One Month and Counting

It has officially been one month since we have left the church (not the Church). Our last day of work was Christmas Eve, but we were paid through the end of December through vacation and comp time. This season of rest has been incredible. My life as a Christian has been like a really long race. I kept running and running and running and running. Then, I hit The Wall. At The Wall, my ministry adrenaline kicked in, the point in the race that your legs feel like jello and your eyes get so blurry that you can't see peripherally. As if that wasn't enough, the last whole stretch of the race had been uphill, getting steeper and steeper. Finally, the Coach steps in and says, "That'll do, pig," (name the family movie reference) and takes you out of that race.

The problem is, the Church tells you that you are a runner. This is true. But the misunderstanding is that the Church says you've got to run constantly. Not only do you have to run constantly, but you have to run faster and faster and steeper and steeper. This misunderstanding stems from the racers teaching themselves. If the only thing that you know about running is what you are learning from the person running in front of you, then you will keep running just fast enough to keep up with that person until one of you simply can't go on.

Misconception 1: You have to run faster and faster and steeper and steeper.
Correction: You should be a better runner now than you were in the past. The misconception here is that "faster" and "steeper" are equated with "better" by the Church. [The better Christian you are, the more you are doing to serve the church. A step up from this is that you have a larger sphere of influence. Neither necessarily mean "better."] At some point in the race, it may be better to run slower. At some point, it may be better to run downhill. But if all you know about running is what you see around you, you will either just be following someone else's idea of running, which usually means running faster and steeper, or your pride steps in and says, "I'm a better runner than him, therefore I need to run faster and steeper to prove it to me/him/God." However, if you are listening for the Coach to tell you how to run, you will realize that He has a clearer understanding of what a "better" runner is.

Misconception 2: You have to run constantly or you're not a runner. (By definition, a runner is one who runs. If you're not running, then you are not a runner.)
Correction: A runner is someone whose purpose is to run, no matter how much time they actually run. A toaster is a machine that toasts my bread, even though it is not constantly toasting my bread. Even if the toaster never toasts my bread, it is still a toaster. As anyone who has run a race can tell you, it is better to practice multiple times with breaks in between before the race. Your body doesn't build muscle during a workout but during the rest in between workouts. [Plants are the same way; they grow more when it is dark than when it is light because they are use the light energy differently during the light than after the light.] And, unless you are going incredibly slow in your race, it is impossible to gain more energy than you are using, especially over a long period of time.

The key is: the Coach knows what you need to do to be a better runner. He knows how you need to improve and will put you through tough workouts to do so. He knows your potential as a runner and he will push you to be that runner. He knows that you need to rest and not just run. And the best thing is, he was a runner himself. He ran his race the best it could be done, and now he's helping you to do the same. All you have to do is humbly listen for the Coach's instructions and put them into action.


[Sorry for any inconsistency in my analogy, since I wrote this in one sitting. Also, sorry for any ambiguity in my use of "better" since I realize it probably didn't actually add any clarity.]


P.S. Please pray for us to have perseverance in our faith through this time.