Run your race

One thing I haven't really talked about on here is my love for running. I know some of you are wondering how in the heck I love doing something that is so painful, but I just do! 

Growing up my dad told me stories of him running on his cross country and track team and how much he loved it, so of course as soon as 7th grade hit I was all in. The downfall of running on the middle school cross country team was that you had to practice before school at like 5 AM and go to class really sweaty…not a cute look for a 12 year old girl going through puberty. There were many times I debated doing something else like trying out for volleyball or even the basketball team (my mom begged me not to because I have zero hand eye coordination). But despite my efforts I fell in love with running and continued to run all through middle and high school. 

Fun fact, there was a time in my life (8th grade) when I believed with all my heart that I was going to go to the olympics. I had my whole life planned out, I was going to go to Texas A&M university and get a scholarship to be on their cross country and track team. After that I would somehow work my way to being in the olympics and live happily ever after with a husband and four kids. (at least I got the husband part right ;))

Something I need to clear up about running is, I am not the best at it. Yes I ran all through high school, but I never qualified for regionals or even placed in the top 10. Yes I ran in the summer olympics for track, but I never got a medal. I only got first place one time and it was the 3200 meters in track on the JV team. Don't get me wrong I’m not trying to say I sucked at it, I’m just saying I was decent at it. But I continued to do it because I loved it so so much. I loved it so much that the fact I wasn't first place didn't bother me. I was doing it simply because it brought me happiness. 

A lot of times people think in order to enjoy something they have to be the best at it. They will only do it if they succeed the first time and if it turns out they're not good at it, they quit. 

What does this attitude say about our spiritual lives? 

I know there are times when I want to see God give me results and abundant blessings that very second. I want my life to change instantly. I want God to do what I want Him to do and if He doesn't then I quit on Him. 

I want to be honest with y'all because I know I’m not the only one who has done this. I’m not the only one who hasn't gotten instant gratification from God and gets so frustrated that I turn my back on Him. In fact, every Christian has gone through this. 

God has called us to “run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) Our relationship with God will not be developed overnight. We will be building that relationship for the rest of our lives. But that’s the beauty of it. We get to spend the rest of our earthly life getting to know our Father, studying His word, having community with other believers. It is a beautiful race that we get to run with the Lord. One that will be filled with times of heartache and times of joy, but in the end we will get to be reunited with Him in heaven. How sweet is that?!

“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” ~Hebrews 12:1-2~