I ran a marathon a couple of years ago in Chicago. Oh yes, I know… impressive, right?
What was more impressive than running that marathon, was how impressive it was that I allowed myself to spend the three months afterwards doing no form of workout whatsoever. I had spent months preparing for the marathon and then told myself that I ‘deserved’ a nice long break from working out. In my head that meant maybe a week or two, you know, just to relax and not strain my muscles too much more. One week turned into two. Two weeks turned into one month. Before I knew it I was still telling myself three months later that I ‘deserved’ this nice long break because of all the work I’d done. I mean, I had run a marathon. That junk is hard!
I have spent the last ten months of my life sprinting a marathon that feels like it’s got no finish line. Each month I’ve either had to speed up my pace or been blessed with a little relief, maybe even a walk here and there. From a worldly perspective, you might say I’m due for a nice long break at the end of this year. I might ‘deserve’ to sit my butt on the couch for three months straight. If you’re one of those people who thinks that, please don’t tell me because I might just be stupid and tired enough to listen!
I believe that this last year is just the end of my first mile. I’m not even halfway through this marathon and I don’t have any intention of slowing down. Even typing out that sentence tires me out, but I’m sticking to this. I don’t believe that I ‘deserve’ a nice long break. What I ‘deserve’ is maybe some of my mom’s carrot cake, but what God’s calling me to is to keep running the race. He’s telling me that this last year was just the beginning. He’s telling me that there’s going to be some tough hills coming up, but that they are so worth it for the relief of a downhill on the other side. He’s running ahead of me to clear the way, He’s running behind me to watch my back and He’s running right beside me pumping me up for everything that’s to come.
Keep running the race my friends!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
2 Timothy 4:7
