30 Day Shred (AKA Why is this still so hard?)

So today was Level 1/Day 7 of the 30 Day Shred

The workout is still good, because I still get winded. Though I am able to do nearly everything (a few reps short on the second set of lat raises and side squats - ugh those hurt). And my push-ups still pretty much stink. But other than that, I'm hanging in there. Level 2 looms like a black cloud though...

And I'm finding that I'm kind of depressed about it and thinking that this, like everything else, will do no real good. (Still wondering where all those happy, endorphin things are...)

But I'm going to keep pressing through. As I was praying about my crummy attitude (because thankfully God always hears me even when my attitude is crummy), I was reminded of a few things:

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. (Heb 11:35-36)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

First off, the "reward" is not some magic number on the scale. I'm very aware of that. It's that God is working something out in me that is for my good, and hopefully, His glory. Endurance can be a tough "fruit" to cultivate, and God knows that while I've grown some, I definitely need more. Because real endurance is cultivated in the dry lands. Where the ground looks like it will bear no fruit and yet you keep going, pressing deeper into Him.

God asked me to focus on my eating and exercise, and while I don't really know why it's so important, I am positive I need to keep going - even in the complete absence of "fruit". I don't know about you, but I am overly dependent on results sometimes. But I must remember that God's "results" are often things we cannot see until we've gone on the journey.

So here's to the journey. May it blow away the chaff in my life that needs to go.