When You Hit the Wall
If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small!
(Pro. 24:10-NET)
Is your business nose - diving and you are tired, worn out, feel like giving up or overwhelmed by thoughts of suicide? This is just for you.
Imagine running a race when all of a sudden it feels as though a gorilla jumped on your back and you are out of breath! Your legs are heavy and every stride that you take is becoming more and more of an effort. Gradually your body is grinding to a halt. This experience is called “hitting the wall”.
‘Hitting the wall’ is often "used in the world of endurance sport to describe the sudden fatigue and dramatic slowing down of the body. The experience is due to depletion of the body’s glycogen stores." By further definition it means to:
• Become suddenly and completely exhausted, extremely fatigued, or worn out.
• Suddenly end or cease making advancements.
• Reach a mental block point where no more progress can be made.
• Lose effectiveness suddenly or come to an end etc.
In fact, ‘hitting the wall’ is not meant for destruction. It is a test of time that substantiates endurance limits, birth maturity and perfection. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Cor. 10:13 – NIV
Irrespectively, humanity is not immune against ‘hitting the wall.’ It usually happens shortly after a person reaches their "crossover point"—when the energy dissipated is equal energy generated. Following this point, the body searches and switches to any alternate source of energy available within the system. The irony of it is that, victorious men are those who depended on healthy alternate source of energy.
At times like these, the Holy Bible presented some patriarch’s experiences as times when men:
• Suffers confusion. But now the same thing comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are terrified. Job 4:5 – NET
• Faints. If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! Pro 24:10 – NET
• Settle for second options. Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!" (Gen. 17:17, 18 – NAS)
• Cries for aid. Have pity on me, my friends, have pity on me, for the hand of God has struck me. Job 19:21 – NET
• Etc.
‘Hitting the wall’ "feels like a violent and painful activity. It's not literally "hitting the wall", but feeling like you've hit something" when you run out of energy. The season is at all times characterized with shortness of breath, blurred sight, some level of mental block, boredom, moral injury, fatigue, etc. when related experiences like these become part of living, do not throw in the towel.
Are you tempted to give up? Are you passing through hard times and feeling that Christian race is not worth it? God has neither forgotten nor abandon you. He has a healthy alternate source of energy for you if you will come unto Him. "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11;28 – NAS. Only:
• Hang on. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13 – KJV
• Do not give up. And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." Ps. 50:15 -- NAS
• Help will come your way. And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19 – NAS
Oladayo S. Oladosu
February 2019
Related Sermons include: The Filling Station; Walking with bruised heels
