A couple weeks ago while praying I felt impressed to share my burdens with Heavenly Father. I asked Him what he would have me do with each of them. One of those burdens is a rather minor one, but something that I have wanted to implement into my life, while feeling I hadn't the time to do so.
It was to receive guidance regarding establishing an exercise regimen.
His response was, “Do not concern yourself with this right now."
OK, I thought. No problem. I can keep ignoring it for a little while. It’s not like I really wanted to do it, anyway.
The next day while at work I felt prompted to text a friend of mine to see if he wanted to do dinner that evening. He texted back that yeah that sounded like a good idea. He then asked me do I take cash or check?
Then I remembered how he had mentioned to me recently about some stiffness or pain he'd been having and did I still perform massage?
I then realized he had probably thought I was asking regarding giving him a massage. I then felt prompted to offer him a free massage. So I texted him that I could bring my massage table and a frozen pizza over that evening if he was available.
"Tonight would be great," he said.
And it was.
After the massage and dinner and good conversation the evening was coming to a close.
As we were winding down I told my friend, chuckling, “I prayed yesterday about a variety of challenges and burdens that I needed to get resolved. One of those was implementing an exercise program. Heavenly Father’s response to me was “Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to do anything about it right now.”
I then said, “wouldn’t it be funny if the reason He told me not to worry about it was because he knew I’d be visiting you and you were going to tell me about your exercise program?”
See, I knew this friend followed an exercise regimen because he had told me about it previously.
As soon as I told him that he got a kick out of it and we had a good laugh.
But then he went on to talk to me about his exercise routine. He told me how simple it can be as he began to demonstrate the various exercises he did every day while holding two-pound cans in his hands.
Then he told me about his running routine, how far he ran, and how often.
In short, he provided all the details I needed in order for me to be convinced that I, too, could begin right away.
The next morning when I woke up I was prompted to go for a run and to do those same exercises. What a blessing to be provided an answer to a prayer in a manner which the Lord knew I would actually follow through with. And it came as a result of my desire to provide some small simple service.
Two weeks later as I edit and post this, I am still exercising daily, having missed just one day of intended exercise.
