Perseverance

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.                          James 1:12

I was speaking recently with a client who is fighting a chronic degenerative neurological disorder. The disease is robbing her of both physical and mental acuity, slowly but inexorably draining from her the will to fight.

This client is in her 70’s and I acknowledged to her that those of us in our 70’s have a much greater challenge in maintaining our mental and physical edge. She especially, with her neurological condition, finds it difficult to get motivated to move. It takes a great deal of energy input in order to get the kind of results that in the past came almost effortlessly.

The laws of physics tell us that a body at rest tends to stay at rest without an input of energy into the system. That energy must come from our own resources, but all of us need encouragement from others to keep up hope, and to see the need to push ourselves for our own benefit (and that of others too).

As we age, we are challenged, because our bodies are not as efficient at producing and storing energy as when we were 20 or 30, or even 40 or 50! However, the old adage never changes – “use it or lose it”. If we fail to push ourselves, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually, we will gradually lose abilities in those areas. My friends, we cannot afford to do that. Yes, eventually there comes a time when we can no longer push these minds and bodies to those lengths, but we want to stave that day off as long as possible.

So, take heart. Push to keep yourself active in all of those areas. Seek others who will be encouragers to you, and you should encourage them as well. I think that we were designed to keep active as long as possible, and not to give in to inactivity in any area.

So, stay active my friends in whatever ways you can. It is harder as we age, but there is the reward of self-esteem and better health.

Keep your eye on the prize…

Prayer: Lord, help us to keep our motivation, and help others in theirs, Amen