So the Lord has been teaching me a lot this week. In high school, running track was fun and easy for me. I wouldn't think twice, would go out and just be able to run a decent race and would feel happy and great about this sport I loved. Was the Lord on my mind during this time? No. Not in the least. But was I doing "well" in this sport? Yes. Was I getting attention for any good performances or races? Here and there yes. Was I glorifying the Lord for these "accomplishments"? Nope.
I was excited to go off to college and have the same experiences but on a bigger scale, how exciting! Woo hoo here goes a stand out freshmen season! It came easy to me so why would it be any different now? Hmm...maybe because the Lord wanted to get my greedy butt's attention! Nothing went the way I planned freshmen year. I was hitting times I hit as a freshmen in high school. I was embarrassed, frustrated, confused, fed up and angry. I tried getting more sleep, talking to our weight coach about if anything we were doing was hindering me, I tried eating differently to loose weight, maybe if I weighed less I could run faster? Nothing helped. I describe my freshmen track and field season like those bad dreams where you are trying so hard to run (usually away from a dog or maybe that's just me) and you just can't go anywhere, no matter how hard you try. Jello legs 24/7. I was an emotional wreck. Broken and crying. Ah ha! Just where God wanted me :)
It took me until the end of freshmen year but I eventually did turn to the Lord through out this trial. I came to a peace about my track career and realized if I never even ran another good race another day in my life that it would not be the end of the world, that I still had the Lord.
Sophomore was a developing year for me in my faith. My attitude towards track and running improved and even some of my performances. Although they weren't anything fantastic, it was an improvement and I was thankful to the Lord. I really just wanted to use my running to run for Him and glorify Him but I just couldn't figure out exactly how to do that. I wanted to listen just to God for support and confidence, which was hard when people had their own opinions about how my running was going.
After going to the Ultimate Training Camp this summer, my eyes were really opened to new ways to use my sport to glorify God. Taking biblical truths that I am thankful for and thinking of them as I perform my sport, and using that as a way to thank God for these things. Recently I have had some amazing practices that doubled as prayer time with my Lord and have been so refreshing.
Just the other day I was practicing and started it off with a prayer to God asking to keep my mind focused on Him and to just have a joyful heart through out my workout simply because He has given me the ability to do so. About halfway through I was feeling it pretty heavy. This is usually when I start thinking about how silly it is for me to even think to complain about being a tad bit fatigued after what Jesus had to go through in dying for my sins. Then I feel pathetic, apologize to God and keep my butt moving! I have yet to have to counter those thoughts but even if they still creep in it is awesome to be able to turn them around towards God and run for Him.
What I try to do at practice is before every set of running I'll think of a truth like "I am a new creation in the Lord" and when I am overcome with thanks to God for that and I say "thank You!" to myself just before I start running and just think of the finish line as running into the Lord's embrace. Or sometimes I'll listen to my ipod (if I'm warming up or going on a long-run) and will just worship and praise God while I am running. It is honestly one of my favorite things to do and I always feel so great afterwards!
I was thinking the other day, what is honestly the worst thing that could happen when I am running a workout? Honestly? I mean, worst case scenario, slim chance I could die. But how cool would that be if I died while doing something that was glorifying Him? That is when I had the thought that every event and situation that happens in my life should be involving the Lord like that. Might sound like a no brainer but a total light bulb just went off in my head at that moment. Why don't I take my little talks with God and prayer time during practice into every other aspect of my life? If I am that much encouraged and uplifted at practice just think the kind of effect it could have on my life! God wants to talk to me throughout the day, not just at practice.
God already knows the outcome of my every practice, race, season and career as a track and field athlete. If it is already planned then why worry?! Plus, He is proud of me and loves me no matter what place I come in, not if I do well. If I perform and do everything with that mind set there is absolutely no way I can be let down, the Lord is with me every step! This week I learned there is only good that can come out of situations when you have the Lord in mind, because He always has you in mind.
"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things."
- Philippians 3:8
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