Have you ever got in your own way from obtaining the progress you desired? I have been doing that for a while now.

In my last blog post (click here to read), I mentioned how we had a significant snowfall over the course of two days. What I didn’t mention is that I had been shovelling my neighbours’ driveway as well as mine. The end result was that I tweaked my shoulder during that battle with the snow.

“Tweak” may not have been the correct word to use, however, in describing the soreness of my shoulder. It was closer to the Monty Python skit with the knight who kept losing limbs in a sword fight with King Arthur, but said, “it’s just a flesh wound”.

My shoulder was really sore. … Sore enough to wonder whether I should play hockey two days later. But, of course, I played.

And to my surprise, my shoulder didn’t bother me one bit. I felt 100% out on the ice. 

However, about an hour later when I was driving home, as I reached to put my turn signal on, I got a stabbing pain in my shoulder. I had to reach across and through the steering wheel with my right arm to lift up the turn signal. 

I later spoke with my son-in-law who told me I’d probably pulled some ligament in my shoulder attached to my bicep. It wouldn’t affect my arm movement playing hockey but picking up a glass of water was another matter. He said I needed rest. 

So I gave it rest. I didn’t play hockey for an entire week after that … until Wednesday rolled around again. 

My shoulder wasn’t feeling better after playing hockey the week before, but it was a little better. So, of course, I played hockey again. 

And guess what happened? It didn’t bug me at all playing hockey. But afterwards it was like I’d taken two steps back in the healing process.

I sort of got in my own way of recovering.

I decided I better give my shoulder another week to heal. So I went from playing hockey four times a week to one time.

Each week had the same results. My shoulder would start feeling a little better and then I would play hockey and it would regress. … Getting in my own way again.

That was until last Wednesday. 

On my first shift, I reached for the puck and I felt something like a pop in my good shoulder. I felt like I lost the strength in my arm for a bit.

Now both my shoulders feel really messed up. Ever try putting on your shirt or coat with bad shoulders? It’s not a good look.

So for the first time in a month, I’m not playing hockey this week at all. 

And hopefully I will start to recover. I’ve been getting in my own way of getting better. 

One thing I’m settling on is getting a snowblower so this shoulder thing doesn’t happen again.

Here’s the thing: Often we get in our own way when it comes to getting right with God. We either make excuses for our actions, or we invent our own storyline. But God’s right there; He sees what we are doing and He still waits for us to give in to Him. Stop getting in your own way with God. Go to Him, put your faith in Christ, ask for forgiveness and stop getting in your own way. God’s waiting. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How have you been getting in your own way lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

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