Hit The Wall...But Keep Shuffling

“For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.
For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall...

2 Samuel 22:29-30

There's a phrase that is used in the runner's world (and beyond) that describes that moment when you're on a run or working out where you simply can't go another step. When I was training for a marathon, I used to hit that wall in our long distance runs somewhere around mile #13. And I can tell you that, when you've hit a big wall, your pace slows to a drag and you literally feel yourself shuffling to advance even an inch or two (if that). Your energy level plummets and you feel like sleep is the only option...right there in the middle of the road. It's one of the rare moments where you wonder if you will meet your Maker right then and there.

The thing about a runner's wall is that it's mostly mental. And if you have been trained well, the key to hitting a wall is not to let it stop you. You may drink a taste of water or eat a bite of your energy bar. However, that little shuffle may be all you can do. That little shuffle becomes necessary as a means of keeping momentum going. Because if you keep shuffling long enough, what always surprised me was that eventually the weight of the wall lifts and you catch that second (or third or fourth wind) and can finish your race. The key is to simply press on over your wall until you make it to the other side.

Similarly, life can sometimes get us to the place where we feel as though we have hit our "wall" and simply cannot go another step. Quite frankly, I was feeling this way earlier this week...on the verge of tears but not really sure where to pull from to even cry, hungry, hormonal, exhausted while still bubbling with energy, homesick while glad to be where I am...plain and simply an emotional mess. I had hit my wall. And, as I tried to explain the saying to someone for whom English is not their first language, the Lord began to minister to me. In the midst of my explanation, He reminded me that, just like that runners wall, this space I was in was mostly mental and that the key to getting over was to keep shuffling.

At times we may not have the energy to leap walls in a single bound like Superman/woman. We may not have the resources of Spiderman to pull us over. But we have strength greater than any comic hero. We have the strength and fortitude of The Almighty bottled up inside of us for such times as this. The scripture tells us that by Him we can run against troops and leap over walls--mental or physical. 

So today, if you feel yourself about to hit that wall...pull out your favorite Bible verse, call on your friend to pray...but most of all keep shuffling...Be encouraged that with God, you'll be able to make it over to the other side.

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. Maybe this message wasn't for you but you have a friend whose been a bit down in the dumps...don't forget to "pay it forward" and pass it along.

Get Perspective

Have you ever felt like your mind was spinning? No literally...as if the inside of your brain may truly leak out of the side of your ears if you turned to fast to the left or the right? There's no doubt that 9 times out of 10, you understand this or know someone who has recently expressed feeling like they are in that whirlwind where everything seems bigger than what it really is. The roller coaster ride of your life seems to be never-ending and you wonder if today will be the day that the cart pulls into the station to give you a moment of rest.

Well I get it. Been there, done that, still wearing the T-shirt. I, like so many others, get caught up in the minutia of my problems and forget the bigger picture. I stop seeing God and see only the threads of my life that are woven together in a pattern that only He truly understands. Recently, in the midst of that feeling, I was listening to a worship mix and the song I Choose To Worship (sung by Wess Morgan) came on. I felt God nudging me into release the details of my life to Him and Matthew 11:28 came to mind: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I began to write in my journal the realities of my feelings--aching, discomfort, uncertainty, etc--and then sealed it with the words "God knows." 

When I took that moment to breathe...when I took that small moment to step back and get some perspective, the peace of the Lord began to work on my anxiety. Sure, money problems don't just go away, relationship issues don't simply vanish, trials and traumas don't magically disappear...but when I give it to God then I know it will be taken care of according to His will. No matter what "it" is, He knows. No matter how traumatic or dramatic the issue, God knows. And when He knows he doesn't just sympathize with us. He literally takes on our burdens--leaving us to do what we can and leave the rest up to Him.

Today, my friends, take a deep breath. Choose to worship and tune into Him instead of the rhythm of your concerns. Be encouraged that God knows and He will give you rest if you allow Him to.

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. Wondering what the picture above is? A purse...but up close, all you see is threads...gotta step back to get perspective. Selah.