Years ago, one of my friends told me she wanted to start running, and asked if she could run with me? She told me she wanted to lose some weight and get into better shape and thought running would be good for her.
I told her I would be thrilled to have her join me. But shortly into our first run, I realized I wasn’t thrilled. She complained the whole time.
My friend wanted to run. She just wanted to run a tiny bit. The rest was too hard and painful, she said.
So I showed her some more stretches I thought would help her. I told her how important it was to hydrate before running. Then, maybe two weeks in, she asked if we could run to the donut shop? I told her yes, but that was a full three miles. She said, “I know! I’m fine with that. I’ll have something fun and delicious to look forward to, during our run.”
I reminded her, “Okay, but that also means three miles, back. So six miles, total. You up for that?”
She said, “No way,” and told me she would ask someone to pick her up there, and drive her home.
“At least she’s exercising,” I told myself. It was a start.
Granted, stopping for donuts kind of defeated the purpose of her weight loss goal, but I have always had a motto, “I work out so that I can eat.” Who was I to judge?
But when my friend wanted to go on the trail runs with me, she realized how little she enjoyed running. “Hills? What’s that all about?” she asked.
“You learn to pace yourself and take in all the beauty,” I told her.
It took a few weeks for her to stop complaining, but my friend somewhat got into running. And she said I was right. Once she learned to pace herself to get up and down the hills, she was able to appreciate the surrounding beauty, and told me she found herself praying as she ran.
It wasn’t easy. But once we learned to somewhat embrace the challenges set before us and pace ourselves for the hills, it became routine. Pleasurable, even.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” - 2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT)
“Embrace the tension.” Pastor Steve Lawes tells us this, frequently.
But I’m really not an embrace the tension kind of girl. I’m much more of a “hot potato” the tension girl. Try to get rid of it. Wiggle my way out of it. Whine enough to Papa, lamenting in prayer and maybe, just maybe, He will remove me from it.
And each time I do that, I realize how much it irked me when my friend who asked to run with me, complained and complained and moaned and whined. And I don’t want to be like that. (At least she had donuts!)
If I want to be like Paul, I will fight the good fight. Which means fighting this daily spiritual battle the enemy wants, in prayer. Embracing the tension.
It means I will finish the race, each and every day, pressing in deep to more of Jesus, less of me.
It means during the yuck and muck we all inevitably endure, we will remain faithful. We will trust the power of Jesus over thinking our own strength is worthy.
We can do this, y’all. We can fight the good fight. We can finish the race. We can remain faithful.
Honoring Jesus with every hill, every mile, every pain, every drop of sweat, every sprain or torn muscle. Every bruise and bloated. Every finish line.
The shorts, shoes and sports bras are a daily reminder to me. It’s not just running for cardio.
It’s running for Jesus. Running to Jesus.
Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Remain faithful.