Running the Race
Yesterday ..... January 21 ..... Martin Luther King, Jr. Day ..... I ran. It was called the Freedom Run in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. It was a 5 K run. It was a fundraiser for the 8th grade class as they are earning money to go on their class trip to New Zealand. It was fun.
But more than that, I feel like it was a milestone for me. Exactly one year ago, I also participated in the Freedom Run. It was my first ever 5K, and I had to stop and walk 3 or 4 times along the way. Since then I've competed in other races and I've gotten to the place where I can run the whole 5K without stopping. But yesterday, on the "one-year anniversary" of my running history, I reached a milestone. Not only did I run 5K without stopping, but I turned around after reaching the finish line and ran all the way back....without stopping!
I know that 10K really isn't far, especially when you compare it to the distances that marathon runners do, but for me, it was a major accomplishment. I think back a few years to when I was in college and could barely last 10 minutes on a treadmill.....I've come a long way, and it feels good! There were painful moments, when I desperately wanted to stop and just walk, but I stuck it out and that was the most rewarding feeling!
One of the things I love the most about running is the comparisons to my spiritual life. Not only is it a time that I talk to God, but I feel He speaks to me while I'm running, too. Over countless runs I've discovered some amazing parallels.
The first great truth I learned was that sometimes it gets rough, sometimes it seems entirely uphill, sometimes I don't think I can take another step, sometimes it feels like the agony will never end......sometimes I would rather just quit, but I've realized that each time I don't quit, each time I take one more step, each time I push on towards my goal, I get a little stronger and I can handle a little more. It's the same in my spiritual journey......each time I hang in there when I'd rather give up I find that I'm a little stronger and each time it's easier to look to Jesus when things get rough.
The second great thing I've learned is, like most other things in life, you gotta pace yourself. The other day, I was super tired so I was lagging behind a little. Every now and then I'd try to push it and catch up, but by the time I caught up I was tired again and had to slow down. No matter what I did, I just couldn't keep up. And, as Sean pointed out in his sermon on Sabbath, too often we do that in our spiritual life. We try really hard to be good and we get super involved, but then the burden begins to overwhelm us and we start loosing interest and lagging behind. We find ourselves in a constant roller coaster, pushing hard and then lagging behind. But I think that we need to pace ourselves. We don't have to be super heroes - Jesus is our Super Hero - we just need to remain faithful, do what we can, and leave the rest up to Him. We don't have to do it all, in fact, technically Jesus doesn't even need us to do anything, but He allows us the privilege to help out in the great work.
The last major lesson that I've learned from running is that I need my running buddies. If it wasn't for them I'd probably stop and walk along the way or maybe not go at all. I need them to help keep me motivated. I need them to encourage me to keep running. If I tried to do it all on my own, I would not be anywhere close to where I am now. So it is in the Christian walk. First of all, we can't do it on our own, we need Jesus. But we also need good Christian family and friends to support us, to keep us accountable. That's what the church is for - to encourage each other when they feel like slowing down or quitting the race.
We're all in this race, called life, together. It's never easy, but what is waiting just past the finish line will be more than worth it. So, "forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead...press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3 13,14).
But more than that, I feel like it was a milestone for me. Exactly one year ago, I also participated in the Freedom Run. It was my first ever 5K, and I had to stop and walk 3 or 4 times along the way. Since then I've competed in other races and I've gotten to the place where I can run the whole 5K without stopping. But yesterday, on the "one-year anniversary" of my running history, I reached a milestone. Not only did I run 5K without stopping, but I turned around after reaching the finish line and ran all the way back....without stopping!
I know that 10K really isn't far, especially when you compare it to the distances that marathon runners do, but for me, it was a major accomplishment. I think back a few years to when I was in college and could barely last 10 minutes on a treadmill.....I've come a long way, and it feels good! There were painful moments, when I desperately wanted to stop and just walk, but I stuck it out and that was the most rewarding feeling!
One of the things I love the most about running is the comparisons to my spiritual life. Not only is it a time that I talk to God, but I feel He speaks to me while I'm running, too. Over countless runs I've discovered some amazing parallels.
The first great truth I learned was that sometimes it gets rough, sometimes it seems entirely uphill, sometimes I don't think I can take another step, sometimes it feels like the agony will never end......sometimes I would rather just quit, but I've realized that each time I don't quit, each time I take one more step, each time I push on towards my goal, I get a little stronger and I can handle a little more. It's the same in my spiritual journey......each time I hang in there when I'd rather give up I find that I'm a little stronger and each time it's easier to look to Jesus when things get rough.
The second great thing I've learned is, like most other things in life, you gotta pace yourself. The other day, I was super tired so I was lagging behind a little. Every now and then I'd try to push it and catch up, but by the time I caught up I was tired again and had to slow down. No matter what I did, I just couldn't keep up. And, as Sean pointed out in his sermon on Sabbath, too often we do that in our spiritual life. We try really hard to be good and we get super involved, but then the burden begins to overwhelm us and we start loosing interest and lagging behind. We find ourselves in a constant roller coaster, pushing hard and then lagging behind. But I think that we need to pace ourselves. We don't have to be super heroes - Jesus is our Super Hero - we just need to remain faithful, do what we can, and leave the rest up to Him. We don't have to do it all, in fact, technically Jesus doesn't even need us to do anything, but He allows us the privilege to help out in the great work.
The last major lesson that I've learned from running is that I need my running buddies. If it wasn't for them I'd probably stop and walk along the way or maybe not go at all. I need them to help keep me motivated. I need them to encourage me to keep running. If I tried to do it all on my own, I would not be anywhere close to where I am now. So it is in the Christian walk. First of all, we can't do it on our own, we need Jesus. But we also need good Christian family and friends to support us, to keep us accountable. That's what the church is for - to encourage each other when they feel like slowing down or quitting the race.
We're all in this race, called life, together. It's never easy, but what is waiting just past the finish line will be more than worth it. So, "forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead...press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3 13,14).
Comments