hip hip hooray.
lately as i've been training for this marathon, i've been more aware of how much my thoughts and what I choose to dwell on impacts my running. The same is completely true in life. In running if I focus on the pain or discomfort, then I'll let those thoughts eat at me and I'll want to quit, I'll slow down, I won't run well. However, if I focus on being thankful for legs & the time to run, if I focus my thoughts on the joy and release I'll feel when I'm done, if I focus on the parts of me that do feel good and the improvement i see in my running, then my run will thrive.
Likewise in life, if I focus on pain or the things i don't have, then I'm likely to be discontent & not so much a vessel for the love of God. But if I focus on the glory of eternity and the love of Christ and the work He's faithfully doing in me, then I'm more likely to thrive daily.
It works the same way with comparison. If skinny mclonglegs fastrunner girl zooms by me, am i filled with envy? does it make me want to quit? do i want to trip her??? or am i encouraged by her fast skills- encouraged to run faster myself? do i choose to admire her and work harder myself or to tear myself down by comparison?
what about in life? am i discouraged by brothers and sisters that i see walking in the Spirit and thriving? Do i listen to thoughts of comparison and beat myself up and throw a regular pity party? or do i focus instead on the Lord's heart of diversity and his unique giftings he's given different ones of us? do i rejoice in others success and feel encouraged to run harder too?
Thoughts are funny. They can be looming and heavy, overpowering and sometimes oppressive or they can be light and dainty- something barely remembered that floats on by. Sometimes they are barely a whisper and other times they are consuming and fill our heads like thunder. The mind is a battlefield. The good news is that we are not enslaved to our weird, fleshy thoughts. With the power of the Spirit, we can choose to fill our heads and think of things that will encourage us, help us run harder, and helps us love others well.
Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
-phl 4:8
5 comments:
You write in your blog a line:
Prepare for a marathon....
Phil 4:8....
Memory jog. Oh yes, Heather Cass wrote a blog titled "Whatever" in her "Life and Her Times" blog on GoErie. I tried to comment to no avail given CyberInk Stink.
Perhaps the thoughts shall go here.
Whatever is the opening to Phil 4:8
Whatever is true...
Whatever is...... etc.
In Cass' column, it was the ultimate statement of female to male that you have been summarily dismissed from the mind.
I taught my daughters that there are 2 keys in the entire Bible they must know. One is covered here.
The 2 keys are
Romans 12:1-2 coupled with
Philippians 4:8.
The first tells you WHAT to do with your life.
The second tells you HOW to do it.
Life is so simple and full of purpose for anyone who links these two.
Therefore, I urge you in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God----this is your Spiritual Act of Worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That sums a purpose to live. Skip being a slug; transform to a butterfly above the fray.
How? Renew your mind.
How? Phil 4:8 my favorite.
Take each of the 8 like this:
Whatever is true....
name 3 things that are true for you (hint #1: God loves you; name 2 more)
Whatever is noble....
name 3 things that are noble for you (hint #1 Lilacs bring the sense of smell to life....how can I bring all of my senses to life; name 2 more.
Right
Pure
Lovely
Admirable
excellent
Praiseworthy
My daughters know that if they think of 3 of each of these things for their life for a mere 30 days...THEY will be transformed by the renewing of their mind.
God bless you abundantly as you link the 2 and give purpose to your life.
Ps. Cass wrote a great comment on Lilacs too. Wish I coulda commented more as they are my favorite flower.
"You shall run and not go weary," because He has promised it.
It's amazing how twisted and confused your thought life can be. That's why those Phillipians verses are so freeing; they are the answers to right thinking.
BTW, I'm a native Erieite who's really enjoying your blog. The gusto in which you two have approached life in Erie has reminded me how good we have it here. God bless as you continue to get acclimated here.
oh friend! what a good word to remember where we allow our thoughts to go. He DOES call us to take every thought captive ... but i don't most of the time. and then i end up feeling defeated or overwhelmed. thankfully, He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.
i am proud of you for your new adventures in running! bagby and i tried running and realized we love hiking more, so we go every morning. :)
wow. Jesus has a sense of humor and is so merciful. thanks for your blog homie.
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