at all.

She called about an hour and half later in tears! After talking to me, she'd turned the wrong way out of the gas station, and actually traveled back the way she'd just come! She was devastated. Exhaustion, hunger and disappointment was hitting her hard. Her mistake cost her dearly and she finally arrived at my house about 6 hours after her first phone call, not the 3 hours she'd originally anticipated.

I've been really struggling with my journey to become complete in Christ. Part of that journey right now, is centered on losing weight, but I cannot reiterate enough that this journey is SO much more about gaining more of Christ, than it is about losing weight. And the weight is coming off WAY too slow to suit me! I'm still hovering around the 20 pound mark. I've been at this for 4 months and frankly expected more weight loss by now. One good bit of news to report, however, is that I've lost over 4 inches in my rear end!! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Hooray!

Just to lay out my heart to you, I was really wanting to quit my efforts, especially my work outs. Going to the gym was becoming increasingly more difficult. Especially since the workouts are exacerbating several physical issues I have which are causing me a lot of pain. Recenlty one morning, I was crying out to the Lord...... Lord, I am struggling! This is so hard. What happened to my enthusiasm, my resolve, my goals? What can I do to get back on board? How can I continue on without quitting? You've got to speak to me, Lord."

And He did.

That morning I read this in my quiet time, "But this is what I commanded them saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it might be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walking in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their own evil hearts and went backwards and not forwards." Jeremiah 7:23-24

Are you as tired of going backwards as I am? Just like my sweet friend who was devastated when she realized she'd gone the wrong way, I too have been devastated at having gone the wrong way in this weight battle, more times than I can count. Perhaps for you it is too much spending, or too much exercise, or too much alcohol, or too much anger, or too much control. What do you constantly struggle with, always going backwards, not forwards?

For me, I'm learning, although very slowly, that going forwards is a matter of listening to and obeying His voice. Simple as that.

This week, I was in a lot of pain and had not exercised in 10 days, due to an out of town trip. I woke up knowing God wanted me to swim. I argued, but then those words came back to me...."if you obey My voice...it will go well with you." I stopped arguing with God, got dressed and went swimming. Truth? It was hard, but it was worth it. Big gain of energy, but my biggest gain was peace, knowing I was going forward with my God, heading in the right direction.

I'm determined to keep going forward, not backward. I'm determined to hear His voice...and obey it. I'm determined to enjoy the "it will go well with you" part of His promise, because the truth is that my way, the backwards way, does NOT work well for me!