Half marathon: Physical and Spiritual

I do this thing where I forget that life isn't supposed to be easy and 99.9% of the time it won't be. I think, even as Christians, we all kind of strive for "the better days." Whether it's this weekend (which I'm guilty of doing) or next year, or if we're speaking christianese, "the next season." By doing this we fall easily to three things.

The first one being: we lose our perspective.

Perspective is huge. It's hard to come home after a day on the pediatric oncology unit and fuss about the dishes or listen to petty drama. I'm not saying this for a "holier than thou" effect. I'm saying this because I truly believe our generation needs perspective. Who are you? Who is God? Are you repenting? Are you believing in Him? Are you praying? Are you rooting yourself in sound doctrine? Are you loving others genuinely all the time? Do you abhor evil and uphold what is good? If Christ is truly who you love, why don't you talk about him with others? Perspective. These things matter. Know this, perspective doesn't mean only looking at the bigger things and deglecting the small. I believe God calls us to be faithful in the small as well. But when the small things become our big things we miss the whole point. Small tip: I'm finding the more I worship God, and meditate on His character, the easier it is the have a larger perspective. Seek first the Kingdom of God.

The second thing: we forget how to endure or simply never learn how to.

I'm training for a half marathon. **que the chuckles and snorts. It's probably gonna be rough, just keepin it real** But I got asked by a friend to train and I thought, "sure I could use some accountability in staying in shape." (most days by mile 3 I'm regretting this terribly). Anyhow, The Lord has used this training tremendously. It's a direct parallel to my spiritual life. As believers in a comfortable country, our trials are far and few between, but just that, still trials. You may disagree with the first part of that statement, (that they are few and far between) but take what I say lightly, actually please always take what I say lightly, because if it ain't the Holy Spirit in me, it's not worth listening to. Wow, sorry the rants are endless tonight. ANYWAYS... Our trials are still trials and sometimes they seem to be constant. I'm finding the constant burdens I seem to carry and those of the ones I love around me, are the hard ones. Not particularly horrible but in time, very taxing and exhausting. I found myself on mile 5 last Saturday thinking this... "This run is how I should take these spiritual burdens and trials." You see, I relieve stress when I run. My endurance in a run releases my muscles. As we endure as believers I think our muscly grip on life loosens, and we surrender more easily. As I was studying endurance this week, I realized that it goes hand in hand with your perspective. Check it out, in Luke chapter 21 verse 19, Jesus himself says, "By your endurance you will gain your lives." If you're anything like me, I thought okay we endure for our lives here. But no! This verse in Luke is referring to the partaking of our full benefits and inheritance at end times. Endure, to change your perspective to eternity.

Woah this is long. Shout out to you crazies still stickin around to read at this point. ;)

Last thing: we aren't patient

Blah blah blah. The good ole lecture on patience. No one likes it, let's be honest. It's hard to be patient and it's even harder to like being patient. This one hits close to home for me. If you've read any of my previous blog posts you'll know I tend to always ask the why questions. Currently, in my life now, asking this one: why not now? I just typed that and immediately felt like a four year old. Side note. Moving on. The Bible has beautiful examples of patience and waiting all throughout it. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what to share, how to convey what The Lord is teaching me about being patient. I've learned about Sarah waiting to get pregnant. I've learned about the judgement on Judah and the Babylonia and how the people had to wait. I've learned about David's patience. I've studied Isaiah 40 like a maniac, discovering that those who wait for The Lord shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. This blog is a huge vulnerability thing for me. It forces me to be real with myself and real with you. I STINK at being patient. I am very much like a four year old in my thinking. I think the chocolate bar at 11:00pm is the best idea ever, but my parent knows better. He knows that it's not time. He knows that in my waiting, the gaining will be that much sweeter. Oh praise Him for He knows what is best, not I. I want to wait for what is sweet and good in his eyes. I mentioned this verse in a previous blog but God is using it to grow me a lot, to make me see His love for me. In Psalms it says that He withholds nothing good from those who walk uprightly. Whatever the chocolate bar is, it's NOT GOOD FOR ME NOW. Because He withholds it, it is not best. I have to trust this, be patient, wait, and through it see His sweetness, His love, and His grace in my life.

Thanks for reading what always feels like a rant and rave. Also... I'd like to just point out that I used a chocolate bar as an analogy... I do love chocolate, dark to be specific, with some kind of nut, like almonds in it. Maybe some seasalt and cranberries. But if we're sticking with the classics, peanut M&Ms will do. K. Bye.