I recently started running again. It’s been good, but it’s also become a painful reminder of how hard it is to make lasting positive changes in my life. It seems so much easier to slide into the negative than the positive. Running again has reminded me of how hard it is to reach a goal. I remember when I first started running, it was difficult to get into the daily routine of running; not just the running itself, but the lifestyle of running, watching your daily intake of food, exercising even when it wasn’t convenient, and cross training to maximize the effect of the workouts. I also remember when I stopped. I remember how easy it was to not run, workout, or watch food intake. I remember how easy it was to gain extra weight, move up pants sizes and get discouraged in life. I remember how hard it was to start again; watching the food intake; tracking miles; cross training. This time I have age working against me. Ten years ago my body didn’t hurt so much. Injuries seemed to heal faster. Stretching before a run wasn’t a workout in and of itself. The truth is, it is easier to maintain than to regain what has been lost.
I remember my first route I chose ten years ago. With a little naivety and a whole truck load of ignorance, I chose a route with a huge hill that started within the first half mile of the run. Not knowing any better, I set out to run this route six days a week for three months. It was grueling. It was so difficult that I almost quit running all together. Later I moved to a new part of town, one without any hills. I was excited! No hills meant less pain and faster times. In a matter of days I jumped from a 2 mile route to a three-mile route, feeling less worn when I finished. My run times jumped more than expected, and my first love of running truly began. Unfortunately, over time, I gave up running and returned to my old habits of eating whatever I wanted with little, or no exercise. I quickly lost what had taken me months to gain.
Now when I run I don’t run hills. My run times suffer and my training lags. I don’t see great time improvement on flat runs because I have taken an intricate part of run training out of the equation. Running those hills in the past help me to build a tolerance and an endurance that I would have otherwise lacked. It helped me build up my breathing, leg strength, and helped me emotionally wear out the run before the run wore me out. What once seemed like a horrible choice so early in my running life now seems like one of the wisest things I could have done. What I didn’t understand was that those times of difficult uphill runs would help train me to be able to run longer and at a faster pace. It really build my relationship with running.
How does this fit into Christianity, you ask? Well, one thing I have noticed in life is that I always face mountains. Early on, in my walk with God, I faced some giant mountains. I stopped drinking, smoking, doing drugs, and chasing women. They may seem like small things now, but then they were the biggest thing I could have faced. Facing these mountains helped me maneuver through life easier and helped me build a solid foundation for spiritual growth. Slowly, over time, I have lost some of that vigor to go head-on with my mountains, and because of that I struggle with things unnecessarily. I battle things I shouldn’t have to battle. I have lost some of my spiritual tenacity and given in to the idea of lying around being lazy. Now my natural tendency is to turn from those mountains, or find another way around them. The truth be told, I don’t like to face my mountains head-on anymore.
Here’s what Paul says about facing our mountains, or in this case, tribulations ” And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”(Romans 5:3-4) He is saying that when we face tribulations with joy that something changes. He says that there is a growth process in our lives that can only come through these trials. The truth is, mountains in our lives give us the ability to spiritually run longer and at a faster pace. Life is not easy, just as running is not easy, but by facing mountains we give ourselves the endurance to run the race as one running to win. 1 Corinthians 9:24– “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Turn in such a way that you may obtain it.”
Facing mountains is painful; it’s no secret how much they hurt, but if we are to have a long and lasting impact on the world around us then we must face them. We must put in the time of pain and struggle so we can produce, in our lives, what God so strongly desires for us. Although tribulation is not God’s best, it is a tool He uses to train us and build us into the victors He has made us to be. It is true that God could take us from point A to point B without tribulation, but how many of us would stick to something that came so easily? The harder the battle to gain, the longer we will keep what we fought for.
What are some mountains you face in your life? Are you avoiding taking them head-on? Name some practical steps you can take to not only face these mountains, but to beat them.