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Why the NEXT LEVEL Is Always Uphill

Hills.

They are often used as symbols of challenges, struggles and impossibilities.

But are they?

A few weeks ago, I challenged myself to a new level of fitness and training. I have been an avid walker for over 25 years. Most of that 25 years, my normal walk has been a very aggressive walk on a treadmill or outdoors.

I would rate myself as a seven for treadmill experience. My average walk over the last 25 years was 30-35 minutes.

A good daily walk has kept me in decent shape. But in all actuality, it has only enabled me to eat what I wanted in order to maintain my 210 pound, slightly overweight frame. So I was actually walking to simply eat whatever I chose to and not gain additional weight.

On my outdoor walking trail, there is a certain hill. I have always resisted this hill. The reason so is it made me work harder than I cared to, caused my legs to burn, and my hips to ache.

OK, so I challenged myself to a new level of fitness that I have called “90 Days to Transformation.” I decided to double my walk time, add weight training, jump roping, etc.

After 15 days of training, I realized something remarkable was happening. The hill was no longer a source of agitation to me. In fact, I could not remember when I had noticed the hill last.

So here are my helpful hints for those of us that have hills in our lives.

1. What once revealed your weakness now reveals your strength.

I dreaded that hill because it revealed how weak I was, and it caused pain in my body. I often wondered why did this hill have to be in my neighborhood?

Have you ever wanted something difficult out of your life or out of your way? You see; I saw that hill as an enemy.

The Bible tells us that mountains in our way can be removed. I wanted to remove this hill.

I wonder if hills and mountains are some of the things God uses to challenge us and to develop our faith?