Life is a Marathon – Training Can be Easy

When you are my age and size sprinting is just not part of the life style. Over the last 15 years, I tried to play softball several times and each time pulled a calf muscle on the first sprint to catch a ball or run a base. It was really pitiful to be laid up on the bench, after running so many jogging miles. The sprint and marathon use different muscles and movement in your legs. I can jog all day, but one good sprint and I am hugging the bench for several days.

Overall, our walk/run with God is a marathon. I have tried to sprint in my spiritual life for years also. It usually works out about the same as my softball games. I get all excited over a Word that someone shared, but it takes time to become spirit minded and change our carnal minds. We are so carnally minded that a spiritual change may take years. When I started learning about the real grace of God (unmerited favor), it took years to start believing God loves me – because he is love. I still struggle and fight a lifelong believe that I have to earn the love of God. I will start with grace, but usually at some point get “deceived” by my enemy and start “working” for God’s love. If you are earning God’s love, that is a wage and not a gift.

There are times we need to sprint in our spirits, but you have to train to be a sprinter. If I trained to sprint, I could do it without an issue, but I never train. For many years, I only trained once or twice a week in the spirit realm. I would go to church twice a week and expect to run in the spirit realm on 2 training days a week?

Are you training a couple of days a week to run with God or do you spent some time each day with your trainer the Holy Spirit?

Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, be we do it to get a crown that will last forever.              1 Corinthians 9: 24-25

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.    Hebrews 12 1-2

In your spiritual life, we have sprints and marathons. I would say that most changes will come from training our carnal minds over long periods of time. During a major crisis, we may have to sprint but make sure you have trained for the short fast runs and long slow runs. Jesus has perfected our faith in himself and given us the gift and measure of faith. We have to keep our eyes on him each day through fellowship of praise, worship and mediation on his word. Fellowship with the Lord is not hours of praying and Bible study. You could mediate on the two verses above for the next month and just talk to the Lord about them each day. The Spirit of God dwelling in us will help with  “repenting-mind changes” and spend time with you to guide you. The Word says we have the mind of Christ. God loves you and will spend time with you each day. The true nature of God is revealed to us by spending time loving him each day.

Mind Change: My spiritual growth is a lifelong pursuit developed by daily fellowship with the Lord. If we spend time each day in fellowship with the Lord, his Spirit will lead us in the path we should take and fill us with His love. We have a hard time resolving problems when we lean on our own carnal minds for guidance. When we renew our minds to God’s Word and daily fellowship, life just becomes easier. Bodily exercise makes our bodies stronger and spiritual exercise makes our spirit and mind stronger.

P.S. – My daily fellowship is listening to the New Testament on my way to work. I walk or run early and just pray (talk with the Lord) and praise. It is not hard nor a burden, he is my father. By the way, one meaning of prayer is too “kiss the face of God”. Does that sound hard? I kiss my wife every day before I leave for work, so kissing my Father is not a burden.