You will hit your stride
Getty
*To hear this inspiration on Dianna’s podcast—an audio companion to the written devotion—click here to listen.
On Friday I went jogging around the park with my 17-year-old son and trainer, Kedar. I try to do this a few times a week in addition to indoor workouts and weight training. I find that working out is good for my mental health. It releases feel-good endorphins and lifts my mood on down days—and there can be lots of those because of the side effects of brain trauma.
Though every training session isn’t easy, I push myself and pray through it, because exercise is a major part of my arsenal in my mental health battle. If I don’t persevere, the alternative is giving in to the diagnoses and labels doctors have attached to me. And I don’t want to see Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Extreme Anxiety win.
Nope. Not when God has brought me this far!
Do I ever feel like curling up in bed and skipping exercise altogether? Sure, I do. Do I ever cry and struggle and want to lay around all day because of mental and emotional anguish? Yup.
But will I ever give up? Nuh-uh.
There is a fighter in me, just as there is a fighter in you.
During my Friday jog, that fighter showed up. I completed my run, high-fived Kedar, and thanked the Lord for giving me strength to make it almost two miles without getting too out of breath. I was even able to make it up the incline at the park without slowing my pace. That hill can be brutal!
That was a big accomplishment and a far cry from my first attempt to jog after my 2019 medical crisis. At that time, I barely made it around the running trail. I was huffing, puffing, and wheezing, looking like I would keel over and conk out at any moment. It was so bad, in fact, strangers who saw me struggling along the way offered words of encouragement. They said, “Don’t quit!” “You’re doing great!” “Keep on going!”
Though I did manage to keep going without toppling over (Thank God!), once I got home, I thought I might cough up a lung. I hacked and hacked and hacked for a full half-hour. It was a mess.
But skip ahead to Friday, and there was no stumbling, no wheezing, and no hacking.
Look at God! Won’t He do it?
It was wonderful to finally be able to run and not grow weary. I hit my stride—an expression that means to do something in a confident and effective way after starting slowly.
“You may have gotten off to a slow start and hit some bumps along the way. But God is about to catapult you into destiny and show you extreme favor because you never quit trusting Him!”
God’s word promises in Isaiah 40:31, which the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart while I jogged Friday, that you, too, will hit your stride. It says, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
What a beautiful and amazing promise lifted from Isaiah 40—a chapter referenced by John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, in Luke 3:3-6. This prophecy prepares the heart of the reader for the arrival of the Messiah who would end a season of judgment for Israel and usher in a season of righteousness, peace, joy, and fulfillment of promises for all who believe in His name. And that includes you and me.
Aren’t you glad to know that the savior has already come, and you can own the promise of Isaiah 40:31 as your own? If you have been going through something tough, yet patiently trusting God, I have good news. It won’t always be this hard. You will hit your stride, like I have hit mine.
After you have suffered a little while, if you keep on going, this season of testing will be behind you. You will see that all the suffering, hardship and pain was not in vain. God has already ordained that you transcend the valley and rise above your issues, as many and as difficult as they may be.
Because God’s word promises that whoever places their hope in God will be renewed, strengthened, and empowered, you can expect this word to manifest in your life. Change will come. Deliverance will come. Strength will come.
You will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, according to Psalm 27:13. Anticipate great things, knowing that whatever God promised, He will do.
Speaking of promises, I’m stirring the one from Isaiah 40:4-5b (GW) into your cup of inspiration which says, “…Rough places will be made smooth. Then the Lord’s glory will be revealed and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, hear the voice of the Lord speaking. He wants you to rejoice and know that He is smoothing out the rough places in your life, revealing His glory, making all things new, and causing you to hit your stride. Things may have started out slowly, and the road you have traveled may have been rough. But a new season is upon you.
God will use your life, just as He is using mine, to help others see and know that God Almighty is able to cause all things—even the ugliest, most difficult and unpleasant things— to work for our good and His glory.
Now, let’s pray.
God, thank You for assuring me that You will smooth out the rough places in my life, give me strength, and cause things to change for the better. As I patiently wait on You and place my hope in You, I know in my heart that You will favor me, reveal Your glory and cause me to hit my stride. Thank You in advance for it. 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!
