My running has been a mess lately. It’s been a battle. Ever since completing the 4 half marathons in 4 straight weekends, something just hasn’t been the same. Add the high temperatures and humidity and training this summer has been no joy. What makes it difficult is knowing that I’ve got a half marathon scheduled for September 18th in Dayton. It’s too late to just quit. I often wonder how I’ll get through that race though.
As I was getting ready to head out on a training recently, I glanced over to the book shelf in my office and what you see in the picture caught my eye. Several very clear things ran through my mind at that moment.
He carried me through before, He will carry me through again
He’s been faithful
You see, any accomplishments I have were nothing I did on my own. Credit is due and it wasn’t me. The Lord has carried me through life and every race I have run (figuratively and literally). I walked out of the house with a renewed purpose and reminder that God has been faithful. I’d like to say my run was awesome that day, but it wasn’t.
His promise is still true.
Throughout the Bible, we see times where God reminds his people that he was faithful. While there are not medals to mark the moments, we have memories. We can also see his faithfulness all around us. Maybe it’s your spouse, your children, your home, your job, your health….he’s been faithful. These reminders are there to serve that He will be again.
Your Turn: What reminder do you have today that God has been faithful?
This is something I’ve been thinking about recently, and it reminded me of the story in Joshua 4:1-20 where God instructs his people to take stones after crossing the river as a remembrance of His faithfulness.
It is something I’d like to incorporate into my life, because memories can be fleeting, and it is nice to have a tangible reminder.
Also, congrats on the 4 half marathons in 4 weekends. That is amazing!
Thanks! I’m not sure if it was amazing or insane. Right now I’m leaning towards insane. I find it amazing how scripture is littered with Times that people built altars or were reminded to not forget God’s deliverance, faithfulness, promise. I hate that it is so easy for me to forget.
You had me thinking earlier when you posed the question: “What are the reminders in your life that God has been faithful?”
That’s a hard question for me. I’m not sure what I’ve been promised other than eternal life. We’re actually promised that “in this life we will have struggles.” I mean, by saying God is faithful in getting me through something, does that mean he was unfaithful if I didn’t get through it?
So is God faithful for getting me through training for a half marathon?
Did he promise he would do that?
Is God faithful to the person that completes a marathon?
Is he faithful to the person who fails at one?
Aren’t both answers yes?
Just playing devil’s advocate, but these are the things that run through my head on a daily basis.
Great questions! I think I was more referring to recognizing and acknowledging two things in my life:
Who deserves the credit
God’s blessing
If I finish the race or don’t (which is a real possibility based on recent training), God deserves the credit. He was faithful to give me breath for one more day, hour, minute. If I don’t complete the race, I don’t think it makes him less faithful. I have to look at the others I finished as a blessing. I need to look at the moments of training that were almost spiritual as a blessing.
I don’t think that answers your questions, but hopefully gives more context to what I was trying to say. I probably won’t finish that race in a record time. I might not even run it. But I acknowledge that lessons learned leading to that decision are a blessing. There is always a bigger picture in play as well. I might not finish that race and this side of Heaven never understand why. He’s still faithful to what I might not know or see.
Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song on his newest CD called “faithful”. How in the world can a father that had his daughter killed accidentally by his son say that God is faithful? I wish I had his strength. I am all too often to quick to question His faithfulness and forget His blessing.
I am broken, I am bleeding,
I’m scared and I’m confused,
but You are faithful.
Yes You are faithful.
I am weary, unbelieving.
God please help my unbelief!
Cuz You are faithful.
Yes You are faithful.
I will proclaim it to the world.
I will declare it to my heart
And sing it when the sun is shining.
I will scream it in the dark.
You are faithful!
You are faithful!
When you give and when You take away,
even then still Your name
is faithful!
You are faithful!
And with everything inside of me,
I am choosing to believe
You are faithful.
I am waiting for the rescue
that I know is sure to come,
cuz You are faithful.
Yes You are faithful.
I’ve dropped anchor in Your promises,
and I am holding on,
cuz You are faithful.
God You are faithful.
I will proclaim it to the world.
I will declare it to my heart
And sing it when the sun is shining.
I will scream it in the dark.
You are faithful!
You are faithful!
When you give and when You take away,
even then still Your name
is faithful!
You are faithful!
And with everything inside of me,
I am choosing to believe You’re faithful.
So faithful…
Though I cannot have the answer
that I’m wanting to demand,
I’ll remember You are God
and everything is in Your hand.
In Your hands you hold the sun, the moon,
the stars up in the sky,
for the sake of Love, You hung Your own Son
on the cross…to die…
You are faithful…
Yes, You are faithful…
When you give and when You take away,
even then, great is Your faithfulness!
Great is Your faithfulness!
And with everything inside of me,
I am choosing to believe You’re faithful!
Oh, oh, oh…
Oh, oh, oh…
When you give and when You take away,
even then still Your name
is faithful!
You are faithful!
And with everything inside of me,
I am choosing to believe…
…You’re faithful…
I have the same questions with the phrase “I’m blessed.”
A tornado rips through a city. One family is spared and exclaims “I’m blessed.” Another loses everything, including family members. Do they now think to themselves, “Am I not blessed?”
I’m a tortured soul. 🙂
All good questions and good to wrestle with. I’m resigned to the fact that I am a finite mind trying to understand an infinite God. I have a feeling there will be a pretty long question and answer session in Heaven. 🙂
Amen, and amen!