Into the Wind

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I am two days away from running my first 10k. On Saturday May 3rd, I will bring full circle two and a half months of rigorous training. I am so looking forward to beating 6.3 miles to a sweaty pulp. That being said, I discovered something new today as I fit in one of my last required 3.5 mile runs. 

About a mile into my run, what was a refreshing breeze quickly transformed into a 25 mile hour wind. That may not sound like a lot but next time your driving around the neighborhood stick your head out the window and consider running in it. Conveniently for me, the wind also chose to charge against me rather than with me for approximately 2.5 miles of my 3.5 mile run. There were many moments in which I considered slowing down to a walk since the wind was already insisting I do so. I began to get extremely frustrated with this invisible obstacle and shamelessly pouted at God for His poor choice of wind placement today. But I pushed on with positive encouragement's of "You can do this! Food! You get to eat food after this!" and "Just keep running. Don't stop. The wind has to die down eventually." 

As I approached my last mile, my positive thinking began to wind down (haha). Now not only was the wind fiercely pushing against my body but it was stealing the air right out of my mouth! (Again, stick your head out the car window and try breathing!) I challenged myself in that moment, "What is right with this picture? Where is the positive in this?" (A novel concept I just read up on in the book Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On by Stormie Omartian, chapter 8) In less than a second, I was confronted with a brand new perspective. While the wind seemed to be a hinderance to my running, it was actually a tool that strengthened it. I thought the wind was wrong when in all actuality it was right. Running into the resistance full speed, my body adjusted to a new level of difficulty ensuring that when the wind did change directions I would be stronger for it. Sure enough, as I turned the corner and approached 3.3 miles the wind changed directions (as it always does) and I found myself gliding along putting up a personal record.

Can you see the parallel? In this life, we will have troubles [John 16:33] and there will be times of intense resistance where the darkness seems to punch the air right out of your throat. We have a choice. Stop running, give up, and walk along defeated, pouting at uncontrollable circumstances. Or we can search for a new perspective in the midst of chaos asking, "What is good? What is right? How can this help me?" and run full force into adversity. We will be stronger for it. To embrace a defeated complacency when facing difficulty will only ensure that a greater strength is forfeited and victory will be infinitely more difficult to claim next time around. 

I know it's hard, trust me, but when the trials of this world seem to be against you, look for how they might be for you and keep running. The wind will change directions eventually and when it does, if you've been persistent in running through it, you'll find yourself gliding along, conquering invisible obstacles.

"I would have lost heart, unless I believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

[Psalm 27:13]

To embrace a defeated complacency when facing difficulty will only ensure that a greater strength is forfeited and victory will be infinitely more difficult to claim next time around.