Run Girl Run!

I reconnected with a pair of old friends this week . . . My running shoes.

 

Apparently I got soft and out of shape during my time in the hospital with Moriah. My lungs have forgotten how to run. My body is slowed by the extra pounds that found their way back onto my frame. Slightly discouraging, and I’m not a highly motivated person to begin with when it comes to exercise. Honestly I don’t like to work that hard at it, and I really enjoy food.

We live in a pretty area with winding roads, tall trees, moderate hills, and little subdivisions spotted all around. I’ve noticed other people out walking their dogs, biking, and lots of Mommas with their jogging strollers. The roads have light traffic, so I feel safe enough and my route is never too far from home. I started by walking quickly. Now I’m up to walking and then running in little spurts, and I do mean little.

Come on muscles, come on lungs, you remember this. It wasn’t that long ago we did our first (and only so far) 5k run. Really? This is as far as I can go? Wow.

Sadly, I feel like I have training wheels on because I run down the hills and then hike back up them. There isn’t any shame in it if that’s really all I can do right? On the flats I pick a point to focus on and run to it. Eventually I should be able to do more if I push myself.

Do you know someone who is good at pushing themselves? I admire people who set goals, get organized, get to work and actually reach those goals. I’m such a go with the flow, make do with what you have, this is fine, kind of person. Part of growing, I guess, is recognizing the areas where striving is necessary and my flexible/adaptable mode of living isn’t such a great thing. Striving involves conviction, dedication, resolve, planning, work, patience, and time.

Running is hard. Most of me, at least on the surface, really doesn’t want to. Still, there are so many analogies that pop into my head between challenging myself physically and the work God does in me, to conform me to the image of Christ. He’s not content with letting me remain as I am. I shouldn’t be either. To me, running is a physical reminder that as a child of God I should be striving. Just as I shouldn’t be a “couch potato” I shouldn’t be a “pew potato” either. The Bible instructs me to run the race of this life with endurance.

Every where I look I see Him challenging me, stretching my limits, taking me places I never imagined I would go. While that can be unsettling and even scary at times, I’m glad. May He relentlessly pursue His own glory as He works in and through my life. I don’t want to give in to my lazy flesh, or emotionally based fears. Every day, I pray that I can say, “Yes Lord, I‘ll run the race You set before me, no matter how long or far, no matter the terrain, trusting that the race is won in Your strength and not my own.”

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3