Meandering - More ‘Whizz’ & Less ‘Wheeze’

When I first got out on my bike after a long, hard winter, instead of whizzing along, I was wheezing along, gasping for air. It was hard enough to get myself going, but my bike also seemed to wheeze along in a raspy, croaky, mechanical sort of way. Although it made each ride arduously unpleasant, and I would think to myself that I should get it looked at, I just became accustomed to it. Recently, however, I finally got it into a bike shop for a tune up. I still can hardly believe the huge difference it made. The bike shifts and cycles along smoothly, making it much more enjoyable to ride. Now, while I whizz along, I still wheeze a bit, but at least there’s no more grinding it out, toiling away harder than necessary. 

This reminded me of Ecclesiastes 10:10 which says, “Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.”

Have you been grinding away, without much joy for some time now? Are you feeling spiritually, emotionally and mentally over-stretched, worn down, and dull? God’s Word wisely says that to succeed you need to stay sharp. It’s that old axiom, “More brain, less muscle.” Use the Lord’s wisdom to periodically evaluate how you are doing physically. Are you taking in enough water? Are you getting too much or too little sleep? Food has a lot to do with mood. Is what you eat helping or hurting? Wear a Fitbit that simply counts your steps to motivate you to keep active. Find a form of exercise (re-creation) that you enjoy. Stay as sharp as you can physically. It will go a long way to help you feel and think better. Above all else, in tandem with good physical habits (1 Corinthians 6:19,10:31), daily allow God’s Spirit to lovingly keep you tuned up and spiritually sharp. His Word, through prayerful meditation, inspires and illuminates, refreshes and hydrates, feeds and nourishes, helping us to succeed (Joshua 1:8). 

It’s true, as well, that staying sharp both physically and spiritually is best done with friends, in community and good fellowship. It provides accountability, support, and motivation, especially on those tough days. When left to ourselves, we often give up (Hebrews 10:25).  

For more ‘whizz’ and less ‘wheeze’, let’s stay sharp and tuned up!

Thanks for meandering along with me,
Pastor Daniel