Finding My Endurance:
So this whole running thing is starting to get a little bit better. I started out the first week and I didn't even make it halfway. I started out too fast because I wanted to keep up. It was that competetive streak getting the best of me. The second week I cried and wanted to give up because I still couldn't make it the whole way. I almost started to believe that the whole thing was a mistake and that I should just give up. I almost gave in to the lie. And the third week, everything fell into place--I made it the whole way, even if I was slower than everyone else. I did it, which is what is important. This week, week four, was better still. I made it the whole way AND I caught up at the end.
The point of this post is not to go tooting my own horn (because obviously 2.5 miles is not terribly impressive for most), but instead to give an analogy. This isn't just about running, but about our lives in general. When God directs us to something new, no matter what it is, we usually expect things to instantly be perfect. We think that because this is what GOD TOLD US TO DO that it should be easy, or at least comfortable from the beginning. That's not how it is. We all hear all the time that there will be suffering, and we say that we're ready. But how do we really react when suffering comes. I think I usually give up and go retreat into a corner. I say that I can't handle it and I put myself into auto pilot. But just like with running, we can't give up when things get hard. We can't fall into the trap of believing that because it isn't easy or comfortable that we must have been wrong. We have to press on, with endurance. We have to keep going, even when it's the last thing in the world we want to do. If we always give up when things get difficult, we will never find the joy that God has for us on the other side.
#2 Jumping on the Bandwagon
Please fill out my Johari and Nohari squares so that I might be able to find the areas where I need work:
Johari: fill it out view it
Nohari: fill it out view it
And that is all for today... I may not be able to RUN a marathon, but I'm certainly capable of making marathon blog posts! :)
6 comments:
Way to go, Jeni! :)
i'm with you, jeni - as far as the slow part goes. it is frustrating being the slowest marathoner (by a long shot). it has been hard to stay with it because of that, but i need to not quit just because it is hard.
and the nohari/johari are becoming quite the fad. (nice job running, btw. before this i never ran further than 2.5 miles so don't pretend like it's not an accomplishment!)
Great analogy, Jeni and great job not quitting.
To add to your points, I've come to the conclusion in my life that no matter how many times I fail, what the Lord really expects of me is to not give up. That's faith in action!
...you know what, there are a lot of slow songs that I like even better than fast ones...
jeni...you are awesome!! i love what you said "We think that because this is what GOD TOLD US TO DO that it should be easy, or at least comfortable from the beginning. That's not how it is." wow - that made me stop and think!! what a great thought - very true for me anyway...wow
i give you kudos for even trying jeni.
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