Lessons from the Wii

Our family got a Wii this Christmas. It is a lot of fun and we have thoroughly enjoyed the added element of fun and healthy competition it has brought into our lives. The first time my husband and I had a chance to play (after midnight one night!) He wanted to do the boxing. Co-workers had told him that it was a good work out and one of their favorites. So, we boxed!

Knowing it was late and our time was limited, we decided to skip over some of the instructional parts and get right to the action! We are both competitive by nature and we were boxing our hearts out trying to win. (For the record, I knocked him out three times in a row that first night!) We were using our whole bodies and punching the air with the force that we anticipated it would take to actually box in real life. (I was SO SORE the following morning that it hurt to use my right shoulder...)

My husband, determined NOT to be knocked out by a woman, went back and did the instructional and practice boxing areas. What did we find out as he did? You barely have to move at all! It is all in how you move your wrists and the remotes. Here we were, full on giving it all that we had physically, and to truly do well you only had to know how to hold the remotes and strategically move them and your body. (Yes, he has knocked me out every time since...) Granted, it is still a good work out for your arms and core muscles-just not every muscle in your body!

I got to thinking about how often I do that in life. How I feel God is leading me to do something and I go full force boxing with all that I have trying to bring about the increase myself. Allowing my own logic to dictate my actions. When, in fact, had I taken the time to seek His face more specifically or read the instructions (the Bible) a bit more carefully that I would know that I don't have to strive-that I simply need to walk in obedience and rest in His grace.

It is like that story of the man who God asked to push a wheelbarrow up the mountain. Along the way he ran into several others who had loads that they were struggling with and he had each person put part of their load in his barrel. Surely God wouldn't have given him a wheelbarrow if he wasn't supposed to use it! As he neared the top of the mountain he was exhausted, weary, and overwhelmed. He cried out to God asking Him why God would give him such a heavy burden and task. God's reply, "I only asked you to move the wheelbarrow up the mountain. You chose to put everything in it..."

How is your load today? Sometimes God does give us big tasks or difficult times, but if we will seek His face and His strength, His power will rest upon us.

"My yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30

"My grace is sufficient for you, and 'my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness that Christ's power may rest on me." II Corinthians 12:9

"Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face always." II Chronicles 16:11

May you rest in His grace and power today!

Shanda