The Eleventh Rep

I just finished my early morning workout. Today was the day to work out my legs, which means also the day to do squats. If you are unfamiliar with the squat exercise the basics are you put a bar with weights behind your neck on your shoulders and then squat your legs down.

As a young athlete I loved squats. At forty-five I cannot say I love squats today. They are good for me but there is no joy in doing them. Today proved to be more challenging than most. I typically do not do more than five repetitions on squats but today I changed up the routine. I ended up doing multiple sets of ten repetitions and all this came at the end of the work out.

After the first set I began contemplating lowering the sets or the repetitions. This thought seemed logical. One of the coaches passed through and I commented how some times workouts look better on paper than when you are actually doing them. He replied, “Yeah but it feels good when you are finished.”

I decided right then I would finish no matter what. I got my mind rightly focused and when I did get to my last set I decided I would do eleven repetitions rather than ten. As I counted down each repetition (nine left, eight left, seven left, six left) I thought about backing out on the eleventh rep. My thighs and hamstrings were burning. It was the last set of an already difficult leg day.

I had a little pep talk in my mind between reps five and six and decided I would do the eleventh rep. I wanted to finish my work out doing a little more than I said I would do. Eight, nine, ten, and then ELEVEN.

I cannot say I enjoyed doing squats today but I can say in hindsight I am glad I went to the gym. I am also glad I did squats and finished the work out I planned and then a little extra. Life is like that. There are things we have to do and endure that we really do not enjoy but in the end they bring great benefit.

The student may not enjoy studying for tests but love the feeling when they breeze through the examination because they worked hard and know the answers. We may not always enjoy work but we are glad we did when payday comes around. We may not enjoy those difficult family talks but are glad we did afterward when relational conflicts have been resolved. We may not enjoy preparing the meal but enjoy savoring it afterward.

As I sit here and write this I do not know what you are going through. I want to offer a little hope to help you finish the day and then do a little extra. Maybe that will mean pray a little longer today. [I Thess 5:17] Maybe that would mean taking the Bible and reading with extra attentiveness seeking something to hold on to. [Ps 119:103-105] Maybe today you resolve in your mind you are going throw every problem and difficulty on the Lord and leave your stress with Him. [Ps 55:22] With God’s strength you can persevere and overcome. Perhaps this all may mean you dismiss thoughts of quitting on your family, friends, and maybe for some of you even on life itself. Your back might be against the wall and quitting looks like the best and only option.

Maybe you do not feel like pressing on and you are thinking about quitting like I did on the squats this morning. You will feel better if you trust God through this day. Maybe nothing changes in your circumstances but you will change. You will know with God’s strength you can finish. [Phil 4:13] You can get through this. Don’t give up. Press through your tough stuff even when you don’t feel like it. It will be worth it on the other side. Finish life’s workout and then do an eleventh rep.