Perspiration rolls down my face while I run as fast as I can, watching the sun just barely rising in the distance. “C’mon Shannon!” I hear as I make my way back to the cavernous warehouse filled with gymnast rings, weight bars, truck tires, and the not so faint smell of sweaty people. It is 6 am and I am doing Crossfit.
I’ve been here now for 2 months. Still the beginner of the group, I am amazed at the strength, flexibility and mobility that I have been able to build. I certainly can’t lift what most of my class mates can, but compared to where I started, I have come a long way. Now, I could tell you that I just can’t wait until my morning workout comes. That I make sure to get a good night’s rest the night before, so I will be at my best. I could lie and say that I bounce out of bed excited to beat my body into submission…but the truth is, most of the time I drag myself out of bed, get dressed with only one eye open, and work hard to talk myself out of going back to bed. I am definitely not a morning person, and honestly the only reason I go most of the time is because I don’t want to be seen as a wuss. Truth is, most mornings, I just barely show up.
Showing up. Isn’t that the hardest part? Have you ever regretted doing something that would be a benefit to you if you just sucked it up and went for it? For example, have you ever regretted reading your Bible, worshipping God, praying, or going to church? I certainly haven’t ever regretted any of those, yet often times I don’t want to do any of them. There are a million things that can come between us and our time with the Lord. Maybe your kids are sick at home (you can still pray, every moment of every day), you don’t go to church because you don’t have any friends there (umm…you kind of have to be there to make friends), you have a hard time understanding the Bible (there’s an app for that). The point is, aside from all of our excuses and reasons why we can’t seem to do what God has asked us to do, we really, truly, need to just…show…up! Start praying, start reading, start worshipping, get your backside to church! You can’t expect to have a really great walk with God if you don’t do any of these things, because it doesn’t really work that way.
When you decide to show up, God will meet you right where you are. He will honor the time you have given Him. You will receive benefits you didn’t even expect, all because you just showed up.