BACK ON THE TREADMILL

Sunday, February 2, 2025

The alarm went off early so I could get up to walk or run – whatever I could handle. My weather app said it was 37 degrees outside, so I decided to head to the gym instead of bundling up to be outside for an hour.

I went to the back of the gym where the cardio equipment was and picked out just the right treadmill. (I could have had any of them – there were only four people in the gym at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday.) I hit start, set my incline, and started my five-minute warmup. Then a 10-minute jog. Then a five-minute cool down before hitting some weights.

I got off the treadmill a bit frustrated with myself. It wasn’t that long ago (I think) that I could run for the entirety of my 30-minute cardio session (yes, I only did 20 today). Here I found myself only being able to hang for 10. The older you get, the easier it is to lose stamina. Purpose. The “want to.” How did I get here?

I can be creative in making all kinds of excuses as to why I have not prioritized my physical health, but they don’t help me. The reality is…..I got here one day at a time. I got here when I quit getting “on the treadmill.”

My frustration today came from not being able to do things for as long or at the same pace that I could do them before. Yes, I get older every single day, but that’s a truth for all of us regardless of age. We can’t neglect things on the daily and realistically expect to hop back in as we were when we did them on the daily.

How about you?
What “treadmills” have you gotten off of?

-Praying?
-Writing?
-Giving?
-Serving?
-Exercising?
-Singing?
-Earing well?
-Reading?
-Leading?
-Spending time with family and friends?
-Studying God’s Word?
-Coaching?
-Being a part of the local Church?
–___________?

The whole time I’ve been away from the gym, the treadmills were there the whole time. I can sit here and rationalize not doing something I really do love to do because I’ve allowed myself to get out of shape and I’ll have to work harder to get it back. But you know what? All I had to do was step back on the treadmill.

You, too, my friend.
Which treadmills are waiting for you?

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14