Life Lessons From A Half Marathon #2

Posted on 04.07.08 in Faith and there are 11 comments.

(I recently ran my first half marathon. I learned several lessons during the course of that race. Here’s lesson #2.)

Goals Aren’t Important

At the beginning of the race, I was praying and thinking about how I wanted to accomplish my goal of running the entire 13 miles without stopping.

I was nervous about it, but I thought, surely, I could push myself and make it happen.

But then I felt like God was saying, “What if I WANT you to walk?”

My immediate response was, “What?! You don’t want me to QUIT do you?”

And I really felt as if God was asking me to lay down that goal and instead listen to Him while I ran.

If He told me to stop, I’d stop. If He told me to run, I’d run. But listening to Him was more important than my silly goals.

When God gives us a vision or a goal, He doesn’t want us to just grab it and go.

He wants us to run with Him.

The Comments:

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So can I ask the question you’re not supposed to ask? 

(Waits for permission.  Gets none.  Asks anyway. 

How do you know whether God really cares whether you walk or run the race?  I don’t mean that God doesn’t care about the details of our lives, but I wonder if we have a tendency to over-spiritualize a lot of daily decisions that aren’t really that, um, momentous. 

Not to diminish God using the race to teach you something, but does that make sense?

That makes sense.

Here’s my initial answer, perhaps not my final one…

The Bible says that we should call God our Father. Now, when my kids were babies, I had to do everything for them. I told them when to eat, I told them when to sleep, I told them when to play. I pretty much determined their every waking moment.

As they’ve gotten older, they’ve learned how things work and what I expect from them. I don’t have to instruct them for every single decision.

When they encounter a new situation or they are sick, then I am again determining their every action.

I tend to think that’s the way it is with God. He wants to be involved in the details of our lives.

As we walk in a relationship with Him, we get to know His voice and His will for us and He doesn’t need to instruct us on every action. We still walk with Him but asking His will for every single step would be unnecessary.

But when we’re struggling or for those who are new believers, I don’t know that we can really over spiritualize anything. I think He wants to speak to us until we know His voice and His heart.

Again, this is my initial response, not my final one - and I wrote it while trying to The Small Person get ready for school…

Thoughts?

I like this. Being in the moment!

I think I probably agree with you Kat.  Sometimes when I am struggling or just need affirmation from the Lord, He uses every day things or details to show me how personally he is involved in my life or how much He cares. 

On the other hand, Texas in Africa, I do believe that sometimes people can overspiritualize daily decisions like parking spots at the grocery store etc.  So, I think we have to realize when He uses the daily grind to speak to us or teach us something and when it is just part of our daily life. 

I do believe that we can take the little daily things in life and use them to worship the Lord though.  There’s a quote from Mother Theresa that is escaping me at the moment, but if I remember it I’ll share it…

Oh… for sale Canadian is spam - I think.

I am loving your lessons from the half marathon!  I also like your response to Texas in Africa’s question--that is such a relatable analogy.

I have to admit to exclaiming, at times in my life, “Jesus loves me!” if I find a parking spot in a crowded lot. :(

It’s easy to see a goal and think it must be good and right, but I do believe that God cares just as much about how we achieve the goal as the goal itself.  I think He will often take us in unexpected and unwished for directions and if we aren’t listening to Him, we can miss seeing even greater things.

I completely agree with you Kat. I really needed this post of yours today. I’ve been struggling with a big decision. Sometimes the goals you started out with do change. God doesn’t want us to quit the things we start, but He needs us to be open and hear his voice when we need to change course. I think alot of times, we feel like we failed a thing if we change course and move to something else. That’s one of my biggest problems.

Enjoyed this post, Kat. I still say that for such a young woman, God has blessed you with so much wisdom. It gladdens my heart and encourages me to see it.

Regarding Texas in Africa’s question (great question, BTW), I think this is probably going to be a little different for each different person. I have a close friend who really is this sensitive to almost every little decision she makes, and it’s amazing how often God uses her, just because she’s always available and expectant.

And I’d also like to point out that sometimes the tiniest, most inconsequential decisions can end up being huge. Bypassing the spot closest to the store, and parking further away caused a “chance meeting” with an old friend who really needed someone to talk to. If your timing had been off by just 20 seconds, who knows if it would have happened?

You never know, I guess. I’d like to walk that sensitively to the Holy Spirit’s leading, moment by moment each day.

That truly is a great thought....one I will keep in mind as I am training for my 15k.

Thank you...I needed this today.

Hip Mama

C-hammer,
Awww...your so nice. Thanks for the encouragement!

KFJ,
A 15k? That’s awesome!!

Hip Mama,
Your very welcome…

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