PROLOGUE
I don’t like running. Well, that’s not totally true. If you
trick me into running by adding a ball and hoop, or bat and bases, you may in
fact have the opportunity to see me run all over. But running, just for the
sake of running…NOT my favorite.
CHAPTER ONE: Running without trickery
Despite my aforementioned distaste for running, I have been
known to voluntarily run occasionally. You see, I do value keeping this body
healthy and at this point the cheapest way to achieve that is to strap on some sneakers
and hit the road. So in short I choose to run because it’s healthy and free.
CHAPTER TWO: The Execution
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Mind over matter”. Well,
if you’ve ever wondered whether or not there was any truth to that saying I am
here to tell you that there is. In order to get this body moving, especially in
opposition of my mind, I must first make a choice. Choices happen in the mind,
and what happens after that is a DIRECT result of what we choose to believe.
Let me give you an example as it relates to my running.
Today I ran a 5k in Manila. Yep, that’s 3.1 miles of running
just for the sake of running. Anyway, in preparation for this race I’ve been
running for at least 30 minutes about 4 times a week. Every day I ran the same
route, which happened to include 2 hills (which REALLY make me hate running!).
So earlier this week I woke up late and had little time before I was to hit the
road for my regular 30 minute run. So for the first 7 minutes of my run this is
what was happening in my mind:
is TERRIBLE! I slept through my alarm, I am dehydrated, I didn’t have time
to eat anything, this hill is too hard to run up, my body isn’t awake, I should just
turn around now…”
getting harder. With every excuse and negative thought I was starting to drag
my feet more and more. Then I realized what was happening and decided to do
something about it. So I changed my mind and started thinking these things:
“C’mon Cornelius [I
generally use my surname when talking to myself], you’ve run
this route at least a dozen times before. You KNOW you can run these hills. This
is only as hard as you think it is. You’ve got the energy–you got extra sleep! You
got this kid!”
The result: total turn around of attitude, thus resulting in
a pleasant, that’s right PLEASANT run. I changed my mind and my body followed
suit.
CHAPTER THREE: Spurred
As previously mentioned, I ran a 5k today. I am beginning to
appreciate the little lessons God teaches me when I’m running. Here’s what I
got today:
There were thousands of people running today, so you can
imagine what the start line
looked like. Once crossing the start line I enjoyed pretending like I was in a video
game as I dodged tons of runners to the left and right. Honestly there were so
many people that almost the entire race consisted of me shuffling and stutter-stepping
around folks. At one point I was passing some folks and a man followed the
route I took to pass and then he started running the same pace with me. We ran
together for a fairly brief time and then he fell back.
That is what the church should look like. I didn’t know that
guy, we didn’t even talk, but for a moment we ran together. My pace spurred him
to run faster and the fact that he wanted to run faster with me was encouraging
for me. It’s so simple and so good.
EPILOGUE
God is a genius. He has used running, something I naturally
am not particularly interested in, to teach me so much so simply. I bet he’d do
the same for you if you asked. What is it you don’t like to do?
