I never thought I would come to this day. I couldn’t believe my thoughts about one of my loves, the rain. I was beginning to resent the rain. How could one of my beloved things become so bitter?
I glanced at my socks and shoes in hopes they would be dry but unsurprisingly they were still filthy soaked for the third day in a row.
The rain had been intense the last 3 days and nothing was drying. Our clothes and shoes were soaked from digging in the trenches and getting caught in unforgiving rainfall. And there were no means of drying them because of the moisture in the air.
I cringed as I tried to slip on the first wet sock, chills went up my spine and thoughts of quitting raced through my mind. Did I really need to go for a run? It’s freezing out. Wouldn’t it be easier to go curl back up in my bed? Why did I have to start my misery of wet socks, shoes and clothes so early? I could delay it for 3 more hours until ministry started…
Hold up, I told my friend we were running, so no backing out. By this time my socks and shoes were finally on and all I could think of was how uncomfortable and chilling my body felt. The sun was just beginning to rise and the clouds were looking ominous as we embarked on our run. As my mind eased up, I began to enjoy my time and see the beauty of running in the mountainous hills of the Dominican Republic. And I begun to be thankful for plainly the ability to run.
After my run I realized how one simple circumstance almost soured one of my passions. Wet shoes and clothes almost took my desire to run away. Running has been a constant in my life for the past 10 years. How could this simple thing have the potential to ruin something so deeply rooted into my soul?
I think that the answer may have to do with what I was focusing on. I was focused on the wrong things, my wet shoes and clothes (drenched because of the rain) and the way that they made me feel. But what if I were focused on the fact that I got to wear clothes and shoes that day? Or the fact that I got to run with my friend? Or the fact that I got to watch the sunrise come up over the mountains? I was able to get to this point but what if I had started here? What did I miss because of my misplaced focus?
I feel like this is exactly how life is with Jesus. We may go through a day without focusing on Him. We may try to go through life by our own strength and we may be good at it. But how much are we missing out on by trying without Him? How much more capable is God almighty, the creator I the universe, than us?
“…the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” ~1 Cor. 1:25
What if we were to focus on Jesus and who He is rather than what lies before us (which will soon perish anyway)?
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” ~2 Cor. 4:18
Live loved,
Micaela
