Love to Rest

Just as I was gearing up to start the New Year with a new exercise program, PrayFit challenged their readers to NOT exercise for the first 10 days of 2016. The reason? To spend more time with God and less time focused on yourself.
If you spend any serious amount of time in the gym, the focus while in the gym is undoubtedly about bettering yourself... Whether for health or a race or vanity or... The list goes on... PrayFit's concept is that while you are in the gym or running through the woods, to also be focused on God, because He created this body, my body.
Through everything I do, I want to worship Him! And so, even as I wanted to and needed to start my exercise program with the rest of the world on January 1, I didn't...  I rested...  I submerged myself in God's word.
I started posting again and it has been so amazing. The last 9 days, God filled, His presence surrounding me has been awe-inspiring! But it has not been easy. I've wanted to exercise. I'm trying to get my life back on track and exercise is part of that! I heard a sermon years ago about lent and what you choose to give up during the season. Every time you think of it, think of the suffering of Christ and the reason we are doing this.
So during these 10 days I've treated it as a mix between a fast and lent and every time I thought about exercise, I would then think about Christ and remember why I'm doing this. If I could I would open a devotional and start reading.
And it all... Perfectly led up to this morning...
This morning's sermon was Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit anointing Him and God saying He was well pleased. This was followed by my joining the church and a remembrance of our own baptisms.
Could there be a better way to break my fast than with a remembrance of my baptism?
The thought that God is well pleased with me after everything I've been through in my life is a humbling thought, but that's the point. Jesus hadn't performed any miracles yet. He hadn't stood out in the crowd yet. No one was following Him around. And yet... God was well pleased with Him.
I want to remember that tomorrow when I wake up and when life gets difficult and when the world closes in and even when everything is perfect too.
And a secret from me to you..... He is well pleased with you too!