I keep hearing the word momentum or words similar to it. Have you ever had God highlights a word for you? It usually means he wants you to investigate it or focus on it for moment. He’s been doing it to me for the past two weeks. And what a great word. Keeping momentum; maintaining, gaining or regaining it, when life knocks you off the train rails. Sounds like a picnic to me!
Distractions and derailment are two penny’s on the track that can cause our momentum to crumble before our eyes. And doesn’t it seem that we were just getting started? We are invited to a party the day after we decided to cut carbs. We are a week into working out when the flu hits. Or how about that big project that was started, and after tearing down the wall paper and gutting the room, we hurt our back and all the money for the remodel goes to the doctor. Sheesh!
Getting our momentum back after these unexpected events takes more than will power. It takes more than a good attitude. These issues need a personal coach. A cheerleader on the side lines yelling “Get BACK UP! DON’T QUIT!” But the these people are nowhere to be found. Where do we go for that injection of hope? Where do we turn when our head is telling us to quit and our heart just isn’t in it anymore?
If you’re like me, interruptions can throw this Emperor off her groove in no time. Sometimes they are welcomed, but most often, the timing is horrible. Right when I’m in a creative writing burst; a knock on the door, a call or a dog throws up. Pulling me away from my inspired thought. Any number of circumstances can throw us off; but getting back on the wagon and pursuing our passions after a halt tends to be challenging. The inspiration faded and the thought bubble burst. I could list three instances in my life where momentum was lost and I was halted, paused, delayed or detained. Insert any spiritual word you would like, I just knew I wasn’t moving forward. I was the little engine that needed a life coach.
Discouraging, delaying or devaluing moments cause momentum to be lost. It causes our heart to faint and the words of quitting begin to swim around in our head, doing laps, backflips and cannon balls. We quit hoping. Quit believing. Quit trying. Then we are tempted to quit all together and resign from the call and just endure. You see, even though horrible events happen or tragedy strikes; like gossip rising up, relationships end, loved ones die, jobs are lost, a car accident, injury or sickness changes your life or a loved one’s life; messes that are out of our control, we are still responsible to heal, grieve, love and move forward. NO ONE can do that for us. It is our decision to face another day.
There comes a time to step back into our armor that has been hung on the wall. To put our boots on, pick up the walking stick, and start the climb back into a life we are called to live. And though the circumstance that came up felt like walls, they were in fact tracks rerouting and redirecting us towards the destination God intended all along.
Derailments do not direct our destiny, decisions do. Gaining our momentum back comes with one step and then the next. One step of faith. One step of hope. One prayer. And one Word from God.
It isn’t found in an inspirational moment, it is usually found in a broken place of weeping. It’s found in the dirt, with skinned knees and scraped hands. It’s found in a moment on the knifes edge of wanting to quit but you rise up once more. It’s found in a whisper, a still small voice that tells us, “I am with you.” It’s found when we are alone with God and His quiet voice is louder than our fears, our disappointments and our discouraged soul. Real, moments of hurt, heartache and defeat. So, yes you will want to quit, just don’t.
And just so you know, we do have a cheer squad: All of heaven is cheering you on! They are screaming, Keep going! You can do it! It’s worth it!
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
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