keeping the pavement hot

"weep for yourself my man, you'll never be what is in your heart.

weep little lion man, you're not as brave as you were at the start." --mumford and sons

one thing that i've learned through this running experiment is that it's not always easy. (duh, right?) this past week was one such example of that. it seemed like it took everything within me to force myself to get out there and run. then, when i did hit the pavement, i could barely scratch out a mile and a half. it seemed so strange to me that just a week before, i was easily running 3-4 miles. if i had listened to my body and my willpower, i would have just thrown in the towel right then and there. fortunately for me, i committed to finishing this thing out and i kept on moving forward. by the beginning of this week i was able to get back up to 3 miles at a regular pace.

all that to say, unfortunately, i see the same thing happening all around me within the context of the "spiritual race" we're all a part of. i have seen people start out strong and then later on, come to the point where they struggle to put one foot in front of the other (i have experienced this myself as well). at this crucial period is where there's a crossroads--the question is asked: "will you continue to press on through the difficult times or will you throw in the towel altogether?" too many of us give up.

i have seen strong Christian friends come to a point in their lives where they find themselves in a struggle--maybe it's a certain sin they keep tripping up on, or maybe their life circumstances became rather difficult. either way, they feel like the situation they are in was too uncomfortable to keep pressing through. perhaps they could only force out a small amount of (fill in the blank) what they used to be able to do, and as a result, they began to believe that's all they are capable of anymore. so, they stopped challenging themselves, and lowered their standards--after all, that's all they have been managing these days, so that must be what things have come to. and they resign themselves to the lifestyle they have been living or the circumstances they find themselves in. this is a sad state to be in. weren't we called for so much more?

should we lament over what "could have been" or should we take a risk and start hitting the pavement again? i suggest we do the latter. i'm not saying it's going to be easy--b/c it won't. i'm not saying that every day you'll feel like running, b/c you definitely won't. but in the end, won't it be rewarding that at least you gave it a shot? and the fortunate thing about it all, is that we don't go at it alone. we have the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us, helping us continue to put one foot in front of the other--both on the days we knock out 4 miles and the days we struggle to scratch out 1. so, let's hit the pavement...

oh the many factors...

recently, i have been experiencing how many different factors play into running. if one teeny tiny little thing is off it can throw the whole experience. one day, i will be running along, the wind at my back, feeling good. on those days i feel like i can go for miles and miles. however, the next time i set out to run may be a completely different experience. maybe i didn't drink enough water or the weather is a little chilly. or perhaps i didn't prepare myself mentally for the distance and my heart's just not in it. on those days i STRUGGLE.

i think about how this relates to my "run" or walk with God. when everything's in place and all the factors line up, my pace is fantastic. i feel like i could go the distance. however, there are times when it's not so easy. maybe i'm dealing with a tough situation in my life or perhaps i haven't gotten enough sleep. maybe it's just simply that i'm not in the right mindset mentally. all the same...i STRUGGLE.

this has been an encouragement to me to keep on pressing ahead. some days i will find it difficult to knock out a mile or two. when those days come (and they will) it's important for me not to get discouraged and give up. the next time i head out may be quite a different experience and what i do in preparation now will help put me in the right place when that time comes.

so, as i look now at lent and the importance of the discipline of running, i am reminded of the value in spiritual disciplines as well. even things as small as getting enough sleep and starting my day off with a positive attitude can have an impact on my relationship with God. reading my Bible, spending time in prayer and having time of fellowship/study with other believers also play an important role in my "training." therefore, as i go forward may i not get discouraged by my lack of "performance" in these areas, but keep pressing on day by day b/c you never know what the next run may hold....

i was running...

Recently, I was speaking to a woman at work about Lent. She challenged my thinking about the traditional observation of "giving something up." She told me that instead of taking something out of her life, she usually she likes to to add something to her life instead (i.e. more time in Bible reading or prayer). That left me with something to think about, wondering what approach, if any, I should take this year. To subtract or add? Or do nothing at all??

Well, I went for a run later that week and had a really cool experience. While I was out on this run, I had an epiphany, what some may call a spiritual insight. Then, later that week I went running again. Unbelievably, the same thing happened. So, as I was thinking about Lent, it made sense to choose to "add" this year instead of "subtract," and running was evidently my activity. Adding the practice of running just seemed to fit. It allows me time and space for discipline, quiet, and opportunities for me to hear the voice of God. Therefore, I have committed to adding in regular times of running to my week during these next 40 days. And during that process, I would love to share with you the observations I have along the way. I'll start with my first observation...

...

MUD. It's never our favorite thing (unless you are a mud-wrestler by trade or those who claim to be professional observers of this activity). It messes things up. Creates stains. Gets you dirty. Bogs you down. And it's exactly what I encountered on my run.

I was running along the sidewalks down the road from my house. It was a casual 2 mile run, one of the first back since the winter. As I was cruising along I noticed a port-a-potty in front of one of the houses. That should have been my first red light: CONSTRUCTION. Instead of sidetracking or changing routes, I trucked along, holding my breath, of course. Shortly after, I notice that there is indeed construction going on and as a result, there is a layer of mud covering the sidewalk. Upon first glance, it seems as if the mud is not much of an obstacle--just a thin coating on the otherwise dry surface. Mistake #2. (I should have been getting a clue at this point!) Instead, I proceed along in my oblivion, only to discover that as I run, I am getting deeper and deeper in mud. Oops. Not quite what I thought I was getting myself into. This little thin layer is actually a bit more substantial than I hoped and by the time I reach the middle, I have mud covering my lovely white running shoes. Fortunately, I slow down a little so that it is not also covering my entire backside. ;) Although I was a bit dirtier, I made it through that stretch and kept putting one foot in front of the other. As I went along in my frustrations (I could have easily diverted my trek to the road instead, or the grass at minimal) a thought came to mind. "That's what sin's like." What? "That mud is what sin is like." Hmm. I just stepped into sin? I thought it was something so small and easy to get through.

I was wrong.

The same thing happens to us in life. Sin is deceptive. It's not easily managed. It's actually not managed AT ALL. You can start out thinking it's oh-so-small and end up with it ruining all that's nice and clean. It may seem like it's only just a small layer. Yet, you don't discover that it's ankle deep until you've already stepped in. Before you know it, it's not satisfied with stopping there.

So, as small of an insight as it may seem, it gave me such a meaningful picture of the power of sin. And, it caused me to think twice about any running route that includes a port-a-potty and MUD.