Today I ran. It was a great opportunity to hit the road just because I wanted to. No paper was telling me to. No training plan was telling me to. Guilt wasn't telling me to get out there.
I completed my first half marathon last weekend. I did it. It was good to work hard and accomplish a huge goal.
Being away from home, traveling through bad weather, sharing accommodations with several couples, lack of sleep, being sick, pushing myself on race day and recovery were hard. Chaos seemed to punch me in the gut over and over while I should have been enjoying victory. Instead I was just hanging on knowing peace would come as my body recovered and my mind rested.
Today as a ran (with no coaching in my earbuds) I prayed for peace. I sought rest and escape from the chaos. I found it with each stride. But it wasn't until I glanced across a lawn to find a church sign that I knew the purpose for today's recovery run.
The sign simply read
"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD."
What an amazing love letter from my savior. A similar message I give my children when they are in crisis. "Relax. It's ok."
God's message to me in that time was a message of a loving Father. "BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD."
NOT... Keep at it and one day you'll figure it out.
NOT... You aren't doing it right.
NOT... What could you have done differently that would have landed you in a better place?
NOT... Wow! What a mess!!!
But a loving message that allowed me to regain perspective and realize that I am not alone. I am not the one this whole world is riding on. He is God. He is sovereign. He has a plan. I can rest in that. I don't need to worry. Because He loves me with a Father's love.
And I am thankful.
