Keeping with the workout routine

I find that the month of January is full of new individuals at the gym who are desiring to improve their health and/or fitness. Any gym junkie will tell you all the machines seem to be more frequently in use than they were just a month ago. However, sometime in late January things seem to slow down. Many of those who committed to a resolution to go to the gym multiple times a week or to lose x amount of weight seem to have stopped. There can be a number of reasons for this and every person has their own, but I think most frequently it is because it is hard to maintain the dedication with busy lives and results take a long time to see. Staying committed and losing weight/becoming more fit will not take a single workout to do, but time and practice. At the end of the day - regardless if you see results or not - you still did your body good by working out.

To be honest with you, there have been times that I start off with high aspirations and goals in my prayer life with either spiritual exercises or intentions. There have, however, been a few intentions in my prayer life I have been carrying for a long time and having these same sort of "I'm not seeing or feeling any results and I'm growing weary of being dedicated to these intentions." After a minute I realized that it is doing my prayer life good to keep going and not give up. It is not for me to "see" results or "feel" results in my prayer, but maintain the discipline to have a healthy prayer life and turn to Him. Just like working out, I may want something out of it, but really it is maintaining that spiritual discipline and turning to God with these things. So, if you are feeling possibly this way about an intention or prayer in general - don't give up...keep working out with our Lord because you will grow spiritually stronger!

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Father God, Thank you for always being patient with me when I want to give up on an intention or spiritual exercise. Help me to remain steadfast and know that I am gaining spiritual health and strength from my persistence. In your name, Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth