Long story short, I have weak glutes, uneven hips, and they have caused me some major problems over the past few months. One little thing
led to a big thing, more imbalances and weaknesses, long recovery and lots of
pain, but I finally healed. Then I suddenly went from the best running since
February to basically not being able to walk. My hip healed, but after months
of limping, several muscles that had been having to do jobs they are not meant
to do decided that they had enough. Some spasmed, some knotted up, and all the
pain culminated in my lower back, leaving me helpless and afraid.
Thanks to a lot of help from my mom, a generous check on me
from a friend/physical therapist, and a visit to my doctor the next morning, I
felt a little better physically and emotionally, but for someone who is used to
training twice a day barely able to get out of bed or off the couch, this was
not familiar territory. As the day went on, with lots of time to think and
pray, I started to see ways that this could be good. I knew I couldn’t let
myself get too discouraged; I’ve been through so much already, I can make it
through this, too. I had been kind of discouraged in myself over the summer for
not getting little fun projects done at home, like
crafts and reading, as well as going fun places and getting extra sleep. Well,
now I can read and work and sleep lots. I can take time to do things that I
didn’t while I was more focused on running. I have so many
weaknesses I can work on—sleep, hydration, muscles, getting organized, etc.
The next day I started physical therapy, and something my PT
said really stood out. It was obvious, and I knew it, but it was good to hear
and inspired me to really work at it in a lot of areas. This was Thursday, and
she said I could very likely be pain-free by Monday. But—but I
would still have the weaknesses and imbalances. If I don’t correct those
things, then another injury could come up just as quickly as this one.
It can be so easy to make things look better on the outside
when on the inside they are still messed up. Covering up our problems, pains, and weaknesses doesn’t fix the issue and doesn’t mean that it won’t pop back up and
cause another problem later. This isn’t just about muscles. Yes, if you are
weak in a certain area, if you don’t address it and make it stronger, it can
very easily cause another injury even if you look and feel healthy. However,
this can go into so many areas of life, especially emotional and spiritual.
If you’re struggling with something but just cover it up,
ignore it, it isn’t gone. We can hide our weaknesses the best we can, and no
one may know…for a while. Things happen that bring out our blemishes. No one is
immune; everyone has weaknesses. That’s part of being human. It’s not wrong,
but what is wrong is when we know there is something we ought to work on and we
don’t. If we want change, we have to change. There’s a saying I’ve heard at
church many times that goes, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll
always get what you’ve always gotten.” It sounds obvious, but we humans tend to avoid change yet we want change at the same time. We can’t just temporarily
push a struggle aside; we have to fill that space with something better. If
it’s a person, find someone who will move you forward. If it’s a habit, find
something positive to do instead. If it’s a junk food, replace it with
something both healthy and satisfying. If you’ve got a weak butt, do some clam
shells. If you’re sidelined from your sport (or other job), make good use of your time.
Let’s not ignore the foundations. Let’s get back to the
basics and build ourselves up so we are ready when it counts. Let’s embrace our
weaknesses so we can grow stronger.
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I believe things are always more successful with inspiration, and there is no greater inspiration that God's Word. Here are some things the Bible says about change:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything and a
season for every activity under the heavens.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 “Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that
far outweighs them all.”
Ephesians 4:22-24 “With regard to your former way of life,
put off your old self, which is being corrupted, be made new in the attitude of
your minds, and put on the new self, created to be like God n true
righteousness and holiness.”
