I had to blog early today so I could write down the fabulous message that I heard from Joyce Meyer on the treadmill this morning. (Great run this morning. I haven't calculated the pace, but it was an easy 6.3 miles in 50:57.)
I don't know what your opinion of Joyce is, but I like her. Some things she says I don't agree
with, but I know that this woman can speak truth into my life like very few message-bearers can. Today, she was talking about trusting the Lord through suffering. (Hello marathon training.) She said something that reeeeeeeally got me about the epitome of faith being when we can trust God when He leads us through suffering when we have the power to change the circumstances by taking action on our own.
Does that make sense? It sure did to me. Wow. Think about that. It takes more guts to walk with God THROUGH a trial when you have all the power in the world to take another way out. For me, it's easy. I could not do the training runs or cut them back and not work as hard. The second option there is way more tempting. Yes, I'll get out and run, but will I work as hard as I need to even though it's difficult? Will I do 11 miles tomorrow morning instead of scaling back to 10 because I don't feel like going the extra mile? You see. Suffering could be alleviated by my own action. But what would that get me? Less trained. Less mentally strong. Less prepared. OR, I could follow God THROUGH the suffering and be better equipped for the race day when He has called me to run with excellence for Him. It's my choice.
I think that applies to everyone. Of course it does! We all have situations in our lives in which we could take the easy way out, but we know we shouldn't. And it's my prayer that we'd all learn to trust God enough to walk through the trials so that He can show us the blessing on the other side.
Great, popular verses: Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28.
Thanks for the lesson, Lord!
Prayer requests:
-For that 11-miler tomorrow. And whether or not to run outside or in. The treadmill availablity really is becoming an issue here.
-For my visit with Military Ministry this weekend. YAY! :)
-For Military Ministry's outreach.
-For OUR TROOPS! We love you!!
Ciao, friends!
-Jill
I don't know what your opinion of Joyce is, but I like her. Some things she says I don't agree
with, but I know that this woman can speak truth into my life like very few message-bearers can. Today, she was talking about trusting the Lord through suffering. (Hello marathon training.) She said something that reeeeeeeally got me about the epitome of faith being when we can trust God when He leads us through suffering when we have the power to change the circumstances by taking action on our own.Does that make sense? It sure did to me. Wow. Think about that. It takes more guts to walk with God THROUGH a trial when you have all the power in the world to take another way out. For me, it's easy. I could not do the training runs or cut them back and not work as hard. The second option there is way more tempting. Yes, I'll get out and run, but will I work as hard as I need to even though it's difficult? Will I do 11 miles tomorrow morning instead of scaling back to 10 because I don't feel like going the extra mile? You see. Suffering could be alleviated by my own action. But what would that get me? Less trained. Less mentally strong. Less prepared. OR, I could follow God THROUGH the suffering and be better equipped for the race day when He has called me to run with excellence for Him. It's my choice.
I think that applies to everyone. Of course it does! We all have situations in our lives in which we could take the easy way out, but we know we shouldn't. And it's my prayer that we'd all learn to trust God enough to walk through the trials so that He can show us the blessing on the other side.
Great, popular verses: Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28.
Thanks for the lesson, Lord!
Prayer requests:
-For that 11-miler tomorrow. And whether or not to run outside or in. The treadmill availablity really is becoming an issue here.
-For my visit with Military Ministry this weekend. YAY! :)
-For Military Ministry's outreach.
-For OUR TROOPS! We love you!!
Ciao, friends!
-Jill
6.3 miles in 50:57= 8:06 mile pace good job!
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, I wrote a song a couple weeks ago based on Romans 8:28 and incorporating Psalm 139.