I have recently acquired a “new to me” treadmill. It’s a super nice model with incline and speed programs designed to gradually take you from a snail’s pace to a jog or run while increasing the incline. I’m working on Program #1. It lasts less than thirty minutes but I’m more than ready for it to stop when the time is up! The part that gets me is the jogging. I’ve been walking for years now, but jogging is new to my exercise routine.
After I finished working out last night I talked with someone who runs – he’s run in a marathon! He runs 6-10 miles! I think I’m doing well to make the 1.5 miles jogging part of the way! But I think I know how he got that way – I think he was born into a family of runners. His parents must have run. It’s easy to understand how he can endure such long runs! Now, I’m from a family of walkers, so people shouldn’t expect that much of me!
My friend continued to talk about running and he tells me that he began running short distances – just to the corner, then the next day around to the next street. He kept increasing his running distances until he could run in the marathons. Oh, that’s how he accomplished that!
Do you know where I’m headed with this? =) Yep, the Christian race. So often people expect a pastor’s wife to be able to excel spiritually, after all, she’s married to the preacher! It’s easy for her! Some may look to a Sunday School teacher or deacon and assume that it’s easy for them to understand the Bible because they have a position in the church. But both of those assumptions are so untrue! Anyone who has accomplished any spiritual growth has done it the way my running friend has made it to ten miles – they start out small and keep adding and they don’t quit! They read Scripture, then they add journaling what God has taught them. Soon they’re looking verses up in a commentary and pouring over the Word. Their prayer life that began as bedtime prayers now is a precious time in the morning before the day starts. It soon increases to “praying without ceasing.”
When I’m standing on the treadmill I have a choice – to keep adding speed and distance, or quit. We each have the same choice in our spiritual life. We won’t grow without adding to our original faith virtue, to virtue knowledge. II Peter 1:5 It doesn’t happen because of who we are, but because of what we do (with the Lord’s help, of course!). How are you doing in growth and change? Keep at it and don’t quit!
RefreshHer 