Years ago, when I was in the military, I enjoyed running as a form of exercise and stress relief. I would run almost every day with my unit and then run additional miles on the weekends. I would enter benevolent walk/run events on occasion that were normally shorter distances—like 5K. A few times, I entered the 10K runs. Now, 10K is 6.2 miles, which is a long distance for heavier folks—like me. Even when I was in good shape, I still weighed in around 210 pounds. So, I did not necessarily have the ideal runner’s physique by any means.
One day when I was talking to a friend about running the 10K distances, I shared how my joints started hurting when I got to around the 5-mile mark. When I said that he exclaimed, “Well stop stupid!” He said it in a joking manner, but then he went on to explain that we are all created differently; some bodies are more suited for long distance running while others are suited more for strength. I apparently had more of an ox physique – ha!
If most of us are honest, there are numerous times in our lives when we have been successful; but also, quite a few times when we failed—like when I was trying to go to Ranger school. It just did not turn out the way I was hoping. Sometimes those failures are due to unwise decisions that we make in our lives and sometimes they are just due to the way we are created. I know that I am not gifted in certain areas, so I cannot expect to excel in those areas—like ballet for instance. Graceful is just not an adjective that characterizes me at all!
Often in today’s world, we define ourselves by what we can or can’t do: A success or failure of this sport, that challenge, or something else. But when we allow Christ to have lordship and leadership of our lives, we identify ourselves with Christ. It’s not a performance-, or skill-based identity. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the apostle Paul tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” That means you are uniquely created by your creator for a special relationship with Him. I pray that today you will seriously consider making the decision to identify with Jesus Christ and let him have his rightful place in your heart.
In Christ,
Marshall
