You May be Able to Push Harder than You Think

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Late last year I started listening to the At Home with Sally podcast. Each week Sally Clarkson and Kristen Kill have an uplifting chat meant to encourage Christian moms. It's always a nice little boost in my week, encouraging me to hang onto my ideals, find joy in the Lord, and love my kids well.

Almost every episode it seems like Sally talks about "building your muscles." Life is hard, and perseverance is required. When you are faithful to clean your kitchen one more night, to do just one more load of laundry, and to cling to patience in one more difficult moment with an inconsolable little one, you are building your muscles.

The more you work those muscles, the easier it becomes.

I've been hearing it and seeing it in lots of places lately. People are capable of seemingly miraculous feats, and so often we can do much more than we think we can.

Please don't mistake this for a man-centered, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps sort of pep talk. Of course we are still going to sin every day, no matter how much we accomplish. Of course we need Jesus and His abundant grace every single day.

And of course, every moment we need to rest our identity and hope in the good news of the Gospel- I am a sinner, but Jesus loved me anyway. Jesus' perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection have secured for me forgiveness before God, and a standing in His perfect righteousness. No matter how much I fail or accomplish, who I am in Christ cannot be altered to earn more or less favor with God.

But God has created good works beforehand for us to walk in. He calls us to faithfulness, and He calls us to holiness. In faith, resting in His glorious Gospel, I want to pursue hard after this.

One of my biggest pet sins in laziness. I am not the girl tempted to be a workaholic, who never stops, and keeps going until she crashes and burns. Not by a long shot! I'm the girl who likes to sit and chat, dawdle, and linger over tea or coffee and a book. I'd be happy to read books aloud to my kids all day if someone else would only come clean my house and cook for my family, and I'd easily give a night's work for a night of Netflix.

How's that for honesty?

I need to remember to push myself. To live by faith instead of my feelings. I want to build my muscles a little bit each day.

This can apply to so many areas in which we lack self-discipline:

• Finances
• Exercise
• Diet
• Housework
• Training our children
• Being a helper to our husband
• Cooking well-balanced meals
• Taming our tongues

The list could go on. You probably know the areas you most need growth in... I know I'm painfully aware of my own.

Instead of excusing myself {"I'm just too tired..." "It's been such a long day..." "The kids are acting up and I deserve a break..." "I'm a little under the weather..."}, I want to just try to push a little harder. Just for five minutes of housework, or one more hour of faithfully engaging the kids until bedtime, or one more day of following through on the habits I long to implement.

What is one area you need to push a little harder in? Are you more inclined to over-doing it, or under-doing it? 

If getting your home in order is one area you'd like to push harder in {it sure is for me!}, then may I recommend the Conquer Your Clutter Bundle? It's a collection of ebooks, courses, printables and other resources to help you get in control of your clutter and get organized. I'm loving the resources I've looked through so far! It's only available through Monday the 30th. Click on over and grab your copy before it's too late!