Perseverance

I've been running consistently for about a year now. I guess that means I can call myself a "runner". It is something that I crave and wish I could do everyday. I generally run 4-5 times a week, but I would go 6-7 if I could. That means I'm running anywhere between 10-18 miles a week, and my desire  or goal is to be running between 20-30 miles a week. Jesse and I have a little give in take with our morning workouts, so since it is steaming hot during the day, I don't run unless it is early in the morning.

The other morning I had an absolute perfect 6 mile run which started before the sun was even awake. Around mile 3 the sun began to rise above the rooftops and trees. It was a beautiful light orange color that gently illuminated that section of the sky. The beauty of a sunrise happens in a glimpse. If you are not positioned in the right spot at the right time, you will miss it's splendor. I'm generally lucky enough to be heading back home so I get to watch the entirety of it's morning rising. Most people thoroughly enjoy Florida skies in the evening because the sunsets are breathtaking as well. However, I find that in the precious sunrises, I hear whispers of His power, of His grace and mercy, of His goodness, and awesome wonder. 

It is in that moment God shows off His glory and beauty. Most mornings I feel like He is doing it just for me while all the cars rush by totally missing His whispers. I'll be honest though, I am not always listening for His voice when I'm running. Some days all I can think about is making it to mile 2, wishing my hips wouldn't ache, and hoping my feet do not fall off. Since it is my precious alone time, I try my best to keep my heart soft and my ears attuned to His voice. 

This particular morning the word perseverance kept ringing in my head, fitting for a "runner." During this run my legs and hips were in full motion, my feet felt the best they have in weeks because of my new shoes. My body was totally energized by my healthy pasta dinner the night before. I was fully stretched and motivated to run. My body actually wanted to keep going and going, but I had to get back home to the family as I knew they would be stirring soon.               

In that steady pace, the Lord spoke to me with imagery (the best way He knows how to speak to me). So often we are running through our own lives, making it mile to mile, but for whatever reason we may stop at mile three. Mile three has rich blessings and even rest. The rest can become so nice that we get stuck in rest mode. Anyone who has ran even a few miles at a time knows that if you stop for too long without staying in motion, the body gets stiff very quickly. Joints begin to ache and muscles feel like tight rubber bands about to pop. Getting started back up is twice as hard than if you would have just kept on pushing through that mile. Rest is great, but we must be careful to not get stuck too long that we forget what lies ahead. Mile 5 can be really tough if you rest too long at mile 3 or 4. If you stop short of the goal then you are not really persevering. You feel extremely unsatisfied, which can leave you down and depressed, ultimately immobilized. 

My 6 mile run was my goal that day and I ran it faster than I have my entire time of training thus far. My body craved one or two more miles, but mentally I was satisfied because I met my goal for the day. God says  (to me) perseverance doesn't mean you go through trials, heartaches, pains and come out of it totally broken and useless. Yes, you will get bruised, your heart will have scars, you may have some broken limbs from the battles you will endure...but God holds you together. When He is pointing the way, He keeps your feet on track, he softens the blow of the pavement, he keeps your ankles from twisting. He points the way in the darkness with his glorious light. Not everyone sees it, not everyone is looking. If you will just point yourself in the direction of the sunrise He will whisper life and direction into your soul. 

For me, I know that when I see the sun rising, I'm heading home to my end goal. Sometimes we run from the light, but His grace has the power to turn us around. His love has the anointing to help us persevere towards His beauty, towards the fullness of His glory, towards our personal finish line. 

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2