We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
2Cor.4.8-11
When I go see a patient in their home for acute post op cardiac rehab I am taking with me a Borg Perceived Exertion Scale for them to rate how hard they feel they are working at the exercise they are doing. I want their rate of exertion to stay in the green zone as a safety measure for the health of their heart.
If we took one of these scales and placed it next to our lives would we find ourselves staying in the safety of the green zone, fully appropriate for a person recovering from trauma and severe hardship, or are we pushing into the less comfortable yellow zones and beyond?
We may even find ourselves in the dark red “10” zone, not of our own choosing but because that is where God wants us so that we are fully relying on Him. It’s uncomfortable, maybe even painful. If I were exercising a patient as a therapist, I’d get them out of there pretty quickly, but it seems as if God leaves us in that blood-letting sector interminably! Conceivably, it takes this long for us to completely turn over our issue to Him and trust Him. He will take as long as is necessary to teach us reliance upon Him. We may be afflicted but not crushed, struck down but not destroyed; He will be there with us in the thick of things.
(Side bar: If you are in a place of high stress for an extended time, you may need outside help beyond what talking with friends can give to you. Please pray about it and consider talking to your pastor or your doctor if needed. )
Now that you have seen the chart, are you ready to push into a zone that’s just a little bit outside of the comfort level where you have been living? 🚦
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