Sticking With It

Sometimes, I want to quit.

I think to myself, is it worth the pain that I will experience in the next few moments?

I look at myself in the mirror and see precious little change to my body.

Will the muscles ever firm up?  Will the "love handles" ever disappear? 

I enjoy my bike ride.  I enjoy the challenge of overcoming the inclines of Track Road here in Cat Spring.  I enjoy seeing the grass blowing in the wind.  I enjoy watching the cattle graze.  I wonder what unexpected thing I will come upon on a given ride: armadillos, a coyote, calves eating outside the fence giving me an opportunity to herd them back into their pasture.  I enjoy the quiet as I spend some quality time with God.  More than a few thoughts have popped into my mind during these moments each day.  I thoroughly enjoy riding my bike.

But I'm not so much liking the strength training I do.  At least not right now.

Oh, I enjoyed it for a time.  It was thrilling to see quick results as I was able to do more and more: add more weight to arm curls; finish a full routine of push ups and squats; etc.

But I've hit that proverbial plateau.  Now, it doesn't seem like I get anywhere with the work.  I've started doing supersets of push ups--do as many as you can in one set.  Oh, and I don't do regular push-ups.  I put my feet on a chair so that my core really has to work.  Things go O.K. for the first 25, but then the old arms start getting creaky.  Trembling starts happening around 30.  I've gotten up to 35, but that's it.  Then I sit there for a moment letting my sore arms rest.

I do something similar with biceps.  Lunges suck (my knees remind me of football injuries received 20 years ago).  Kettle-bell swings add soreness to the abs.  Over and over--2 to 3 times per week.  For what?  I just can't see much happening.

But I know enough from experience to know one has to press on before seeing results.  The body plateaus before allowing itself to go to the next level.  I've had it happen to me numerous times in the past.  But it's hard to be patient.  It's hard to allow the body to acclimate, adjust, and then enter the next phase.  But I know if I want to get there, I've got to stick with it.  I know I've got to keep it up.  I tell myself this each day it's time to strength train. 

It's more than just strength training, though.  It's life.  Sometimes, you know you are doing the right thing.  You know you are working toward something good and just.  Sometimes you know you are following God's intent for your life, but suddenly you find yourself bogged down; in a rut; on a plateau.

• A burst of spiritual growth takes place.  Prayers seem to be answered left and right.  And then, silence; dryness; nothing.  Yet, you continue to pray and study knowing you are doing the right thing.  Do you quit because of the dryness?
• You tackled a new job with gusto and excitement.  Things took off under your guidance, but suddenly, things have leveled off for the last year or so.  Things become repetitive.  You know the things you are doing are right, but when will such growth occur again?  Do you quit, or keep going.
• You tell your kids over and over and over the same thing.  Yet they never seem to listen.  They never seem to follow instructions.  Do you cease and desist?  Do you stop trying to be a parent?

Oh, just the tip of the ice berg.  How many times do we find ourselves facing the choice: should I stop, or should I stick with it?  It's easy enough to stop, but I'm curious about that next level.  I wonder what it will be like once I get there--if I get there?  The only way to find out is to stick with it.