1 More Day...to Go All Out

I have always enjoyed working out. It's such an escape from my crazy busy life where I can think of nothing. I've been a regular member of my gym for years. 

Last month a friend asked me to join her for a different kind of workout.  I arrived at the gym and was told to put on a special heart rate monitor. Before I knew it,  my name and my heart rate was on the big screen in the front of the class for all to see. 

The instructor explained there were 3 zones that we'd be working in. The base pace (which would appear green on the screen) was a fairly easy pace where we could exercise for an extended period of time; the push pace (which is orange) where we would basically be "pushing" ourselves to give more; and the all out pace (which is red). This is the pace where we were expected to be very uncomfortable. 

The trainer wouldn't  keep us here long; however, it was important that we "empty our tank" during the all out phase. 

Everyone's name was on the board - Quickly I watched as people's names changed from a shade of grey to green. We were warming up. 

There were walkers, joggers and runners. There were people there younger than me and those older. Some were more fit than me while others were not. But it didn't matter. I was not competing against anyone. I was there for me. And we all had the equalizer - the heart rate monitor that was going to report our individual effort. 

And when it was time to go to the push phase, I just wanted my name to turn orange. I actually thought I was pushing myself until I looked up on the screen only to see my name in green. So I gave more. Until finally I got to orange. 

Then the trainer said we were going to have a one minute all out. He wanted us to run as fast as we could for one minute and our names should be red on that screen. He said go and I went hard for a good 30 seconds; looked up on the screen to boast of my all out redness when I saw orange.  I was for sure I was giving 100% but the screen said different. I was only in the 80's. 
The trainer told us that while in the all out phase, we were to be uncomfortable. But I didn't think he wanted me to die. He kept encouraging loudly - "Get there!  Get in the red! Give me 100%!!!" The trainer was always watching. If someone wasn't it their appropriate zone, he would call them out to get there. 


I recently began teaching the book of James to my Bible Study Class and think my time at the new gym was a real life illustration for the following:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything..."

Just like the trainer in my new gym wanted me to get uncomfortable because he knew it would make me better, our Heavenly Father knows that we often need to be stretched and made uncomfortable so that we can grow.  He is carefully orchestrating our lives to push us so that we can grow in areas so that we lack nothing. 

Even when we feel like we are about to die or our hearts will explode,we can be sure He is monitoring our hearts and our zones. 
Consider it pure joy when we face trials- Because it's fun? No! Because those trials are making us stronger. We are growing! So that we lack nothing.  

I think of all the times I've worked out and just gotten by - not pushing myself harder because I was tired or just not in the mood. I had simply settled for average.

But that's not good enough for our Heavenly Father. He wants more. He demands more. He deserves more. 

Let's get in that zone!!!! Let's go all out and empty that tank!