Miles: 5.01
Time: 42:35
Today’s run was more of a challenge than others lately. Running against the wind, I push through, all the while feeling the push back. Determined, I press on and think “Joy, two days in a row!” I’m not ready for this, the change of seasons, the winds and the cold. I crave the outdoors. It’s a need to breathe. To step outside the walls that would confine us. To run toward something. It’s a physical act of an inner cry – a sheer determination to move forward and not be consumed by circumstances or surroundings.
Time: 42:35
Today’s run was more of a challenge than others lately. Running against the wind, I push through, all the while feeling the push back. Determined, I press on and think “Joy, two days in a row!” I’m not ready for this, the change of seasons, the winds and the cold. I crave the outdoors. It’s a need to breathe. To step outside the walls that would confine us. To run toward something. It’s a physical act of an inner cry – a sheer determination to move forward and not be consumed by circumstances or surroundings.
I thank God for the wind against me, the wind that challenges me and makes me stronger. How often does the challenge tempt us to give in and give up? I could have easily turned around running with the wind instead of against it. Yet the opposite direction didn’t offer the beauty of the path that I was on, so I kept moving forward – my eye on the prize of God’s gift to me – the trees that refresh me in a city of highways, buildings and busyness. I forget the struggle and embrace the gift - the brightness of the clouds adorning the bright blue sky and the life around me, the life I have, the life He’s given me – the one He died for. I think of the struggles and how we can be consumed by our circumstances. We can be so quick to want to just give up on our dreams – on what we know God has promised us. “It’s too hard.” Jesus bore the cross for us. Did He cry out, “This is too hard. I can’t do this. I give up. It’s not worth fighting for.”? No, He died for us. We are over-comers through the power of His shed blood.
I found myself driving on auto-pilot on the way to work the other day, as I often do, and realized that I was getting stuck in traffic. Looking ahead I saw the left side of the highway divide was backing up, but the right was moving along. I changed lanes in time to avoid the delay. I was thankful I didn’t stay focused on the traffic around me, but I looked ahead to where I wanted to be and avoided getting stuck. Seems to me this would get through to me. We aren’t stuck. Our current circumstances don’t have some magic power over us to keep us down unless we allow them. When we look ahead and keep our eye on the prize, and look to the One who gives us our strength, we have a hope that moves us forward. Be determined. Keep pressing on. Don’t think about where you are as much as where you are going. Pray God quiets your mind so you can hear His whisper to your heart – the one that sings a love song over you, the one that gives you hope and peace. God bless.
[The Need for Self-Discipline] Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ~1 Corinthians 9:24(NIV)
[The Need for Self-Discipline] Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ~1 Corinthians 9:24(NIV)
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 3:14 (NIV)
