Back on the Mat

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 

– Hebrews 12:1

Seventeen years ago today, my husband gave me a running watch for my birthday.  What he intended as a gift, I received as criticism. (A running watch? Great, so he thinks I’m fat and late.)  Negative, judgmental voices echoed in my head, “Get out there and run that baby blubber off.”  After giving birth to two children, it was time to wrestle my weight yet again. 

You see, my whole life I’ve wrestled with my weight. I went on my first diet in 6^th grade.  I portioned out my food, weighed it on a scale, and ate horrible things like brussels sprouts and celery.  The wrestling match continued, through high school, college, before the wedding… every season of every year.  I won some matches by turning down desserts.  But I lost a lot of them by eating the whole pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream on the couch.  

I’d get on the mat, wrestle and fight to lose 10-15 lbs.  Then I run hop off and gain back 20lbs.  Who even likes wrestling?  It takes grit and guts to stay on the mat, and I’d rather just eat a big lunch and take a long nap, thank you very much.

Last weekend, I heard a sermon about what it takes to really grow in our faith.  Any guesses?  EFFORT.  The pastor even used a wrestling mat as an illustration.  Crap.  It hit home hard when he declared that the sins blocking our spiritual growth are there because we allow, and even want them there.  Yes, we like our sin, so we hold onto it and don’t put in the effort to change.  Ouch.

I don’t think God cares about the number on my scale.  Ten pounds up or down means nothing.  What he’s most concerned with is how I talk to myself about myself.  It pains God to hear His beloved children criticize His creation.  When we say things like, “I’m so stupid, fat, ugly, clumsy or weak.” God completely disagrees.

We are made in God’s image, created to transform into the likeness of Jesus over time.  God places His Holy Spirit in us to guide us and teach us the way we are to go and how we are to think.  I think that’s why God desires for us to continue to wrestle, all the days of our life.

God calls us to stand up, get on the mat, and wrestle with whatever is holding us back from living our best life in Jesus Christ.  It might be negative thinking, an addiction, or a toxic relationship that has too much control over you.  If you ask, God will reveal what needs to be taken down in your life.  It’s likely that you don’t even need to ask, though, because you’ve known it for a while. 

As long as we ignore or avoid what needs to change, we will sit on the sidelines of our best lives.  But, when we decide to get up, walk out on the mat, and wrestle with it, we’ve taken the first steps in the race He’s marked out for us. 

So get back out there, fight the good fight of faith.  It’s time to wrestle and win!  

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