No end in sight

100km's and counting...it may be time for new one's.

I know I'm being restored. That old things are passing away and the new is being birthed in me. After a run the other night it occurred to me how exciting it is that I'm still running after a year and a half. My running is like a physical example of what's happening in my spirit. Let me explain.

I've discovered that a good running day most often is the result of what's going on in my head. Will I stick with it or will I only get 1 km and give up. I can defeat myself from the beginning if I believe the lie I can't make it through, that I don't really need to do it, or that it's raining too much (will this never end!!!). Sometimes I am convinced there is something conspiring against me in my endeavor to run. Many times I have set out to run and my ipod will not communicate with my Nike+ sensor. Other times I'll be in a great rhythm and my shoe will come untied or little rocks will work their way under my feet or in my socks. Then, the part that really annoys me, is when I hit the "power song" button for an energy boost, it plays through nicely and then instead of returning to my running playlist a Christmas song begins to play. Arrrgghhh!!! Nothing pumps you up like hearing Mario Lanza singing "The Lord's Prayer" at the 3.5 k mark.

However, I am learning to overcome.

Running is teaching me discipline. I always thought you needed to have discipline to be disciplined, but I'm learning this isn't always the case. I would not call myself a disciplined person, I've struggled most of my life to be consistent at something....mostly it's inconsistency. But running is teaching me that I can push past the mind games I play with myself. That I can keep running even when I feel a stitch begin to overtake my right side. I've learned to pace my breathing with my stride so that the stitch goes away. I've learned that I can make my mind behave itself and allow my legs, lungs, and heart do their work. I've learned that hills can be "rocked" if I keep my arms low and my hips swinging. I can have a good running day even if my mind tries to tell my otherwise. I've also discovered how incredible it feels to be obedient to Something outside of myself, by putting aside all my complaints, fears, and inadequacies.

This is all true of my spiritual being. It isn't by coincidence that Paul describes our life as a race (Hebrews 12:1). I understand that so much better now. The discipline I am learning through running leaks over into my day to day living. My mind can get the best of me. How many times have I let my own thoughts derail my day? We are instructed in Scripture to no longer conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) That we also need to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). These two verses have impacted me greatly over the last number of months. I am learning how to think differently. My brain doesn't tell me who I am, I tell my brain Whose I am. I am being restored, one thought at a time. Running is teaching me in the physical, tools I can use in the spiritual. It's transforming.