Listening To Our Muscles

Cub 4 loves her weekly trip to MyGym.  I’ve talked about it HERE.  Every six weeks or so, they practice a new skill.  The  skills that they are working on right now include things that require them to swing or hang.  In Cub 4’s age group, this is a difficult skill.  They all need assistance with keeping their balance, as well as trying to hold onto the ropes and bars.  The other day, one of the instructors said something that caught my attention when one of the students was trying to swing across monkey bar handles hanging from ropes.  She was really struggling to let go of one ring to swing her body forward to grab the next ring.  The teacher was giving her lots of praise and encouragement and she said, “I can really hear you using your muscles!”  Huh?  You can hear her using her muscles?  She must have meant she can see her using her muscles, not hear.  I spent the rest of the class really thinking about what exactly would hearing your muscles sound like?  

When I’m using my muscles they tend to start hurting.  When I use them too much, there’s soreness.  The more I use my muscles, the stronger I become.  I can run for a longer amount of time.  I can lift a larger amount of weights.  It still hurts…but I’m stronger!    

It’s nice to have someone encouraging you when you are struggling to use your muscles, and you know, we do have Someone…The One.  What does He hear exactly?

He hears your prayers even when you feel so alone that you question whether or not He even exists (yes, it happens).  It’s how you learn who God is, who you are, and how to depend on Him alone.

He hears you teaching your children right from wrong even when they don’t seem to be listening.  Keep being their first example.  It’s going to click one day.

He hears your mind working as you write another essay for your least favorite class, and you wonder if you will ever graduate.  When you get that diploma, you will be confident that had it not been for God on your side, you wouldn’t be where you are.

He hears you tapping away at the calculator to budget your family’s expenses for another month.  You’re showing your faithfulness over a little, and He will bless you for it.

He hears you being polite to that co-worker who likes to throw your Christianity in your face when things get stressful at work.  Just remember hurt people hurt people.  That co-worker may come to you for prayer when you least expect it.

So, I just wanted to encourage you to keep using your muscles.  God is listening!

We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard.  As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work.  We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul – not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory – strength God gives.  It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over in to joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.  Colossians 1: 9-12

Intentionally For You!