I’ve just recently begun running. Well, you may not call it running…it’s more of a jog…or, uh…maybe a really fast walk to many people. But, for ME, it’s running.
In the very beginning of this process, I thought you just had to keep pushing yourself and pushing yourself, gasping and flailing, going as fast as you can for as far as you could until you just couldn’t do any more. I assumed, someday, my body would get used to the abuse and it would all “click” somehow and everything would work out great! Yeah. Well, that didn’t happen.
But, recently, I’ve been shown a different way.
My husband took up running last spring and, sharing his wisdom with me, he said the key was in learning to pace yourself. He told me to get into a slow, but steady groove that I could manage. Don’t worry about how fast or slow I am – speed will come later. For now, just concentrate on being able to breathe. If I can breathe, then I can go much farther than I could when I was just trying to “get there” quickly. And, as I get comfortable, I can make minor adjustments that will challenge me to rise to the next level.
Amen, my wise and handsome husband. Wow. Smart AND good-looking! How did I get to be SO blessed?!
So I applied this principle in my running, and it was amazing how much farther I could go. I stopped trying to be fast and I concentrated on my form. I paid attention to developing the muscles that it takes to get to the finish line. And, in time, I will make adjustments that will help me get to the finish line more quickly. But, the cool thing is, I can get to the finish line now, whereas I couldn’t before.
In an hour, I had jogged only half of a 5K using my own “wisdom.” But what my husband told me allowed me to jog the entire 5K in an hour. It would appear to onlookers that I was moving slower on his plan; but the fact was, I could maintain the forward movement for a longer period of time, thereby, I pushed further than I ever could have when I was just trying to go quickly.
How true these same principles are in life. So many of us rush around from one event to another. We shuttle kids here and there. We grab lunch at our desks between meetings. We make plans with friends and have to rush our time with them because the next item on the agenda is about to vibrate our Blackberry right out of our pockets!
Oh my goodness! This is not how we were meant to live life. Even in the VERY beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, he set aside one whole day for us to rest. And what do we do with it? I’d be willing to bet that most of us don’t spend it resting and worshiping all day long.
So, before you make that next commitment to do anything for anyone, ask yourself, “Can I really fit this into my life and still be able to breathe? Can I do it without losing something valuable somewhere else along the line?”
All too often, we just agree to do things because someone asked us to. We want to make someone happy by saying yes. We want to be involved. We want recognition. We want to feel valued, needed, appreciated. Whatever. But we just keep cramming things in to our lives to the point that many of us are just about ready to collapse from overexertion.
What we need to learn to do is to pace ourselves. We need to slow down, possibly even let go of some things, and reevaluate what we’re doing with our time and energy. Are we sacrificing our relationships? Are we missing important events? Are we too busy to read our Bibles? Do we fall asleep when we’re trying to pray? If the answer to any of these things is “yes,” then it’s time to stop and make some adjustments. We’ll never make it to the finish line if we don’t take proper care of ourselves – which includes our physical bodies, our mental health, and our spiritual needs.
Why are we in such a hurry anyway? Are we ever going to be the richest? The smartest? The strongest? The irreplaceable employee? The perfect parent, spouse, or child? We’re rushing through life and we’re missing the beauty of the ride. We’re not developing the muscles we need to carry us through to the finish line. We’re just running, breathless, flailing, desperate to finish. But we’ll never make it if we fail to properly train for the race.
The things that will carry you through this life are most often the very things you sacrifice when you’re trying to move too quickly. Date nights with your spouse. Lazy afternoons with your parents. Dinner, at a real dinner table, with your kids. Quiet time alone spent evaluating your life—where you’ve been and where you’re headed. And, most importantly, real, quality time in the secret place with God, asking Him His opinion about your plans and waiting to hear His answers.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
As I write all this, I probably have a dozen things on my to-do list. But, you know what? I’ve put that list aside, for now, and I’ll pick it back up when I have the strength to do the items that are on it. And, as I pace myself, I find that I’m not failing to get things done. I’m just getting them done at a pace that allows me to breathe. By the way, it feels great! 🙂
220 Gal 