Romanian deadlifts are pure evil. I came to this conclusion after my trainer, my son Kedar, incorporated this weight-lifting exercise targeting my hamstrings into my leg day workout last Monday.

He told me while I was doing them, “You’re going to be really sore after this.”

Oh boy. Whenever my 16-year-old workout enthusiast says that, I know without a doubt that I’ll be in a world of hurt until my muscles completely recover. And yep, I was right. Last Friday was the first time since completing those Romanian deadlifts (which didn’t even seem like they should make me all that sore since they weren’t that hard for me to do), that I could walk without extreme pain.

But Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday… can you say ouch? The soreness was brutal—the kind of brutal that will make you reevaluate your whole, entire life and whether or not you even want to work out again. It hurt to sit down, walk and lie in bed. My hamstrings were screaming at me! Whenever I bent down, I would reflexively wince and cry out in pain. It was awful.

Weight-lifting tears up the muscle; then the muscle repairs itself and grows back stronger. Those Romanian deadlifts tore my legs up, literally. Despite that, I’m determined to get strong, and I refuse to give up. In 2020, I am digging deep with the help of the Lord. And though the journey has been unexpectedly tough at times, I won’t quit. You shouldn’t quit either, even when things go differently than you expect.

In 2 Kings 5, Naaman, a commander of the Aramean army (and one of my favorite Bible characters to talk about), sought out the prophet Elisha because he heard Elisha could heal him of leprosy. Naaman was right about that, but he was wrong in his assumptions regarding what the process would entail.

Naaman thought Elisha would come out to him, stand in front of him, call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over the spot where the disease had taken over his body, and cure him of leprosy (v. 11). But that’s not at all how it happened. Elisha sent his servant to tell Naaman to go wash himself in the Jordan River—which was really gross and dirty—seven times, and he would be completely cleansed and made whole.

Naaman was sore about his expectations not being met, but not the kind of sore I was from performing those dreaded Romanian deadlifts. He was sore as in angry. He must have forgotten that good things don’t often come easily, and processes that lead to beneficial outcomes are frequently unpleasant. This is an invaluable lesson we all must remember. Otherwise, we will have unrealistic expectations. We’ll struggle to reconcile our preconceived notions about what life should be with the reality of what our situation actually is. This can lead to frustration, discouragement and an intense desire to quit, just as Naaman wanted to do.

But eventually, he humbled himself and submitted to the unpleasant process and received a pleasant outcome. He was healed of leprosy.

Through Naaman’s story, we are reminded that the path to our blessing isn’t always predictable, preferable or painless. Nevertheless, if we remain open, flexible and willing to stay the course, we will get the good things God has for those who press forward through discomfort.

If you’re in a space where things aren’t going the way you planned and you’re feeling a bit sore—emotionally or physically—stay the course. Don’t give up. Be prayerful. Submit to God’s will for your life. He will lead you down the right path and guide you through difficult changes. The good news is, you don’t have to go through rough times on your own. God is there, and He will help you.

To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring Isaiah 40:29 ESV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, throw your preconceived notions away about what you life’s journey should look like. Keep walking by faith, pressing forward in uncomfortable seasons and expecting God to release all the blessings stored up for those who trust, obey and persevere.

Now, let’s pray.

God, in times when my expectations are not met and I feel disappointed, help me to trust You and stay on the right path. Please give me strength to persevere and the confidence to know that if I remain steadfast through hardship, You will reward me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!