God often uses things in our every day lives to speak to us and teach us lessons. When I started CrossFit, He began using it to show me things. He's taught me things about humility and pride, endurance, finishing well, and more. This blog is about just one of those many things that I have learned from CrossFit about the Christian walk.
In my not-that-long CrossFit career, I have watched a few athletes come 110% right out of the gate on some marathon workouts and they burned out quickly because they did not pace themselves correctly. Because I have seen it with own eyes, I understand what a few well-intentioned individuals meant when they warned me before I had an important competitive workout. They warned "Be careful not to let your adrenaline kick in and go too hard in the beginning." My response was the same, "Don't worry. That's not my problem. My problem is I never go hard enough."
You see, I understand there is way more potential in me than I have tapped into. I understand that my problem isn't going too hard and burning out, though I know it is for some. As someone who had never done athletics, my problem is my body likes taking breaks. It likes going at a comfortable pace. It likes saying no to discomfort even at the risk of losing. So... I have used those important, competitive moments to see how far I can push myself. I go to new levels of discomfort and new levels of going all out. And slowly, it has become more of a habit.
I realized something the other day. There are some well-intentioned Christians who have told other believers, "Don't go too crazy. You don't need to live THAT holy. Just relax. You're taking this religion thing too seriously. Pace yourself." The problem is we have an entire generation of Christians in this western world who have never experienced pushing themselves. Instead we have Christians who act no different than the unbelievers around them. Instead we have unbelievers who know how to do community and know how to love more than the church does. There's a singer that has a song that says, "How far will You let me go? How abandoned will You let me be?" The point is how much like Jesus can we as Christians look like? You cannot love people too much! You cannot love God too much!
God desires people who are whole-hearted and are all-in. Since creation, He has been searching for hearts who desire Him more than their own desires. It's getting to the point in your heart where you are asking, "What else can I lose to gain more of Him?" God fills the hungry. He responds to desire.
Matthew 13:44-46 says "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
There's something amazing about finishing a workout knowing that you seriously gave it your all. I want to live my life for God knowing I am doing just that. It's okay to ask yourself if you REALLY are going all out. Chances are, something may be holding you back. It's okay to ask if you REALLY have more to give. Chances are, you do.
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