| Coming out of the “heat room,” the next stop was at a sink with crushed ice. “Rub the ice all over your body from your head to the bottom of your feet” was the instruction. Again, this was supposedly good for me; it would close the pores that were opened in the “heat room.” Taking a deep breath, I complied. Thankfully, the next stop was at a thermal bed, designed to provide warmth and therapeutic heat. It could help with muscle relaxation, pain relief, and improving circulation. Heat, cold, now we would get warm again. This hydrotherapy process had become confusing. Sort of like the Christian walk at times. I had difficulty putting together the pieces because I did not know what the process entailed. Yet, it was good for me. I had to trust the people who knew. This was not unlike trusting God, who knew the beginning from the end even if I did not have a clue. So after a relaxing ten minutes on the thermal bed, we were off to the “steam room.” According to one website, steam rooms, also known as wet saunas, are designed to maintain humidity between 95% and 100% which is vital to their unique health benefits. These potential benefits included clearing congestion, reduced inflammation, improved circulation, stress reduction, and improved mental wellness. plus others. There were risks too, if overdone: dehydration, bacteria and germs, and the possibility of heat-related illnesses. They did not tell me all of this, just like we do not know all the risks and benefits involved in being a Jesus follower. Where is He going to lead us? Each person’s battle is different. Paul encourages us, “Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give in” (Galatians 6:9, AMP). At Daniel’s direction, towel in hand, it was time to step into the steam room. The room was steamy and hot. Looking around, I saw the lifeline, “Push in case of emergency.” As was the case in the heat room, each minute felt like the temperature went up a degree or two. Steam rooms encourage deep breathing, and that was soon my reality. Ten minutes in this room was going to be challenging. As the room became steamier, and water poured out from every pore in my body, I wanted to push that button. I thought about it more than once. To distract myself, I began walking around, during which time I felt a kinship with the three Hebrew boys (Daniel 3:16-28). I wanted to get out of this room so bad, yet those boys confidently told the king, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (vv. 17-18, KJV). As I reflected on those verses, I leaned on their faith. If they could last in the fiery furnace, I could do ten minutes in the steam room. Once I shifted my mental focus from my situation to the words from Scripture, the rest of the time passed quickly. The steam room reminded me that my walk with Jesus was not a straight line. Each stage carried with it opportunities to leave, to push that “Push in case of emergency” button. However, to get the benefits, we must trust the process. Many parts of it do not make sense to us. Why must we suffer? Why must we struggle? Isn’t there a better way to get the benefits? Those are legitimate questions. Paul said it best: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Cor. 4:7-10, italics added). It is all in the why. Something to remember during your time in God’s “steam room.” |
Author
Poll
