My wife called it a spell, my Doctor called it an episode, and I just called it weird. Whatever it was, it resulted in a stress test to check out my heart. They wired me up (it's just not natural to shave your chest), prepared me for pictures (before and after), and told me to relax (fat chance). The treadmill was a fascinating experience. The incline keeps increasing so you have to go faster, with the general idea being to get your heart up to a target rate. I couldn't do it; not the treadmill, but the heart rate. Then they stopped the test.

I couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Did they stop because I was showing no signs of difficulty, or did they stop because I was in trouble? When the attendants did not come running in a panic, I decided probably I must be doing alright. I know someone must have known the answers I needed, but I could never get anyone to tell me anything. I decided that was part of the stress test. Finally everybody told me not to worry. Everything was fine. I had no problems. So why did I have the test? It was just a check-up to make sure.

Perhaps we need to have periodic spiritual treadmill tests.
Jesus talked quite a bit about our heart. He says that the way we speak reflects our heart, and our hearts will be where our treasure is. The Scriptures say that our Christianity is a matter of the heart. Perhaps we need to have periodic spiritual treadmill tests. And maybe that's what life is all about: a series of spiritual tests so we can check our heart. Life is too hard for me without giving my heart to Jesus. So I sometimes need to check where my heart is.

I don't know where your heart is, or how healthy it is ... but you need to know. I can help you with that; just let me know.

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