I know what it feels like to step in front of a plyometric box, recall a misstep, and feel my shin throb. To resist performing the same kind of movement that hurt before. To gingerly move through patterns, expecting symptoms to return. To focus on feeling discomfort even when discomfort is no longer there. To think it into existence.
After we heal and return to activities, physical injuries can continue to wound us if we leave our minds unchecked. When the fear of re-injuring ourselves debilitates us, we must rehabilitate our minds by shifting our energy to the right source.
Injury is not God’s will for us. It’s an attack from the devil, who will use our fear of re-injury to limit us.
If we don't keep our minds locked in on Jesus, the devil will walk into this space and try to dominate. He will use a symptom like a muscle cramp or a catch in your knee to tempt you to energize that symptom.
Maybe a symptom is a sign to adjust so you don’t make the same mistake that injured you before. Maybe it means you need to regress your exercises to progress again. Or that you need to fire an inexperienced trainer and hire a post-injury fitness training specialist.
But if you are a believer who asks God for wisdom, you possess the discernment to know what to do about that symptom. You have the authority to send the devil away, to take ownership of the healing you have already received in Jesus, and to walk confidently in sound health—body, soul, and spirit.
If you find yourself in this position, repeat this prayer with conviction:
I am no longer hurt. I cast away all symptoms. I curse any twinge of discomfort out of my body. No weapon formed against me will prosper. Away from me, fear of injury. By His wounds I am healed.
I set my mind on You, Jesus, and make every thought obedient to You. Where my mind goes, my body will follow.
Your Holy Spirit is inside me. It is You that I feel. Your protection. Your comfort. Your victory. You are my confidence that I can move with ease. My body functions in the flow of your Spirit. I proceed with joy.
More prayer for every part of your workout:
Start your workout with this pre-workout prayer, power through it with this intra-workout prayer, end with this post-workout prayer, and use this exercise recovery prayer for in between workouts, when you’re sore, while you’re soaking in an Epsom salt bath, on walks, during stretches, as you lie down to sleep, or on the Sabbath.
Ready to take your workouts to a deeper level? Tap to download my free resource: Worship While You Workout: A 7-Step Guide to Meaningful Workouts.
Tami McCandlish is a writer and speaker who brings hope and healing in the name of Jesus. She is the author of Let the Bees Buzz: Finding Redemption in the Aftermath of School Bullying.
Since 2004, she has worked alongside her husband coaching thousands of people in exercise and wellness.
Tami is an National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, Behavior Change Specialist, Golf Fitness Specialist, Youth Exercise Specialist, and Fitness Nutritional Specialist, a Precision Nutrition - Level 1 Coach, and she holds a B.A. in English and Journalism from Ohio Wesleyan University.
For more on fitness, faith, friendship, and felines, join her email list at www.tamimccandlish.com.