“I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life.” Psalm 119:93

by: Allyson King

During this stay-at-home order, I have found myself watching the Olympic channel and have been thrilled to see two of my favorite sports — gymnastics and ice-skating.  I love watching both the power and grace these two sports require as the athletes perform their breathtaking routines.

Remembering my own nervousness when approaching a dance recital or theater performance, I contemplated how they were able to perform on this world stage without forgetting what they were doing.

The Lord brought to mind that these athletes spend hours each day training, for months and years on end, leading up to these events.  They perform individual elements over and over until they can execute with precision and without thought.  Their muscles reach a point where they automatically know the sequences.  

The unending hours of training and practice prepare them to perform at the highest levels of competition.

Personally, while I will never be an Olympic athlete, the Lord gave me insight into how I could apply this same principle to my spiritual life.  Like the training these athletes undertake, I need to train my heart to seek God and turn to Him in times of need.

What does this mean?

The more time I spend in God’s Word discovering WHO He is and WHAT He has done for me, the easier it is to remember these Truths when faced with trials and suffering.  

Psalm 119:92 says, “If Your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.”

This psalmist, Aleph, knew that relying on God’s Word brought him through trials and gave him hope.  

Like the muscle memory of Olympic athletes, my heart muscles have a memory too.  I need to continually fill my heart with God’s Word in order to train my heart and mind to love and trust Him.  I will then more instinctively turn to Him in my times of hurt and need. 

During this global pandemic (or other catastrophic events and personal emergencies), it is easy to feel overwhelmed and anxious.  And these emotions are often compounded when I focus on external voices such as the fearful reports on my media feeds. 

BUT, when I allow my trained heart muscles to kick in, my heart is calmed, and I remember that God is in control.  I trust Him to be with and care for me during these trying times.  I do not fear what is going on in the world because it is all in His powerful hands.  I can rest in Him and His Word.

I pray that you have found comfort in the Lord and His Word during these trying times because your heart muscles have been trained for such a time as this.  If not, it’s never too late to start training!