I’m not that fit...

Sure I just ran another half marathon three days ago, but I am not fit.  I have been meditating on what it means to be fit and I am just not there ... yet. 

As we ran in Virginia Beach my fourteen year daughter pushed and motivated me the whole way.  My legs were tired, my knee and back both started hurting.  I just didn’t feel “it” anymore after we past mile eight.  But the entire way she said “come on mom.  We’re doing it. You can do it” And we did.   I had a personal best and I owe much of that to my daughter.   I said it was perhaps time,  her and I no longer run together because I was holding her back, but she said “You just need to train more, mom.”

That comment really stuck to me and it got me thinking about how unfit I truly am.  I didn’t train enough for this race sure but more importantly I have been wondering around really unfit with God.  It’s hard being in a transition place and feeling spiritually unfit.  

Our family has made some really big decisions based on my spiritual well-being and it weighs heavy on my heart that I am just not that fit as I need to be. 

We fall into the pattern of same-old- same-old, business as usual, daily life of repetition, and day after day... life is fun and full of adventure, but we aren’t really able to slow down enough to enjoy every day.   And what happens is we sort of accept this and make excuses for some of the broken things in our lives.  We are unfit and we know it, but we don’t care to get off the couch and move because we’re tired, scared, bored or just trying to get by.

We stay idol too long and we loss all motivation to get up and become stronger.  Because let’s face it, running a half marathon has left my body sore from head to toe and pain is hard.  I am sore today but I realize I will never get stronger if I don’t keep going. 

The same goes for my life in Christ.  Too long, I have let him sit on the sideline of my life.  I check in every now and then.  I get advice when I need it.  Read the bible when I am motivated.  Listen to praise music when I am down.  Pray when I am lonely.  But if I am honest with myself, I don’t wake up with spiritual power, eager to put him first and foremost.  I don’t do the things I know that I am called to do, because frankly I am weak. 

Thinking about becoming more fit physically is way easier than becoming more fit spiritually, right?  I know what I need to do to achieve both.  But the past has taught me it’s easy to start becoming “fit” but it’s hard to keep going and staying “fit.”   

Often times, I am humbly reminded that I was bought with a price.  A very large price.  I was given the life I have.  The Happy moments. The Struggles. The Joys. The Love. The Tears.  The Pain.  The Proud moments when your fourteen year old daughters motivates you... to keep going.  No one has it all together.   

No one is the Epitome of a perfect life... apart from Christ.  We are reminded in him that we are called to be FIT.  We must desire to grow and when we're not, he will sometimes painfully remind us. We may even wake up feeling like we just ran half marathons everyday and let me tell you the older I get... but the fact is he gives us rest, strength, answers, love.  He is for us, with us, and will provide for us through it all.   All he really wants from us is to love and to keep running the race.