Running the Course
The month of November so far has been tiresome. I’m exhausted. I’m sure many of us share similar experiences with: long hours, long commutes, managing social events, and trying to find quiet time or simply “me” time in the midst of it all. When I’m in great need of time alone, even if it’s just for an hour to two, I go to the gym, jump on the treadmill, blare music in my ears, and set the treadmill to the intense interval course. On days when I have more energy I get in the ring and box.
As I got on the treadmill today my body was aching from fatigue. It was a mental preparation simply to focus and reserve my remaining energy for my run. Throughout my warmup I kept repeating “Let’s go. Come on. Let’s go Rebekah”. The countdown clock was set and my warmup complete, so I increased the speed and let the interval setting do its work. Right off the top, I could feel my muscles aching everywhere and my brain was battling. The long hours and fatigue from work was trying to get the best of me, but I kept pushing until I could settle into my gate (every runner has a different gate, or gage). After 12 minutes I was able to find a groove, but I knew this run was going to take additional concentration and determination.
A thought came into my mind and there began a conversation with the Holy Spirit in my head. To confess, it’s what got me through the remaining 40 minutes, not my music. This was the crux of my dialogue:
“So, this pain that you’re feeling, it’s distracting you right? It’s adding to the mental, physical and even spiritual element of your body. You feel like giving up and maybe trying again tomorrow in hopes that you’ll have more energy or simply just a better day. You are only promised today my dear, and tomorrow will have its own challenges. My Grace is sufficient enough for you. Don’t you know that Grace is merely my strength infused through you? It’s the only thing that can equip you to sustain one day at a time. Stay focused! You are battling between giving your body the proper rest that it needs versus finishing this course and feeling a sense of euphoria for pushing through. What’s it going to be Rebekah? You learn nothing from giving up during a fight. You only feel defeat and guilt for not persevering to see what’s on the other side of struggle and trial through perseverance. What’s it going to be Rebekah? Don’t you think you can do this? Haven’t you been through worse? Let’s go! Keep going! Don’t look at the clock, cover up the clock with your towel. Stay focused, look up and breathe. Let’s go, keep your pace. Steady…. steady…. nice.”
As I reflect on my life, I have realized that many things I encountered have been incomplete because I did not persevere to the end. Although I’m a fighter and never leave anything undone, I have had some shortcomings. As of recent, I have learned that I am not guaranteed the outcome in trials, but I want to endure them because I want to fight for what I believe in and to keep hope alive. There comes a time when you have to take up the courage and face the challenge head on. That time is now for many of us. Can we come out victorious? Certainly! Can we finish what we started and defy the urge to quit? Certainly!
Keep running, keep climbing and keep walking step by step with Abba Father. Remember it’s only possible to achieve this one day at a time. Push through the frustration, push through the trial, push through the obstacle. The end goal is vital for our Faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 reads, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. Amen!