It is the Holiday Season: Time to FLEX

Most of us have been there.  We join a new fitness class.  We have fun, but we also feel like we may not make it, and the next day our muscles are dead.  My first memories that come to mind would include the first week of track/cross country in high school each year, and when I joined a body pump class at the YMCA before our wedding.  The first week of running sports I felt as if I could barely walk for days.  After the first pump class I drove my car primarily with my knees, because my arms felt like spaghetti.  You get the gist.  You can probably relate.

This is how many of us feel during the holiday season.  Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE that time of year between Thanksgiving and New Years.  I love almost everything about it.  I love the special perspective of Christ coming to earth as a baby that is so special to reflect on each year.  I love the decorations, movies, gift buying, food, and the amazing opportunity to spend time with our family.  We do not see them enough, so this is a really incredible time each year.  We love our family!!

However, it can also be a trying time on occasion.  It can really work my love muscles.  We get to be in close quarters with those who we love the most, but also have the ability to get under our skin the easiest.  I am sure that I am not the only one to take things from family more personal than friends or acquaintances.  I am also sure that I am not the only person who has gotten in the car after an event and had a time devoted to all of the lovely parts of the day, as well as things that may have disappointed me.

I have had times where I have asked everyone and their dog questions about work, school, home life, hobbies, and have had 0 reciprocation regarding my work, school, home life, and/or hobbies.  I have had times where I have had some really cool things going on in school or clinicals that I would have loved to share with loved ones, but no one at a given event seemed to have any interest.  I have left feeling hurt at times as a result.

However, I must ask myself what my motivation is for asking.  I truly love to talk with people and hear their stories.  Yet, I also have the expectation that people will have an equal desire to hear what I have to say.  That is not anyone else's problem but mine.  The problem is my heart, emotions, and expectations.  Those 3 areas can get us into a lot of trouble when our love muscles are out of shape or having an off day.

I took a Wife of Noble Character class at church the year before we were married and they gave an incredible definition for love.  I will remember if forever.  It will convict me until my dying day, because it will never be easy.

 Love is giving of yourself to meet someone else's needs, whether they deserve it or not, and expecting nothing in return.  

That last part is sure a killer for me.

This time of year is a time when, as a believer, my grace and love have to be in shape, because loving like God calls us to is HARD.  We need to be prayed up and full.  So that if something does push us over the edge, fail to meet our expectation, or hurt our feelings, rather than car slander, unconditional love and grace will pour out of us.

This is also a time of year where we may be stretched into having to bear one another's burdens.  We may feel like to bear one of those burdens would be equivalent to lifting an automobile.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  -Galatians 6:1-2 (ESV)  

This is no easy task.  Sometimes I do not even have a clue how I can practically live this out. That is where prayer is so vital.  Talking to God, as well as listening for an answer.  Being in the word and seeking out truth, as well as seeking intimacy with God is HUGE.  It prepares us for our workout, because when we are close to Jesus, we are not alone.  We have added strength.

This is not to say that we will not feel sore after.  We may arrive at that workout class, feel like we are going to die the entire time, and then barely move the next day.  Sometimes that is what unconditional love, grace, and bearing one another's burdens looks like.  However, it does mean that we do not leave early, take one million water breaks, or switch to an easier class.

It means that we, not only show the love of Jesus to everyone AT the party, but also when we are talking about our visit in THE CAR afterwards with our husbands.  It means that if someone is going through something that we do not understand and truth has already been shared and/or they are not at a point to hear it/respond, we love on them anyways and lift them up to Jesus.

The more that we practice this phenomena of obedience, the more that we glorify the Lord, find fullness and joy in him, and the stronger our love muscles get.  That body pump class did not give me spaghetti arms forever.  It gave me strength.  Just like track.  It gave me speed.  If we do not work these muscles, they will atrophy.

This holiday season I challenge you, and myself, to love deeper and harder than we have before.  I challenge that we fill ourselves up with the one who gives life, joy, and peace, and that we pour out those blessings on everyone that we see.  I challenge us to truly be thankful for the reason for the season, and all of the other blessings that we do not deserve.  I challenge that we will bear one another's burdens, love, encourage, and flex our love muscles all the way to a new year.