Why not!

So why not run? What's holding you back?

I know, I've said physical exercise profiteth little. But, I also said there are many reasons to run.

I could focus on the physical health benefits, but in all reality we will all die someday. So effort for physical fitness and endurance may seem fruitless for the long run.

However, there is a huge spiritual lesson to be learned from running. 

You see, many Christians have to deal with sin and sinful tendencies. How do you overcome those tendencies? You remove the temptation, right?

Think about it, if you are addicted to booze or cigarettes and it is something you would like to overcome you just simply remove the temptation. Stop buying alcohol and cigarettes. Sure you still will be tempted, but if you do not have it on hand it is a lot harder to succumb to the temptation.

However, there is this thing called our body. We are stuck with it. We can't remove it, we have to deal with it. I struggle with gluttony. I really like to eat. Maybe if my wife wasn't such a wonderful cook the temptation wouldn't be so great. 

I can't remove food from the house. My kids would riot. Plus my physical body needs sustenance. So I need to learn to eat to live instead of living to eat. 

So how do you deal with a sin that you need to overcome but is a part of everyday life?

The answer is to learn the mental discipline of controlling your body. It is a great spiritual exercise.

Same thing happens with running... In an opposite sort of way. Instead of more indulgence in running your body will tell you it can't run any faster or any further. 

Our bodies are marvelously created and capable of more than we would like to think. Last week I wanted to run 6 miles and was only able to push myself to do 5.

Today I was more mentally prepared and I made the full six miles. I know my next big mental roadblock will be at 10 miles.

What is key is to keep getting back up and dealing with it one mile at a time until you reach that goal. 

It is this spiritual discipline that is most difficult to learn because we don't want to admit at anytime that we struggle or fail. 

So if you get knocked down, get back up again and keep up the good fight. Overcome those obstacles.

Today's workout: