About 16 years ago, my boyfriend (AKA my  husband) and I lost our minds.

In our mid-40’s, we decided we could run a half-marathon. (If you’re a runner or have ever trained for an athletic event, you know the discipline involved in preparing.) Once we committed by actually signing up for a race, we got busy scheduling our training runs, tweaking our diets a bit, and learning tips and tricks for race day. On weekdays, we were up and out the door by 5:00 a.m. to get our miles in before heading in to work. On weekends, we sacrificed sleeping in for long runs and enjoyed a rest day on Sundays.

Things were going great! We convinced ourselves that we could do it! And then…my fella developed stress fractures in his feet. Rehab and healing would put him too far behind on our training schedule for him to be able to compete. So I reluctantly continued to prep on my own.

Waking up for a 5:00 a.m. run and getting out the door with a running buddy was hard enough, but without a running buddy took sheer willpower.

Most days, I wasn’t feelin’ it.

But I knew that if I didn’t properly ready myself, race day would find me ill-equipped for 13.1 miles of downtown San Antonio streets. I would be much more prone to injuries or other unpleasant running catastrophes (ask a runner friend about those). So I put in the effort, the hours, and the miles, and I was able to complete the race injury-free and with a respectable time. I had such a great experience that crazy me ran another one three years later!

If I had given in to those “not feelin’ it” vibes when early morning runs were the first thing on my “to-do” list, I’d be telling a different story today.

There are undoubtedly lots of things on your “to-do” list that don’t get you fired up. Simple things like laundry, yardwork or cleaning out the fridge aren’t all fun and games, but the consequences are often motivation enough to get you moving. No clean socks? Nasty-grams from the HOA? Blue-green fuzzy stuff growing on the back shelf? No, thank you. Just do what you need to do.

And then there are more significant things. You may not be “feelin’ it,” but you know the work you put in will reap big rewards and most likely benefit others, too. Maybe your marriage could use a little love. Checking in with a marriage counselor, joining a marriage enrichment program at your church or even committing to intentional time with your spouse to have important conversations – those may not sound like things you want to do, but if your marriage is strengthened and you’re able to provide your kids with a stable home life, it’s worth pushing yourself to make the effort.

How about implementing steps toward some health goals your doctor has repeatedly “encouraged” you to pursue? God willing, you have a good, long life ahead of you. You have friends and family who want to enjoy that life with you. Committing to that walking plan and making a few reasonable changes in the kitchen may bring surprisingly significant results and add precious years with your precious people. And who doesn’t want that?

What about your spiritual growth? You may not be “feelin’ it” when your alarm goes off and you sit down at the table with your Bible and journal in front of you, but engaging with the Lord before you engage with the world is a pretty wise move. As additional motivation, God sweetens the pot with His promises found in Psalm 19:7-11:

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

It takes effort and discipline to not hit the snooze button and to instead roll out of bed to meet with God. But you’ll be better prepared for the world, life, and eternity after spending time in His presence. Even if you’re not “feelin’ it,” make a conscious effort to keep that daily date with the Lover of your soul. Then you can echo David’s praise in Psalm 103:2-5:

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits – Who forgives all your sins and heals your diseases, Who redeems you from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”