No Pain, No Gain

In preparation for swimsuit season, I have been attempting to tone and refine my body. Okay, so maybe those terms are reserved for those whose bodies are already in good condition. Maybe 'discipline' and 'redirect' would be better choices. My method is varied in an effort to obtain a greater probability of success and stamina. Repeating the same activity would get boring. Using the same video would become old hat. Following the same formula would simply be a drag. So I’ve been mixing it up a bit - walking, jogging, playing tennis, or choosing from one of my 8 minute Beach Body videos: Great Buns, Great Arms or Thin Thighs. Every once in awhile I throw in a “Walk the Walk” one mile or two mile workout as a bonus.

After each workout, I feel pumped - ready to do it again, ready to eat only apples and drink only water, ready to see results. I have an enthusiasm that seems never-ending. “Oh, this is it! I’m going to be able to do it this time!” Instead of another failure, I feel primed for a first-time success – the start of a healthier lifestyle.

However, as the hours pass, the “high” fades and something else sets in… pain.

I checked it out on the web today. Did you know they actually have a name for it? D.O.M.S. – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. D.O.M.S. is defined as “the pain or discomfort often felt 24-72 hours after exercising.” I think “Pregnancy Imitation Syndrome” would be a more fitting term in my case because, when in such pain, I tend to stand or sit gradually, placing my hand upon my body as I ease into the next position.

Wikipedia claims that the most recent research on D.O.M.S. states it is caused not by the pain of damaged muscle cells, but by the reinforcement process. “The muscle responds to training by reinforcing itself up to and above its previous strength.”

Herein lies a connection I cannot ignore.

In my relationship with God this same pattern repeats. In some random moment, not chosen by me, something will inspire me – something that feels like it originates deep in my heart, at the core of my being. It aches for spiritual health, fitness, and growth. It aches for true beauty, real life, and eternal perspective. It overwhelms me at points – seeping out in my words, on my blogs, and in my thoughts. And I’ll feel a new resolve... “I can do it this time.” I pull out my Bible, I offer my heart to God in prayer, and I request to be trained in godliness. I begin the journey.

However, as the hours pass, the “high” fades and something else sets in… pain. Delayed Onset Heart Soreness, if you will. Or, in a word, discomfort. The new lifestyle requires effort… discipline… sacrifice. And it hurts. I usually slink back, begin blowing it off, and eventually revert.

D.O.H.S. is necessary for my relationship with God to grow deeper, to take root, to flourish. It is the training period – the reinforcing of the heart up to and beyond its previous strength. In order to grow with God, I must accept its presence, moving my focus from the pain to its intended result. Soreness of heart is a thing of beauty, an indicator of the depth that lies just over the horizon.

Discomfort coincides with growth. I must be willing to be made uncomfortable in order to be made whole. I must be willing to endure pain in order to experience healing. I must be willing to give up my crutches in order to find true freedom. The next level in my relationship with God is on the other side of the strain. Deeper intimacy waits, hoping for me to endure, to press on, to journey forward.

Too often I give up too soon, expecting immediate results. After 2 weeks of exercising, I gaze in the mirror and draw the conclusion that everything looks the same. “What’s the point?” I wonder and walk away. Truth is, the end result takes time. If I’m not willing to give it time, I’m not willing to have it at all.

Hebrews 12:11
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

No pain, no gain.