Muscle memory

Personal Photo: I have always loved the pool, as you can see. Summer is still my favorite time of year, and many of my favorite memories are during these warm months of freedom from school, time with my family, and soaking up so many blessings. I hope you all seek to make memories that form a deeper bond with the Lord, and ones you can look back on fondly!

I stepped out of the pool at home, the refreshing water leaving my skin cool in the midday summer sunshine. I took a few quick bounds from the ladder on the burning hot deck, snatched up my towel, and plopped next to my brother's spot on the cover of the pool toy bin by the side of the house. He had gone inside to get us a snack to fuel us for the rest of the afternoon before going inside for supper and then returning to the pool for some nighttime swims. I heard the sliding of the patio door open and close before I saw Jason returning, and all of a sudden, he was next to me, holding two silver foil packets containing delicious Poptarts. The perfect after-swim treat. We sat there together and talked about everything and nothing at once while we munched away, enjoying our childhood and eager to get back to whatever game we were playing in the pool.

I spent every summer this way growing up, my days and evenings entirely soaked by the sun, the chlorine water of our wonderful pool, and the smell of campfire smoke in my hair. I love this scene of Jason and I, sitting next to each other by the water, and in my mind, we always have our Poptarts in our hands. I have grown up and so has my brother, leaving us in different states and with the responsibilities of adults, but every time I go for a swim, as soon as I step out of the water, I crave one of those silly Poptarts. I used to try and fight the craving as I was drying off with my towel, but I cherish the memories of those snack-filled swim breaks that I lean into them now. I tend to always keep Poptarts on hand, especially in the summertime, and so do my parents, so I go pick one out and eat it slowly and appreciate how the muscle memory of wanting one was formed.

I have been thinking so often of this story that always makes me smile, and I couldn't seem to shake the peace I have in craving an intimacy with God and creating muscle memory within myself for a relationship with Him. You might be thinking that wanting a Poptart after swimming is a far jump from turning to God out of habit, but I really believe they are not as far away as they might seem at first. I use my childhood example because we all have things like this, sometimes things that we do not even notice about ourselves that developed because of something we did earlier in life that left a lasting impact. Often, we focus on the habits that we want to break, the things that follow us around that we want to abandon, but so little do we give time and space to the tiny little sprouts of peace that grow within us. Regardless of when those seeds were planted, in childhood or just being sown, we are able to cultivate them starting today, and we can do so by beginning with the seed of Christ.

In a world that is so against the Lord, it can be challenging to create a habit of turning to Him in all scenarios. We might find ourselves busy, overwhelmed, too close to the fire to see the flames, and all of a sudden, we realize we need Him. We are all guilty of this, of thinking we can handle it all on our own, until we feel so lost that we understand that not only do we not have to do it alone, but that we shouldn't. James 4:8 tells us "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." This verse directly expresses the point I am trying to make. When we create a habit of turning to God, we will do so more often, and we are rewarded with His intimacy. First, we must seek God out, and the more we depend on Him, the more we find out how dependable He is. The more we trust God, the more we find out how trustworthy He is.

When we devote the time and energy into creating a relationship with God, we are forming a habit that we can depend on to fuel us when we feel as though we are on empty, a peace the calms our chaotic lives, and a resource that guides us in every moment. Psalm 91:1 informs us that "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty." We can see here that turning to God, humbling ourselves to realize we need His help will in turn provide comfort, relief, and protection. The Lord is always there for us, waiting for us to come to Him, eager to give us love, safety, and salvation. It is then up to us to accept that gift, to open the present of the Lord's love and use it, live by it, and look to Him in all situations. This is the muscle memory I am referring to. When we make a habit of seeking God, it becomes easier to see Him in everything we do. When we train ourselves to ask for His guidance, the path we should take becomes clearer. When we eagerly look to give Him glory, we create more opportunities to do so. The list goes on and on.

God never turns away from us, which makes turning to Him the perfect habit to form. Matthew 7:7-8 explains "Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." We can all work on our muscle memory when it comes to God. We can all carve out new ways to seek the Lord and rest assured that when we do so, we will find Him. The Lord promises His companionship, and all we need to do is lean into it, allow ourselves to crave the intimacy and friendship with Him, let the Holy Spirit guide us toward His light at all times. Soon, we will have an overflowing number of memories that make us smile, that remind us of when God stepped in and we welcomed Him, that reinforce the reasons why we continue to carve and create habits that are based on seeking Him out.