Spiritual Growth Archives - Page 3 of 13 - Sharla Fritz
November 24, 2020

Learning To Give Thanks When It’s Easy And When It’s Not

psalm106-1

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 106:1

Sometimes it’s easy to say those words. Sometimes it’s easy to be thankful. Life is good. Everyone is healthy. There is enough money in the bank account to pay the bills

But sometimes it isn’t so easy to be grateful.

For us, the year 2015 was one of those times when my husband, John, was diagnosed with lymphoma. Although the doctors kept trying to reassure us with phrases like, “If you have to have cancer, lymphoma is the best kind to get,” we weren’t too sure. Life seemed very fragile and uncertain.

Life with cancer was hard enough to deal with, but it was made even more difficult by the fact that our children do not live close enough to lend support on that tough road. My daughter and her family live in China. My son and his wife live in the next state. It wasn’t like either of them could drop by for dinner and a hug. They couldn’t sit with my husband at his chemotherapy appointment.

Some days it was difficult to live with a grateful attitude.

How could I thank God for cancer? How could I be grateful that my family wasn’t near enough to physically support us?

That’s when I have to remember the truth of 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I highlighted that little word in because that is the key to giving thanks when it is not easy.

learning to give thanks

But we can still be thankful in the midst of painful circumstances. While my husband battled lymphoma, I was grateful for God’s Word that continued to comfort me. I thanked God for friends who supported us and for the medical personnel who were doing everything they could to make my husband well again.

When you’re in a season where it isn’t easy to be grateful, thank God for the eternal things that will never change: His love and His Word. Find little things to be thankful for: the smile of a friend, the beauty of the fall leaves.

Thankfully ten months after my husband’s diagnosis and three months after chemotherapy, his cancer went into remission and he is doing much better.

Once more it’s easy to be thankful.

 

I’m thankful for friends, for a comfortable home, and for work I love.

I’m thankful for the little things like radiant sunrises, warm sweaters, and Carrot Cake Coffee.

Most of all, I’m thankful for God’s goodness. I’m grateful for His steadfast love. Because even if I didn’t have any of the other things I listed above, I know I would always have those. The psalmist reminds me, “His steadfast love endures forever.”

I pray that God will cultivate gratitude in my heart–gratitude that is not dependent on my circumstances. That I will be able to thank Him for His eternal blessings no matter how life on earth is shaping up.

Next step: Make a list of the earthly blessings you are thankful for this year. Then make another list–a list of the spiritual blessings you have that cannot be taken away. I’ll get you started: God’s love, Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence. If you like, write some of your blessings in the comments below!

 

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With:
November 3, 2020

The Number One Obstacle to Your Spiritual Growth

Jer 31-3

What would you cite as the number one obstacle to spiritual growth?

You can probably name a few obstacles:

  • not enough time in God’s Word
  • lackluster prayer life
  • wishy-washy commitment

Or maybe you would cite:

  • inconsistent church attendance
  • inattention to Scripture memory
  • not enough time spent serving God

Of course I would agree. We all need to spend time in Scripture and prayer to grow in Christ. We need the support of our brothers and sisters in Christ to keep the faith. We need God’s Word in our hearts to combat the lies of Satan.

But the number one obstacle to your spiritual growth is:

doubting God’s love for you

Read Brennan Manning’s words from The Ragamuffin Gospel:

“Do you really accept the message that God is head over heels in love with you? I believe that this question is at the core of our ability to mature and grow spiritually. If in our hearts we really don’t believe that God loves us as we are, if we are still tainted by the lie that we can do something to make God love us more, we are rejecting the message of the cross.” (The Ragamuffin Gospel, p. 159)

Maybe you’re like me–you’ve sung “Jesus Loves Me” since you were a little kid. You’ve heard “God loves you” a million times. And so of course you know God loves you.

But do you live like you know that in the depths of your soul?

I ask because I recently discovered a part of me that didn’t totally grasp onto that truth. I realized that deep down I don’t really believe that I have worth apart from my accomplishments. Perhaps it is because of our society’s emphasis on performance. Maybe it’s because that is how I have always earned favorable attention–through accomplishment.

So even though my head knows my worth is in being a dearly loved child of God and not in accomplishment and success, I see now that my heart hasn’t quite grasped that truth.

To counteract this faulty area in my heart, I am grasping onto God’s truth by memorizing some of God’s words of love.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with lovingkindness. Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

You are precious in My eyes, and honored, and I love you. Isaiah 43:4

Believe that God is head over heels in love with you. Live the truth that there is nothing you could do that would make Him love you more.

Next step: Pick your favorite verse about God’s love and memorize it or post it where you will see it often.

Filed Under: God's Relentless Love, Spiritual Growth Tagged With: , ,
October 26, 2020

A Litany for Social Media During Election Season

O God of peace and wholeness,

When the pages of social media are filled with hate and controversy,

Grant us Your peace.

When we feel the stress and strain of this political season,

Grant us Your peace.

When we want to shout our opinions louder than the others,

Grant us Your peace.

When we are tempted to look for completeness in the fabric of this world,

Grant us Your peace.

O God of unity and oneness,

When we want to state our political opinion without considering the other side,

Grant us Your unity.

When differing opinions tend to drive wedges instead of create bonds,

Grant us Your unity.

When we forget how You spoke truth, yet respected each person,

Grant us Your unity.

When our viewpoints start to matter more than our bonds in Christ,

Grant us Your unity.

O God of love and faithfulness,

When judgment becomes more common than kindness,

Grant us Your love.

When we start to despise others for their differing viewpoints,

Grant us Your love.

When resentment, indignation, and animosity push respect and consideration out of our hearts,

Grant us Your love.

When we forget Your primary commandments to love You and love people,

Grant us Your love.

O God of peace, unity, and love,

let us remember that Your peace is available even when the world is in turmoil, that You desire Your people to live in unity, and that You love us unconditionally. Give us the conviction to share Your truth in love and the faith to pray, “Your will be done.”

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth, Taming Your Tongue
September 8, 2020

How Disappointment Can Help Our Marriages Become More Satisfying

This guest post by my writer friend Dorothy Greco is an excerpt from her new book, Marriage in the Middle, which releases next week! Learn how disappointment can actually help our marriages! Enjoy this post and find out more about her book at the end. Also check out my review of her first book Making Marriage Beautiful.

All couples, even happily married ones, face disappointment. How we respond to the disappointments can make or break our marriage. If we fail to address them, disappointments can accumulate and morph into despair or resentment. For this complicated feeling to have any payoff, we must not view it as an inconvenience or irritation but as an invitation to grow. By accepting this invitation, we can learn to whole-heartedly love our spouse.

The Disappointment-Expectation Connection

Most of our disappointments can be traced directly back to our expectations. Every one of us brings multiple expectations into marriage. Some of those expectations include fidelity, honesty, and sexual intimacy—all essential components for healthy marriages. But here’s the rub: we tend to be specific about how our spouse should meet these desires. In other words, we have expectations about our expectations. My husband Christopher and I each expected love on our terms, and those terms were not congruent.

In Marriage in the Middle, Christopher writes that, “I used to believe that men come into marriage with fewer expectations than women do, but I have begun to question that conclusion. I now understand that I’ve experienced disappointment in our marriage connected to three areas: food, chores, and emotional availability.” Because of his Italian-American family tradition, he expected me to cook twice as much food as we needed whenever we had company. Because his parents divided household tasks along neat gender lines, he expected me to do the laundry and love it. And because he’s an extroverted extrovert, he expected me to listen to his many words.

Despite my deep love and profound respect for Christopher, I’ve had my own disappointments. Unbeknownst to me, I walked down the aisle carrying specific expectations about how he should express love and affirmation. I wanted the perfect gift on special occasions. I wanted to hear him say, “You look beautiful!” or “That might be the best talk you’ve ever given!” more than once a year.                     

Unfortunately, Christopher’s family has a complex relationship with gift giving and affirmation. Gifts were seldom curated leaving him and his siblings occasionally feeling perplexed and unknown. If his mom cooked a delicious meal, his dad would offer this rather obtuse praise: “It came good.” Knowing his family put his behavior in perspective, but it didn’t eradicate my disappointment. When I looked beautiful or nailed a talk and he was silent, my disappointment turned to hurt and sometimes anger.

The Hidden Promise of Disappointment

Given the link between expectations and disappointment, you might assume that if you jettison the former, you’ll avoid the latter. Because expectations reference our wants and needs, we’re better off paying attention to, rather than ignoring them. Then as we gain clarity, we can negotiate and, when necessary, recalibrate. Disappointment can help us become more content and more accepting if we discern what it’s trying to teach us. If we ignore disappointment’s message, we may short-circuit the process of transformation that midlife means to impart.

Disappointments expose the limits of our power. I cannot make Christopher notice that I look awesome or force complimentary words out of his mouth. Likewise, no matter how much he longs for me to be like him, he cannot make me an external processor. Once we realize and accept the limits of our power, it should allow us to refocus our energies on what we can change.

The reality is we aren’t powerless, but we only have the authority to change ourselves, and even that is limited when it comes to certain issues. If we focus on how the other person needs to change—and plot how that’s going to happen—we will probably get stuck in disappointment or possibly descend into disillusionment.

Disappointments also give us an opportunity to discern if we have any disordered desires, which tend to wreak havoc on all relationships. When I expect Christopher to tell me who I am rather than going to God for my identity, I’m going to feel disappointed and hurt when he does not comply with my agenda. Christopher can affirm my identity, but God is the only one who can name me. Expecting our spouse to fill God’s role, will inevitably leave us feeling disappointed. The solution is not to cut ourselves off from desire but to rightly order those desires.

Finally, confronting our disappointments helps us to move toward loving our spouse for who they are, not who we think they should be. There’s a reciprocal nature to this. We love our spouses despite their limitations and weaknesses and in turn, hope that they will likewise love us. If you’re uncertain about whether or not you’re holding unrealistic expectations for your spouse or your marriage, pay attention to places where you overreact, have routine conflict, or judge each other. You could also ask a variation of this question: How realistic are my expectations based on who I married? Not who I think I married, not who I hoped to marry, but who I actually married.

My desire for Christopher to regularly affirm me is not wrong, but it is unrealistic based on who he is. Neither is it wrong for him to want me to listen as he processes his many thoughts. Our desires for our spouse do not magically empower them to become a different version of themselves.

It’s helpful to have ongoing, nondefensive conversations in which we can parse out wants, needs, and expectations. This is one of the most difficult yet most essential opportunities of midlife marriage. If we continue to cling to our unrealistic expectations, we not only become entrenched and inflexible but are also in danger of becoming bitter. Conversely, as we begin to form healthy, realistic expectations, it frees us to fully embrace our spouse because we’re no longer judging them or needing them to be someone else.

Adapted from Marriage in the Middle  by Dorothy Littell Greco. Copyright (c) 2020 by Dorothy Littell Greco. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

Dorothy Little Greco is the author of Making Marriage Beautiful and Marriage in the Middle. When she’s not writing or making photos, she loves to kayak and hike with her husband. You can find more of Dorothy’s work on her website: http://www.dorothygreco.com/

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth
September 1, 2020

Praise God Through the Psalms

Praising God isn’t always easy in this troubled world. But I find help in Scripture when I praise God through the psalms.

King David wrote:

“I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1)    

To be honest, I don’t always feel like praising God so when I read David’s words in Psalm 34, “His praise shall continually be in my mouth,” I say, “Really David? Continually?”   

Looking at this particular psalm, I see in the introduction that David wrote these words of praise after he had escaped from the king of Gath without harm. David often praised God for His power, strength, and protection after a victory.  

However, David didn’t limit his praise time to periods of peace and joy; he praised God in tough situations as well. Many of the psalms begin with David wailing about his circumstances but end with praising adulation. So when I’m feeling heartsick, despondent, or just plain glum, I turn to the book of Psalms and use David’s words of praise when I can’t find any of my own.

Praising God in Good Times and Bad

Praising God in the good times reminds me that my blessings come from God. But even when I am not ecstatic about my circumstances, I can still praise God for His power to work everything out, for His wisdom and ability to see the situation from an eternal perspective, and for His comfort in the struggle.  

Praising God in the tough times takes my eyes off myself and puts them back on God—where they belong.   So even if I open the book of Psalms when I’m feeling like a gray November day, I close the book sensing God’s light penetrating my spirit. When I start out not feeling even a syllable of praise in my heart, I usually end up with songs of worship and joy percolating in my soul.  

I am learning to praise God–continually.

Praise God through the Psalms  

No matter what your mood or circumstance, you can find a psalm to help you find words of praise. Here are a few suggestions. Choose the psalm to match what your heart feels today.

When you feel joyful: Psalms 9, 16, 22, 33, 98, 126

When you are thankful: Psalms 100, 107, 118, 136, 138

When you are in awe of God: Psalms 8, 18, 19, 29, 103

When you feel sad or despondent: Psalms 30, 42, 43, 116, 143

When you are lonely: Psalms 27, 40, 68, 90

When you are in distress: Psalms 4, 24, 46, 102

When you need forgiveness: Psalms 32, 85, 103

When you are waiting: Psalms 27, 40, 130

When you feel afraid or anxious: Psalms 34, 37, 56, 91

Next step: Do you find it easy to praise God today? or difficult? Examine the emotions in your heart and find a psalm of praise to use today. Praise God continually! And if you would like a printable version of this list to keep with your Bible, click here.

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With:
August 25, 2020

Praising God by Name

What does praising God by name mean?

Praising God by name means much more than simply using “God” or “Lord” or “Christ” in our worship. It means praising God’s character. King David wrote:

“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!”

Psalm 34:3

In Bible times, names had great significance, often revealing a person’s attributes. In modern times, we may not consider what a name means when we choose it for our newborn. Do you know what your name means?

In one Bible study I attended, one of the members gave each of us a gift of a bookmark with our name and its meaning on it. My name is pretty unusual, but she discovered that Sharla is a variant of Charla, which means warrior. I’m not sure I would ever describe myself as a warrior!

The Names of God Found in Scripture

In Middle Eastern culture, names are chosen according to the character traits that parents would like to see develop in their offspring. And in the Bible, God revealed His attributes through different names. I’m not sure that warrior really fits my personality, but God’s names definitely do tell us about His character. Michael Youssef in his book, Empowered by Praise, wrote:   

“The names of God as revealed in Scripture, are not a human invention. They are the way God has chosen to reveal His character to us. The names of God are a composite of God’s revelation of His nature, His identity, His sovereignty, and His desires.”  

God deliberately made Himself known by specific names in Scripture. When I worship Him using these names, I begin to grasp His true nature. This kind of praise allows me to know Him as He wants to be known. Amazing!  

Praising God by Name

Let me give you an example of what this might look like with a few of God’s names. I’ve listed the name, the meaning, a verse of Scripture where the name is used. (I have included a link to an interlinear version of the Bible where you can see the Hebrew name). Then I’ve written a short prayer of praise using that particular name of God.

Elohim “Mighty God, Creator” Genesis 1:1

Elohim, Almighty God, I praise You for Your great might and power! You alone are the maker of the universe. Your creativity knows no bounds. Because You have created all things, I see Your beauty in everything I around me.

El Roi “The God Who Sees Me” Genesis 16:13-14

El Roi, You are the God who sees. You see everything and nothing escapes Your gaze. Because You are great, and I am small, I could easily be overlooked. Yet You see me, you notice me. You see each difficulty. You notice every heartache. Because you make note of every tear that falls, I am comforted.

El Shaddai “God Almighty” Genesis 17:1-2

El Shaddai, You are God Almighty. Nothing is too hard for You. Moving a mountain is just as easy as feeding a sparrow. Right now, some things in my life appear impossible, but because of Your might and power, I know that everything will work out. I praise You, El Shaddai

Yahweh Yireh “The Lord Will Provide” Genesis 22:13-14

Yahweh Yireh, You are the great Provider. Help me remember that fact when I start to wonder about finances or when I can’t see how difficulties in my life can be resolved. You own everything in the world, so You can easily give me everything I need. Help me to trust in Your provision.

When you read the Scripture associated with each name in context, you will notice that particular characteristic of God had significant meaning for the Bible character at that point of time. We may also find a certain name for God more meaningful in different situations of life. When I’m driving through a breath-taking mountain pass, I may naturally want to praise Elohim, the God of creation. When I face a financial crisis, I may want to call out to Yahweh Yireh–the Great Provider. And I can go to El Roi, the God who sees me, when I feel insignificant and unnoticed.

A Resource to Help You Praise God by Name

To help you adopt the habit of praising God by name, I have put together a list of eighteen names of God found in Scripture. I’ve included the name, its meaning, and a key Scripture reference where the name is used.

Next Step: Click here to get this helpful resource! May your awareness of God grow as you praise Him by name.

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With:
August 18, 2020

The ABCs of Praise

Too often my conversations with God sound like a long list of things I want. They resemble a child’s Christmas wish list instead of worship of the Almighty. That’s when I go back to the beginning–the ABCs of Praise.

Yes, my prayers almost always include petitions for what I want Him to do for me. Sometimes I add thanksgiving for things He has already done.

But I forget to praise Him for simply who He is.  

Praise appreciates God for His character and not only for what He can do for me. It acknowledges God as a person to be appreciated, a Sovereign Being to be worshiped and not simply a genie to do my bidding. 

And even when I purposefully set my mind to praise mode, my mind wanders. I pray, “I praise You, Lord, for Your Might, for Your Awesome power in creation.” But the next second I think, “Remember to pick up shredded cheese for tonight’s tacos.” I chide myself and pick up where I left off, “I praise You, Lord, for Your Omniscience, You always know the end before the beginning. You know what is best for me.” But then I think, “Remember to call the dentist to make an appointment.” And on it goes.

Learning from King David and the Psalms

I often look to King David and his book of psalms for instruction in the art of worship. David’s psalms are full of praise for God’s goodness, strength, honor, wisdom.

For example, Psalm 34 begins:

I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together. (verses 1-3)

This psalm uses an interesting technique–using the Hebrew alphabet as an acrostic. Each verse of the psalm begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Using the ABCs of Praise

I have also found that using our alphabet helps me focus my mind when I truly want to praise God. During my time of worship, I praise God for attributes that begin with each letter of the alphabet. For instance, “I praise you God for Your Almighty power, I marvel in Your Beauty, and I am moved by Your Compassion.”

This technique keeps my mind from wandering back to my to-do list when I truly want to be concentrating on God. It helps me to be creative as I strive to find new attributes of God each time I go through the alphabet. Praising God for His character enables me to know God in a deeper way. It strengthens my faith as I concentrate on His goodness and strength.     

Try praising God through the alphabet!  

The ABCs of Praising God

Use the alphabet to praise God for who He is. Here are a few ABCs of Praise to get you started.    

A      Abba Father               

B      Beginning and End              

C      Comforter                  

D      Defender                   

E      Everlasting                

F       Faithful                     

G      Generous                  

H      Holy                         

I       Immortal                   

J       Just                          

K      Kind                         

L       Loving    

If you want even more suggestions, check out this printable (pictured below.) It includes the whole alphabet and has more than 100 ways to praise God through the alphabet. Print it out, keep it by your Bible, and use it to guide your praise session of the Most High God!

          

Next Step: Click here to get this helpful resource. May your praise for our awesome God grow as you work through the list of God’s awesome qualities!

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With:
August 11, 2020

Distracted No More

Welcome to the season of distraction! Hectic schedules may make you feel overwhelmed. Pulled in too many directions. Unfocused.

I have something that may help. A few years ago, I was a guest on Marnie’s Friends–a podcast that consistently gives inspiration to Christian women. I shared some of my methods for staying focused. In this episode of the podcast, you’ll discover:

  • The most important step to living with focus
  • The secret of finding true priorities
  • How to align your to-do list with true priorities
  • 3 strategies to know your why
  • Why it’s important to kill multi-tasking3 simple but important routines that will improve your focus
  • The importance of periodically unplugging
  • How focus and Sabbath connect
  • 5 ways to craft your own personal spiritual retreat

Just click on the image below to access the audio recording.

Next step: Write down three current activities that are making you feel overwhelmed or distracted. Is there something you can do to change that? Abandon the activity? Change the time? Enlist some help?

Distracted No More

If you would like to learn more about avoiding distractions and living a focused life, check out my new book Distracted: Finding Faith-Focus Habits for a Frenzied World on Amazon.

The ebook is only $3.99!

Inside you will find 16 Faith-Focus Habits that will help you:

  • find focus by connecting to God 
  • truly pay attention to what is essential
  • prioritize your day
  • find focus in your work
  • make important choices
  • defeat the distractions of technology
  • find rest in our hectic world
Filed Under: Contentment, Spiritual Growth Tagged With:
July 14, 2020

Feeling Overwhelmed? Embrace Boring

in-repentance-and-rest-is-your-salvation-in-quietness-and-trust-is-your-strength-isaiah-30-15a

Feeling overwhelmed? Maybe you need a little boredom.

The other day I sat outside and read a book. I stared out at my garden and let my mind wander. I sat so still that a robin landed about twenty-four inches from my feet and a bunny scampered right past me.

In short, I let myself be bored.

Our Culture and Boredom

Our culture shuns boredom. Watch a group of people waiting in a doctor’s office or even in the grocery check out line and you will see most of them checking out their phones–catching up on email or playing Candy Crush. It seems we need constant stimulation.

But what if this constant stimulation is one of the causes of the constant, incessant, unrelenting sense of being overwhelmed?

What if our brains need some downtime? What if we need quiet to balance out the noise? What if we need to embrace boredom–at least sometimes?

The afternoon I took the time to sit in my yard came in the middle of a hectic season. In the past two months, I have been working on an online class, finishing a new book, and completing projects for an organization I work with. In the next few weeks, I am attending a writers retreat, speaking at a conference, and attending an out-of-town board meeting. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed. So I purposely took some time to be a little bored.

Boredom Can Improve Your Life

Research shows that embracing times of boredom will help you focus better when it’s time to work. Cal Newport writes in his book, Deep Work,

Efforts to deepen your focus will struggle if you don’t simultaneously wean your mind from a dependence on distraction.

In other words, embrace times of boredom if you want times of sharp focus.

God tells us something similar in Isaiah:

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15a)

And then He adds:

But you would have none of it. (Isaiah 30:15b)

God sees me rushing around tries to tell me that rest is my salvation. Quietness is my strength. 

When I’m overwhelmed, I’m weak. I’m trying to do it all on my own, instead of trusting God to accomplish His will in my life.

To live an “underwhelmed” life, I have to embrace times of rest and quiet and…boredom. 

God tells me that rest is my salvation. Quietness is my strength. Share on X

Because it is in those times that I am trusting God to work everything out.

Next step: If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, overwhelmed at home, or overwhelmed with life in general, take five minutes today to embrace boredom and quiet. Look out a window and appreciate God’s creation. Or quietly meditate on a Scripture, Or sit with your eyes closed, contemplating God’s love for you.

Filed Under: Contentment, Spiritual Growth
July 9, 2020

Why It’s Not Too Late to Try Something Hard

At times I have thought: I can’t do that. It’s too late to try something hard. But a trip to Zion National Park changed my perspective.

A few years ago, my husband and I went to this awesome park (it’s one of my three favorite national parks). When we first arrived, we simply drove up and down the scenic highway and took pictures. We hiked a few easy and moderately difficult trails. But on our third day in the park, we decided to be brave and try one of the most difficult trails in the park–Angel’s Landing.

Angel's Landing002 - CopyThis trail climbs and climbs through multiple switchbacks, arriving at a place where you need to climb on a very narrow ridge, clinging to chains anchored in the stone. Although we only made it a little way on the most dangerous part because it started snowing and blowing something fierce, we felt pretty good about our fitness and bravery for having made it that far.

There was only one thing that dampened our satisfaction in our accomplishment–as we were huffing and puffing our way up the section of the trail known as Walter’s Wiggles, a couple in their 70s passed us!

We had stopped to take a couple of pictures (and catch our breath) when this very fit senior couple–zipped right on by!

view from the top of "Walter's Wiggles"

view from the top of “Walter’s Wiggles”

Let me tell you–some of my bravado for even trying this insane trail fizzled out. What did it say about my fitness if someone twenty years older could outdo me?

But what if I looked at this in another way?

What if seeing this older couple helped me to realize getting older didn’t necessarily mean getting worse? What if getting older meant I could still achieve daring things? What if I could still could climb higher and realize new goals?

Wherever we are in life, God has great plans for us. In Isaiah He tells us:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

God’s plans don’t have age restrictions. If you are young and just starting out life on your own–God has a wonderful design for your life. If you are in the middle of your life, God is planning something amazing. If you are like the couple that passed me on the path, God is working out something astounding for you too. Let’s not give up!

I could let that couple that passed me on the Angel’s Landing trail discourage me.

Or I could let them inspire me. Inspire me not to use age as an excuse. Inspire me keep working at my goals. Inspire me to keep climbing higher.

And just maybe–inspire me to pass up people twenty years younger!

Next step: Is there a goal or activity that you’ve wanted to do but keep telling yourself it’s too hard? Take it to the Lord, remembering He has great plans for you! Ask Him if He wants you to step out in faith and try it.

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With: ,
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