There is a Purpose for the Pain

Many of my blogs involve a running story - in large part, because running is a passion of mine, but also because long runs tend to provide me with some great alone time where my thoughts drift and then come together to form concepts I otherwise wouldn't have taken the time to think through. This morning was no different....I headed out in the dark, 22 degree temps, with a biting wind and icy roads to greet me. As I'm shuffling (carefully) down my steep neighborhood hill and out onto Rt. 74, only a few minutes into the run, I kept thinking "Wouldn't it be great if I could just fast-forward to the end of this run, when I'd be pulling back into my driveway and the comfort and warmth of my home?" I could avoid the cold, the wind, the searing burn in my lungs as I crested the last big hill. I could avoid the pain, aches, and fatigue which often accompany my longer runs. If it were just that easy....over before it started, yet achieving the same benefits! Fully prepared for the Boston Marathon in April without the tests along the way. And then I thought about the current personal challenges I'm facing. I emailed my dad the other day and shared with him that I just wish sometimes that I could fast-forward through these very painful, dark, uncertain times and get to the other side - where happiness, stability, and blue skies await. He reminded me that pain and suffering are part of life, that all of it serves a purpose which we can't see right now, but if we remain faithful and know that God will never desert us, He will bring us through all circumstances. And once we come out the other side, we'll be stronger, more faithful people better prepared for future challenges and more Christ-like in our character. Those who are never tested rarely get to know what faith is all about, and when that big test finally hits them, they are ill-prepared and often break. Without the 12 weeks of long run tests which build my endurance and my body's ability to handle the pain and fatigue, there would be no way I'd survive the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston. So I stay focused and trust God through all trials, knowing that He knows the outcome and believing His promise to never forsake me. There is a finish line for every race, and when you arrive, the pain, suffering, and fatigue subsides and you bask in the glory, His glory - not just of the finish, but of the journey that prepared you for the test.

1 Peter 5:10

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."

BELIEVE!