Photo captured in 2015 as a photographer for Mount Hermon's Redwood camp.
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31, New International Version).
Today was the first day in four months that I went for a run.
I broke my foot in September and was so dismayed when the doctor told me I couldn't run for at least three months. This was truly painful for me to hear. I absolutely love running and it makes me feel amazing. It brings me great joy, particularly when I run through a scenic place, like a mountain trail. It's tremendously beneficial for anxiety and makes my body feel refreshed from head to toe.
After an extended time of resting my foot and allowing it to heal, I was elated today to put my running shoes on and step outside. As I began moving my feet across the pavement, I felt as light as a feather and a smile of delight beamed across my face. I felt alive! While running again was truly invigorating, I only ran about half a block because the doctor told me to start slow and work my way up to longer stretches of running. I could start to feel a bit of pressure in my foot after a short while so I decided to play it safe and cut my run short. I look forward to continue running and pray that I can get back to full capacity soon.
What great news that though I may grow weary as I begin to run again, and though I did indeed stumble and fall when I broke my foot, Isaiah 40:31 says that those who hope in the Lord will "run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
It is not in mustering up our own strength that we can run the race of faith without giving up in exhaustion. It is not by thinking or reasoning our way out of our fears that we can keep ourselves from stumbling. God doesn't ask for perfection that comes from our own striving—we can't achieve it. He simply asks us to trust in the perfection of his Son Jesus Christ and wait on him to renew us.
Strength is found by waiting on God, and relying on his strength, not mine—something I so often need to be reminded of.
My pastor recently read these beautiful words in a sermon:
“The law tells me run but it gives me no feet. Grace tells me fly and it gives me wings” (Unknown Source).
I pray that you and I can draw our strength, not by striving to be good, but by resting in the goodness of God's grace, given through faith in his Son Jesus Christ.
God bless!
P.S. As someone who often struggles with feeling legalistic in my faith, this song "The Blood" by Bethel has been a beautiful reminder to me that it's only by the blood of Jesus that we can be made pure and spotless in God's sight.
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