Some of the most exciting moments on The Race, are those when I get to go shopping. Buying something new makes me feel like a normal human being and gives me a taste of “home”.
During our past debrief in Belgrade, I got to go shopping and I treated myself to a new pair of running shoes. I was so excited about them, that the moment I got back to our hostel, I laced them up and went for a run to try them out. It wasn’t long until I started feeling a sharp pain coming from the back of my heel…I knew this pain oh so well from my soccer days….
My new and exciting shoes produced some big ol’ fat blisters on the back of my heels….I was SOOO ANNOYED. I was frustrated because I knew better than to jump fully in with a new pair of running shoes. There is a process of breaking them in. But, all that knowledge went out the window because I was excited. AND now I am paying the price.
It has been a week now and I still have these darn blisters. I can’t wear my sparkling, new shoes that I am dying to wear. Instead I have to wait patiently for my blisters to heal.
Now, the reason I am telling you this story is because it parallels to my life so well.
So many times in my life, I get something new or experience something new and love it. I want more of it, or I want to invest in it more. I think why not, this sounds good or feels good, just like I thought trying out my new shoes would be. However, in life I don’t typically slow down enough to think through my decisions and the effects they may have. Usually later on, I come to realize that maybe that wasn’t a smart decision because it caused me or someone else harm or wasn’t in my best interest.
Through this, I’ve learned that I have an instant gratification issue. I think I can confidently say that I am not the only one that struggles with this. It is a generational and cultural struggle. Waiting, or slowing down, is not easy. We want to feel good and satisfy ourselves as quickly as possible. However, I am learning that this want for instant gratification has consequences big and small.
One of the Fruits of the Spirit is SELF-CONTROL(See Galatians 5:22-23) . This is something that I struggle with on many different levels. Because this is a point of weakness for me, God wants to grow and stretch me in this area. He is highlighting this simple story of my shoes and blisters to teach me more about the practice of being patient and learning how to wait with HIS grace and guidance before proceeding.
It is a work in progress, but I am slowly working toward examining my actions in light of their potential outcomes, both good and bad, and then proceeding with the Lord as my guide! Hopefully in this next week I’ll be able to try out my shoes and start running again!
