I remember the first time I ever tried to run hurdles, it did not begin or end well. I have a new found appreciation and admiration for hurdle runners. Since I have become a runner myself, I cannot even begin to imagine running AND jumping hurdles AND keeping a race pace.
I was visiting a friend of mine's church this morning and he was giving a message out of Isaiah 57 talking about building roads and many of the road blocks we deal with. The three road blocks he dealt with are self, sin, and situations. Was a great message, but the one that stuck with me the most was self.
Well, you know me, I relate most all things to running, so as I left and have thought about this much today I was comparing in my mind road blocks to hurdles. In this race called life we have to deal with these hurdles a lot: self, sin, and situations. The one that I find the hardest to jump, the one that trips me the most, and the one that keeps reoccurring the most in my life is self.
And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.” 15 For this is what the high and lofty One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Is 57:14-15., NIV)
I cause most, well the majority, of my own hurdles. I am my own worst critic. I rarely believe in myself. I am not my own cheerleader. I have trouble convincing myself. I am my biggest problem.
Some would say that is a good place to be in because it makes you humble. Maybe or maybe not. If I am the one who keeps causing myself to stumble, what do I need to do to get me out of the way. How do I stop tripping myself up. What do I need to do to stop me from being a hindrance, to well, me.
We spend a majority of our time blaming other people for our problems. I accept full responsibility for mine. I know its me.
I have no real answer to my hurdle. All I know to do is keep getting back up every time I trip of the hurdle of me. Maybe that is the answer. I get back up, nurse my wounds, and begin again. Maybe that is it. Eventually after falling enough over myself I can stop tripping myself up. I guess with enough training eventually you learn to run and jump higher to clear the hurdles.
Well, I guess I will keep the training up, but the problem is:
I hate hurdles....
Chris
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