While recovering from my ankle injury I have been reflecting on a triathlon I did last year. The Galena Triathlon and Dualathlon. As I have said once before hind sight seems to be 20/20. So some of my thoughts of this race are different today then they were when I was in Galena. God has been working in my life in a great way. I now see things in a new light, then I did a year ago. I have told my Galena story several times, but I never saw it the way I see it today.
Galena was my 2nd triathlon and being new I was very eager to learn as much as I could about this sport. so as I was setting up my transition area. There was an older man giving this young lady some advice. it was obvious to me that the girl was doing her first triathlon. He was telling her how to set up her transition area and what she could expect through out the day. Then the young lady said, "oh you've done allot of these have you"? He then replied with,"nope, I am what you call a SLACKER TRIATHLETE. I just like doing triathlons, but really do not like to do all the work to be good at it. I just do enough to just get by". I was kinda shocked by his comment. When you are as competitive as I am that just did not set well with me. How can you do just enough to get by? I decided I did not want to learn anymore from this guy.
So I went out and struggled to get through my fist open water swim and did my bike ride then off on the run. Galena was a very hard course for a newbie. While on the run, I came to the final hill which started with about a 200 yard down hill run with a 200 yard climb. As I arrived to the bottom there was another man sitting on the guard rail. He was cheering people on. "Keep it up, your almost done. Keep your head down and just get up that hill", were some of the useful advice he was giving. I just felt to ask, "so are you done?" To which he replied, "nope I am still working on it". So I powered through and finished strong. After talking to a few of the other racers I had met. I was curious and looked down the hill and the guy was still there. Still cheering and yes, still working on it. I don't even know if he ever finished the race.
Wow, what a combination of lessons we can learn from these two events. How many times do we as Christians do just enough to get by. Just enough to be called a Christian. Just go to church, just give a little bit, and speak just enough about Jesus to fit the bill. The Christian life is not about doing just enough. God did not just do enough by giving us His Son as a living sacrifice. Jesus did not just do enough to give His life for out sins. Jesus came to give us Life and Life more abundantly. (Jn. 10:10) The Christian life is to be a lifestyle. Just like my triathlon lifestyle is a my healthy way of life. So should my Christian lifestyle needs to be my spiritual lifestyle. It demands me to be diligent to the things of God. Just as I work hard to be successful as a triathlete. So much more I should be ever so determined to work at Christian life as well.
Which leads me to the next thing. Why am I so content on, "just working on it"? Why do I get so comfortable in my Christian life that when an obstacle that is bigger than my comfort zone. I would rather sit on the sideline and cheer my brother and sisters on. Why am I so content on just giving Spiritual advice. While I sit and try to decide if I really want to face my next challenge. Why do we as Christians think we can offer good advice if we cannot live it ourselves?
I am starting to believe that we as Christians have lost our perspective of who and what God really is. I think we view God based on what He can do for us, and not what we should be doing for Him and His Glory.(Isaiah 55:6-9) If you are asking God for things that benefit self and not the Glory of God. Is he your lucky rabbit's foot? Have you ever listen to yourself pray? Have you listen to what you ask God to do? Are your request that which brings glory to God? Are they plea's for God's will be done? I think this is the true test of how you view God. You might want to re-evaluate how you view God.
As I have said before God is working in my life. I HAVE NOT ARRIVED, but I am working on it. Not from the sidelines, but on the front line. I will make a diligent decision to work on my Christian life as hard as I am on my tri-life. (Philippians 3:13-15) I will face that which God has put before me, not for my glory but for His glory. I will encourage my brother and sisters not with my words but with my life. Most of all I will constantly evaluate how I view Jesus. I will strive to put God in His Proper place. Finally will continue to follow the Spiritual Lines that God has place before me. As I Journey through life, Staring at Lines.
No comments:
Post a Comment