I Run: Lesson Three

A dear friend of mine posted this on her blog the other day:

"God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength. If there is no strain, there is no strength." Oswald Chambers.

I was reminded again of this truth in church this morning when the pastor incorporated an old favorite verse of mine:

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:3-5

Lesson Three: Nike said it best with their slogan years ago, "Just Do It."

Period. End of sentence. No excuses. No looking back. No second guessing.

I've been slacking lately. January is always a slightly depressing time of the year for me. I've never been able to put a finger on exactly why, but nevertheless, it is what it is. So, I've managed to do my running every other day, but I've totally not done my cross-training on the days in between, and there's even been a few times where I went two days in between runs. I don't know why...all I can tell you is it's a mental thing. The bottom line is I've just lost a little steam. I've lost some motivation. Don't get me wrong. I'm seeing results...VERY SLOWLY...but results nonetheless. The biggest motivation should be the amount of energy I get from exercising; it's like getting a shot of adrenaline for the rest of your day. But still, my motivation as waned.

I have a whole shpiel about motivation and where and how it comes from, etc., but the bottom line for all people is motivation comes from the Lord and from Him only. Whether intrinsically motivated or externally motivated, everyone is motivated by a means that God chooses. I have found that actually taking the time to have my quiet time is equivalent to exercising for the day--an adrenaline rush for your spiritual life, which overflows into all other areas of your life.

That being said, I've discovered that doing your quiet time, just like completing any other task in life that is good and right, just has to be done. Just do it. Why don't we do the things we know we are suppose to do? I guess it's just an age old battle that will keep going until our bodies return to the dust they came from. Paul said it best: Romans 7:15 "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." It's a daily battle that can only be overcome with prayer and petition and time spent with our Lord. The heart, the mind, and the soul--the spiritual--is the real source of our daily power. We can truly only go so long without plugging into that Source of Power before we just can't operate anymore.

So for now...I press on. "The strength is in the strain." "Perseverance produces proven character." "Faith lies on the other side of fear." All of these quotes I know to be true. I've lived experiences that prove them. "Lord, fill me with Yourself in such a way that there is nothing left of me to get in my own way. May I not be content until I have stopped to hear Your voice speak into my life and feel Your hand take mine to guide me along the way. Run with me, Lord. I can't do this life without You."

By the way, the 5K I was suppose to run at seminar got canceled this week, so I am looking for a good one to run in--SOON--back home. It's hard to wrap my head around training for a 10K until I've completed a 5K. I don't know why...it just is. Me and my type-A self must accomplish tasks=) Please pray that I can stay the course. I'm at a point where these personal goals are more important than just losing weight. It's about completing what I believe God has set before me. A challenge I must trust Him to help me through. It keeps the monotony of wifely duties from consuming my soul, which helps me appreciate those duties on a different level with a focus that is more sharpening and attuned to the needs of my family. I don't really understand why this works this way right now in my life. I just know it to be true, so please pray that I will stay the course. May you all be encouraged to just stay the course too!