This morning I once again, started to run. I thought I'd do a couple of miles despite the humidity and heat. I figured I'd start off slow and build up with the hopes of maintaining a healthy ankle and be able to really run again.
It was a hard road but after all, it was only two miles. It was not long before the whining and complaining began in my head. Even as I listened to Mandisa's He is With You. The road got longer and the temps got hotter.
I travelled that all familiar trail watching for "lips" in the sidewalks hoping I could stay on my feet and not on my face [again]. Of course I tried to talk my way out of it "What if I only do one mile" "What if I can't make two?" That switched to "Okay, I've done one now I only need 12 more for a half marathon."
As I made the full mile and turned to go back I was hit in the face with what was coming...a long incline! I'm not talking mountain, I'm talking slight raise in the pavement. It just seems so long. I have always taken in a deep breath and hit it with all I have until I get to the other side.
I looked left....no way out, I looked right....flat surface! Yes! That's what I wanted, needed. I calculated in my head turning left, running to the stop sign, left again, more flat surfce. By the time I had calculated the detour, I would have run almost three miles. No way! Not happening.
Sometimes in life, we find ourselves at the crossroads. The road we want to take may be under construction or to difficult to navigate so we look for detours. What we find at the end of the detour is that we have exherted more energy and more time running away from the challenge than we would have if we would have just tucked our head and gone in strong.
We want to run from difficulties, marriages, prodigal children, job losses, illnesses, only to discover that the detour we take will offer no solutions and in fact may offer more difficulties than we bargain for. When you find yourself in a difficult situation, when you think you can go no more, stay the course and ditch the detour.
Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:26-27
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