running thoughts: press through the crap

FRIENDLY NOTICE if the word "crap" offends you, you probably don't want to read this. Sure I could use different words to describe "crap" like "poop" or "mess" or "stinky stuff" and well I won't type it but I'm sure you know what I mean...the bad word version. But I think once you read this you will understand why the word "crap" is most appropriate for this post.

Anyway...I started running again today. Actually I don't even know why I stopped because I really do like to run. I'm pretty sure it's because I'm not looking forward to the aches and pains during the first couple of weeks. Never the less I got my out of shape self out of bed, got my running gear on, stretched, walked out the door and ran/walked for about 2 miles.

At first it felt awkward. It's been a while since I had been on a good long run. It took a moment or two for my body to understand that this was going to happen whether it liked it or not. After the first mile and a half and getting into my stride I was running up a hill when the strong smell of cow manure filled the air. Then I looked down on the road and realized there was dry manure scattered all over road. Right then a strong gust of wind came out of nowhere and suddenly I find myself running into the wind, running on top of dry cow crap, while the smell of cow crap attacked my sense of smell.

My first thought was to run faster and get past this crappy situation. Right then the Holy Spirit thought it would be a great teaching moment for me. The Holy Spirit reminded me that throughout life we will be faced with "crappy" situations. The reality is that there will be times in our lives that we won't be able to out run them or avoid them. So what do we do when we are facing one of these moments...you press through them.

The problem is many of us won't press through because the price is too high, it's too messy, it takes too much time, the pain will be too much, and the list can go on and on.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and STRAINING FORWARD to what lies ahead, I PRESS ON toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

It doesn't say SKIP...it doesn't say HOP...it says STRAINING FORWARD! In other words you have to put some effort into moving forward. You see if I stopped running at that moment I would have never gotten past the crappy situation. Sure I was tired and my muscles were sore but I knew I didn't want to stay there so the only option I had was to strain forward.

The moment we apply some effort and press on toward the goal we will get past our crappy situations. At the end of my run I was so thankful for the smelly reminder that crappy situations don' last forever! Looking forward to my next run! Hope you were encouraged with this running thought.