Remember those posters that used to be really popular? "Everything I Need To Know, I Learned in Kindergarten." I also saw one that said, "Everything I Need To Know, I Learned From Drinking Coffee". That one seems right up my alley:
We all have to do the daily grind.
Espresso yourself.
Stand your grounds.
As silly as that might seem, I've long believed that even the most mundane or routine aspects of life can house profound truths if you just have the right perspective. Clearly, I am not the only one who has ever felt this way. Paul makes quite a few comparisons in the New Testament to life being like a race and we are the runners. This is an analogy that I am coming to understand much better since I've started running. I understand what it means to keep your eyes on the prize and to run in such a way as to win the race. I also have a very deep understanding of fatigue and needing a second wind.
Life lessons can also be found in the task of writing. Since I've started this blog, I've run the gammut of emotions from uber motivated and words flowing faster than I can type, to staring at a blank blog and typing, erasing, typing, erasing, typing, erasing...only to end up with the same blank screen I started with. In fact, I'm sure it has a different name, but writers often need a second wind to overcome writer's block. (As a side note, I have two unfinished drafts sitting on my blogger's dashboard waiting for that second wind!)
But running and writing fatigue is nothing compared to the fatigue we sometimes feel as Christians. In my experience, spiritual fatigue can be very dangerous and yet, it is often necessary. It's danger lies in the fact that when fatigue sets in, we are tempted to throw in the towel. Sometimes that "second wind" doesn't come as quickly as we want it to and our perseverance and stamina begins to wane. However, spiritual fatigue is necessary in the sense that it is used to build those exact qualities - perseverance and stamina. As I'm sure you know, life is not a sprint, it's a marathon, and we are called to go the distance. James 1:2-4 says, "2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
My prayer is that I will continue to build endurance in all aspects of my life, but especially as far as my faith is concerned and when I see a brother or sister in need of a second wind, I will be there to encourage them to finish strong. Together, we can do it!
As silly as that might seem, I've long believed that even the most mundane or routine aspects of life can house profound truths if you just have the right perspective. Clearly, I am not the only one who has ever felt this way. Paul makes quite a few comparisons in the New Testament to life being like a race and we are the runners. This is an analogy that I am coming to understand much better since I've started running. I understand what it means to keep your eyes on the prize and to run in such a way as to win the race. I also have a very deep understanding of fatigue and needing a second wind.
Life lessons can also be found in the task of writing. Since I've started this blog, I've run the gammut of emotions from uber motivated and words flowing faster than I can type, to staring at a blank blog and typing, erasing, typing, erasing, typing, erasing...only to end up with the same blank screen I started with. In fact, I'm sure it has a different name, but writers often need a second wind to overcome writer's block. (As a side note, I have two unfinished drafts sitting on my blogger's dashboard waiting for that second wind!)
But running and writing fatigue is nothing compared to the fatigue we sometimes feel as Christians. In my experience, spiritual fatigue can be very dangerous and yet, it is often necessary. It's danger lies in the fact that when fatigue sets in, we are tempted to throw in the towel. Sometimes that "second wind" doesn't come as quickly as we want it to and our perseverance and stamina begins to wane. However, spiritual fatigue is necessary in the sense that it is used to build those exact qualities - perseverance and stamina. As I'm sure you know, life is not a sprint, it's a marathon, and we are called to go the distance. James 1:2-4 says, "2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
My prayer is that I will continue to build endurance in all aspects of my life, but especially as far as my faith is concerned and when I see a brother or sister in need of a second wind, I will be there to encourage them to finish strong. Together, we can do it!
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