5 Spiritual Lessons from Marathon Training
This weekend I reached a milestone, my longest run to date! With only three weeks until the Run 4 Life, my husband and I were scheduled to run 10 miles on Saturday and 20 miles on Sunday. As we headed out in the rain at 2:30 Sunday morning, I was incredibly anxious about being able to finish. Although it took 6 hours and countless encouraging words from my husband, I did it! I ran 20 miles! God has taught me so much over the past year while training for the run and I wanted to share with you the top 5 spiritual lessons I have learned along the way.
#5 – Rest is important.
I have learned that giving my body time to rest has been as important as getting my training runs done. Taking time to rest my body helped to prevent injury and burnout. Like our physical bodies, our spirits need periods of rest as well. (Matthew 11:28-30)
#4 – It’s not just about crossing the finish line but what you did to get there.
I will be so proud when I cross the finish line on January 9th but, I am most proud of the miles and miles that my husband and I have run in the darkness that no one else sees. All who put their faith in Christ are in a race with eternity as the finish line. What we do as we prepare, that no one else sees, is what truly matters. (Philippians 3:13-14; Hebrews 12:1-2)
#3 – You have to fuel your body frequently during long distances.
If you want to go the distance you have to properly hydrate and fuel your body. I quickly learned that just eating before a run was not enough. I had to eat throughout the run to have the energy to keep going. The same is true in our spiritual walk. Just “eating” God’s word on Sunday morning is not enough. You have to fuel your spirit EVERY day! (Matthew 4:4)
#2 – It is so much easier when you are not doing it alone.
Having my husband training right alongside me has been the greatest gift! There were MANY mornings when I would have just stayed in bed but having him there motivated me to get up and head out. He keeps pace with me on every run, even though he can run much faster than I can. He is patient and encouraging. He believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself. In our walk with the Lord, we weren’t meant to do it alone. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
#1 – We are able to do so much more than we can imagine.
The number one thing that I have learned through this journey is that I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined…and so are you!!! The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me! We serve a God who is able to do immeasurably more in AND through us! (Ephesians 3:20)
In 2022, I pray that you step out in faith and do something you never imagined possible. That is where you will meet the God who is immeasurably more!
In His grace,
Shari
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”
Ephesians 3:20