Life is Like Running: Painful and Humbling….

Roseminique and I went running today.  It was a good experience, but I am still under the belief that running, like life, is HARD.  As many of you know, I am not exactly built like a runner. I am 4’10”, built solid, and feel like I weigh a ton of bricks when I attempt this activity called “running”.  As you can see in the picture, my 10 year old daughter is significantly taller then me (and about 15 pounds lighter).

Spiritual Journey

Running is a spiritual journey.  It often feels like I have an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. One side is saying, “God created you. Use your full potential and move your body from point A to point B”.  The other side is saying, “Maybe God created ME to sit on the couch and eat bon-bons!” God cannot possibly want me to feel this pain. What in the world is the point of this??

The Second Wind

Sometimes we get that second wind a mile or so into it and it begins to feel like running or life becomes bearable. Other times, 8 or 10 miles go by and that second wind never comes. We keep waiting for things to get easier and we begin to question whether we are really on the right road. We may get this glimpse of hope and then it is quickly dashed away when we turn a corner and see the next hill we have to climb. Much of the time, we just have to keep plugging along knowing that God has a plan even though it is painful and we are not entirely sure of where this road is taking us.  For all those adoptive parents out there, I feel your pain! Sometimes the road is long, uphill both ways, with little reward in sight. We just have to trust and believe on this very long and difficult journey.

Humbling Moments

Running is incredibly humbling. I am about as fast as a snail. An eighty-year old grandpa with his walker is generally zooming right by me and it “appears” like he is having a grand ‘ol time! People that are a good 100+ pounds heavier then me outpace me quite easily. Me, I don’t even feel that adrenaline rush that I hear runners talk about.  When someone runs by me, it doesn’t make me want to run faster. It makes me want to give up. I often look at the grass and feel it calling to me. Again, I feel that internal spiritual conflict. “Look at that grass! The Lord made that grass just for you so you could lay down and rest a while.”  The devil on my other shoulder is trying to convince me that God really wants me to give up. I have to continually remind myself when I run, and in life, that God calls us to do many things that are not very fun and in fact require a great deal of work and personal sacrifice.

Finding Joy in the Storm

Running is like parenting. We have to be able to find that joy in the midst of the pain. More and more as I run, I am finally able to look around and see the incredible beauty of the Lord’s creation. When I first started running, I was not able to do that. Yes, my lungs are burning, my body hurts, and I want to give up, but I am able to finally see beauty during the process instead of only when I cross that finish line. In parenting, it is the same thing. In the middle of the crisis, we need to be able to breath, look around, and see the glory of God in ALL things. It’s not easy, but it is something I strive for each and every day.

Romans 8:28 is by far one of my favorite bible verses, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” 

I have been called to many things. I have been called to serve, to parent, to missions, to Haiti, and I’ve even been called to run. These things are not easy, but God is good all the time!