Now what?

Now what? Ever ask yourself that question? I've been asking myself that quite a bit since I've just about reached my weight loss goal, but at the same time I'm starting to see my momentum slipping. That's one reason I was so excited to get a chance to see the Biggest Loser Sisters, Olivia Ward and Hannah Curlee when they were in Mobile this weekend. I was hoping to get back my motivation for working out and eating right.

I wasn't sure what to expect but I was encouraged and surprised at how funny those two ladies truly are...and how beautiful. They had us laughing as they planted hope in our hearts. So many of the things they shared "hit home" with me, but somehow in the middle of it all, a Random Thought entered in. I started thinking about the wise men looking for Jesus.

Perhaps it started with a question I got to ask. I asked was there ever a point they looked down at the scale and saw a number or had something happen that made them think, "Oh no...this is how it started before!" Olivia related the story of going to her apartment after winning and looking around and thinking she didn't know what to do. She felt lost! Now what? She said she called Bob who told her she knew what to do. Go buy groceries and then workout; do what she knew to do. Simple, right? Simple, but not necessarily easy. But she did it and the panic started to ease. She could do this...and keep on doing this.

Now back to those wise men. After they had finally finished their "journey to Jesus", did they wonder what they would do next? They had searched for years...Now what were they supposed to do? The Bible says they went back to their home country via a different route (to avoid Herod) but that's about all it says. Personally, I think they probably told people what they had seen. They shared their journey and how they had found the Messiah. I mean, wouldn't you?

Here comes the Random thought that connects the two. The Biggest Losers that have "made it" and stayed successful - what was their secret? Really, no secret...they did what they knew to do and, this may be the most important part, they shared what they had found. That's what Olivia and Hannah were doing - sharing what they had discovered along the way. Continuing to do what they knew to do. The secret is to share what you have been given.

This is the Sunday of Advent that is most closely associated with joy...but a lot of people find they have lost that joy. They are like Olivia, wondering what do they do now? Maybe they met their goal of weight loss, or the right job, or marriage, or family, or maybe all of these and maybe none of these - yet they still feel lost. I'm not talking about people who don't know the Lord, I'm talking about Christians! Yes, it happens to Christians too. How do we keep our joy on this journey?

We share. We can share what God has done for us. We can remember all the times He has been there for us. We can help others find what we have found. Perhaps that's the key to keeping our motivation, our joy, our excitement - sharing it with others. In the process, we find that it comes back to us in a double supply.

So, the question remains...now what? The answer seems to be, share it if you want it to remain.

The following verse is usually associated with giving of money...but maybe it means a little more. Maybe it's sharing what you've learned on your own journey to Jesus...maybe it's about sharing the joy.

Luke 6:38

New International Version (NIV)

³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

2 Corinthians 1:3,4 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,.