Earlier this week, we retested our 1 rep max front squat at my crossfit gym, Crossfit Cove. We initially tested this lift on April 19th and I was able to lift 215lbs. Over the next two months, we worked on various rep schemes of the front squat.
As you work through a strength cycle, you look to improve form and strength. So there are days when you do multiple sets with multiple reps at a lower weight to improve those aspects of your lift. On June 9th, I managed to hit 205lbs for 2 reps and 225 for 1 rep. This week, I got back to 215lbs and so I attempted 230lbs. That's what this photo shows.
I didn't make the lift. I tried 3 times and couldn't do it. But you know what? I'm ok with it. I ran a 5k the day before; my first since November 2015. So I could've been more rested. If I had tried a little later in the day or later in the week, I might have been able to hit 230lbs. Or maybe I wouldn't have. Who's to say.
But I shared this picture for a completely different reason. This picture shows physical strength. So if you fall down, I can probably pick you up if I needed to. But it also shows something else that no one sees. The past couple of weeks have been very stressful on so many fronts. Dealing with challenges at work, health issues, car issues, and other things that life has thrown me have just been difficult to deal with. They have weighed on me like carrying this weight on my shoulders.
Encouragement from my friends and family and lots of prayers have helped me get through. Some issues are ongoing and require continued endurance and prayer. Some other things have been resolved or are being managed. The key is to remember that disappointments and trials that we face are temporary and that our heavenly Father Jehovah is our source of strength. The bible tells us that "No temptation has come upon you except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out so that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The Apostle Paul mentions temptations, but this scripture also applies to us when we are facing trials. No trial that we face is uncommon to humans. But Jehovah promises to help make a way out for us to endure the trial. That may not mean removing the trial. But it may mean putting people in our path to encourage us, giving us articles in the Watchtower or Awake at just the right time, or putting it our hearts to read that one scripture that just gives us just what we need to continue on.
This life is hard. There is no doubt about that. But the hardships we face are temporary. We can face them with prayer and reliance on faithful friends.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/awake-no1-2016-february/