This thought was inspired by Curves, not the Borg. Yesterday I worked out at Curves for the first time since my knee malfunctioned. I was supposed to take it easy with my left knee for a week and a half following the cortisone shot--my new bfft, best friend for temporary. Not to be left out in the cold is my left shoulder, which has been doing its own version of the pain and stiffness maneuver both before and after the knee rebellion. Since both my knee and shoulder were being obstinate, I didn't do the computerized routine that increases the hydraulic resistance, so yesterday's work out was more '"out" than "work". I not only didn't break a sweat, I didn't even bend one. Using the machines without the Curves Smart tag had about the same benefit as not exercising at all.
That's where resistance comes in. I've admitted many times in this blog that I am partial to easy but, if I'm going out of my way to stop and exercise, I would like my heart rate to be higher when I'm finished exercising than it was on the drive over. Resistance is not futile. Resistance makes exercise worthwhile. Maybe that is why God doesn't give us all easy, downhill paths on our long circuit to heaven. In order to keep us from becoming spiritually flabby, He allows a controlled amount of resistance to make us stronger. If I can trust an inanimate computer at Curves not to push me harder than I can bear, how hard should it be to trust the God who loves me to program my life for the greatest challenge and benefit. If I want my heart to rate with God, what I need to resist is the path of least resistance. Whether we are working out our body or our salvation, if we aren't facing any resistance, it is an "exercise" in futility.
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