Last  winter we added an new piece of exercise equipment to my collection.

I hadn’t even been looking for one. I didn’t know I needed one. But my husband did.

He had been looking for quite awhile – and then he found it.

A treadmill.

There it was – a for sale sign on the bulletin board at the grocery store. He called as soon as we got in the car and we drove over immediately to check it out.

He bought it on the spot.

I was a bit ambivalent at first – but once we got it home and set it up I got a little excited – until my husband plugged it in.

Whoa! This was a horse of a different color! None of my other equipment had to be plugged in. I provided all the horsepower they needed. If I slowed down – they slowed down. If I stopped – they stopped.

Not this new guy.

Oh no. It just continues running -even if I don’t.

I had mental images of me flying off the back end and landing in a very ungraceful heap on the floor while the skin of my face is scraped off by the belt.

Ka- chunk. Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

Or having my shoe strings get caught – flinging me off the side while my foot is hopelessly tangled.

Can’t you just read the headlines: “Women Maimed by Rogue Treadmill” or “Uncoordinated Amateur  On Treadmill Propelled Through Window”.

The truth of the matter was that I was scared of it.

That’s right – I was just plain scared to not be in control.

But I finally faced down those fears and actually got on the thing and turned it on – I learned something very valuable.

The treadmill pushed me beyond my comfort zone. It made me work out harder than I made myself and in the process it made my body stronger and more fit.

Can you see the spiritual connection?

When I let the Lord take control of my life – He may lead me to places that I’m unfamiliar with and situations that I would rather not  be in.  He will push me harder than I would push myself.

He will lovingly  take me into uncharted territory where I need to depend on Him more – and in the process make me a stronger, more useful vessel for Him.

So…what do you need to relinquish control of today?