I am not in shape, but until yesterday I didn’t know it. 

Most people know when they are not in shape. They can feel when they have gained a few extra pounds. They know when they haven’t been exercising that their muscles and cardio are not where they should be.

This week I played hockey for the first time in five months. I had also come off of a month of vacation during which I ate more than I exercised. I knew going into the game that I was not going to be in great shape. 

The good thing was that many of the other guys who were playing were in the same boat as me, so I didn’t stick out like a sore thumb. But I certainly did know I was not in shape. 

Physically it’s easy to know when you are or are not in shape.

When it comes to other things, it’s not always the case. 

During our vacation I did not play pool. For a while before we left, I had been playing a bit almost every day.

I had been working on a few shots, figuring out how to hit them correctly. I was starting to get to the place of being fairly consistent with making those shots. 

But after a month of no pool, it was like I had taken a few steps backward. In other words, I was not in pool shape. I had to once again practice those shots I’d been learning, just so I could make them consistently.

When we get out of the rhythm of doing something, we will become out of shape for that activity. We’ll get rusty and need to polish our skills again. 

This week I learned something else I’m not in shape for: being back at work. 

I was not in shape for work but I didn’t realize it … well, until this morning, that is. 

I’ve been working as a pastor for 36 years. I’ve been the pastor of my present church for 25 years. A little vacation was not going to cause me to get rusty at the skills or tasks that I do. My vacation from work didn’t make my muscles flabby. 

In fact, it didn’t matter how much junk food I ate during my vacation, it had no affect on the shape I’d be in for work.

I worked my first week back, got the things done that were on my agenda and preached on Sunday. Nothing seemed to be different. It was all the same as it had been before my vacation.  

I didn’t miss a beat. 

… Except I napped Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening and slept in Monday morning. Ya, I’m a bit out of shape and I didn’t know it. 

Here’s the thing: There can be a lot of things that we are not aware of. We don’t realize it until something exposes those things. Many of us have been away from physical community with other Christians for a long time. Take some time to think about how out of shape you are with attending church and being with your brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s time to do something about it and get back in shape.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: In what way are you out of shape right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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