January 22nd, 2010 "Push On Through"

Tsunami Devo by Steve Keaton
Friday, January 22^nd, 2010
Title: Push On Through
Text: John 16:33 (NIV) ³³"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

It is no secret that I’m a big guy. I like to eat. Now, I’m not talking about eating the healthy stuff either. I am a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I love sweets. A bowl of ice cream at 10PM is not something out of the realm of possibilities for me. I joke that I was born at 189lbs. So, I hope I have painted a pretty decent picture of myself. And any of you who are familiar with youth ministry, you know that eating junk is just part of the sacrifice we dedicate youth workers make to reach the needs of the youth we serve. Well, last summer I had gained back most of the weight I lost in 2003. You see in 2003 I hit the 300lb mark, and knew I had to do something about it. So I set a goal of competing in a triathlon and lost 70 lbs. I was looking pretty good for an ugly, old guy. But over the past 6 years I allowed the weight to creep back up on me. I knew I needed to do something because my weight had hit 270 again.

It wasn’t until a comment that cut me to my core. I remember so vividly a father of one my youth, on our summer mission trip calling me “Fat”. It hurt me. I didn’t show it on the outside, but it really hurt me on the inside. This was a man who I respected and loved. How could he?

Later that night as I lay sweating in that hot Nassau church, it hit me. Sometimes we have to be slapped in the face and be cut to the bone to wake up and make a change. So the day after we returned from that trip I started a new work out program. It wasn’t your typical 20-minute, get your heart rate up a little, workout. It was a punch you in the face, kick your booty, make you cry for your mommy workout. Once I realized that as much as it may hurt while doing it, and as difficult and challenging as it was to finish each hour-long session, that I wasn’t going to die, I began seeing a transformation take place. It was a physical and mental transformation. It was a transformation that was obvious to those around me. And the feedback was so positive. As a matter of fact, because of the example I set, several others began that 90 day, extreme workout program. That’s a pretty awesome feeling.

But imagine what would have happened, or should I say, not happen if I had not become motivated to make such a change in my life? How would my life continued to go down a dangerous path. How about those who have stepped up to take on the challenge to see themselves changed? Who knows? What about the negative example I was setting for those around me? But I know this much. Not one minute of it was easy, but every minute of it was worth it. I am a different person today because it.

Our walk with Christ is much the same way. Being a true and authentic follower of Christ is not something to be taken lightly. It is not easy. No bed of roses to be found. The fact is that striving to transform ourselves to be the true people God created us to be is not supposed to be easy. Nothing worth having ever is. Yet, the impact on ourselves and even more so on those around us will astound you. You have to push through the adversity. You have to strive to overcome all the obstacles and change your mind-set to one of “I can”, instead of “there’s no way I could ever do that.” God gives us the strength to do it, if we will dig deeper and put forth the effort.

Listen to what I’m saying. You exist for more than consuming oxygen and taking up space on this big rock circling the sun. You have a special purpose. And in whatever form God reveals that to you, that purpose is simply to glorify God, be a light in the darkness, help set the example for the world around you, and worship our Creator with every fiber of your being with everything you do.

So, get up, get out, get moving, get motivated and push on through. Why? That’s what our Savior did, and we can do the same.