Coming Into Focus

I just ran. Outside and in the rain. And I loved it. Seriously, I enjoyed it. I don’t know if it’s the exhilaration of running in the rain, or the freedom from not being aware of how sweaty I am or how hot it is outside, but in all cases it was refreshing.

As I ran, my mind went to a bible verse that the Apostle Paul wrote: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13b-14)

I’m notorious for being an on again, off again runner. Sometimes I run for months. Other times I can’t seem to keep it in gear. But when I am running, I get all sorts of feedback from different people. One of the most common remarks I get from non-runners is: “I could never run! I don’t know how you do it. I hate running.”

Yet that’s what I was thinking about on my run tonight. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…. For me, running is all about focus. If I focus on the distance- I won’t get very far before I talk myself out of it and give up. If I focus on the muscles I am using or how my body feels, I also won’t get every far. I’ve had the days where I started running

and I somehow convinced myself that I just couldn’t go on. The minute that thought entered my head, and I entertained it, it was over. On good days, with good runs, those are not the things I focus on. I listen to music, loudly, to take the focus off me and onto something else. I find a distance ahead of me to run towards, and I keep my eye on that point. When I start to reach that place, I shift my focus to yet another point farther off. I allow my mind to wander to a good many things. I think about anything and every EXCEPT running. In fact, I pretend I’m not running.

As I was about 1/3 of the way into my run, I momentarily thought, maybe I should walk. I slowed down and started to walk and immediately my legs felt like lead. Heavy and tight, I knew that stopping now would be the end of my run. I focused instead on pushing to my goal.

I started to get tired about ¾ of the way into my run. So I found a new motivator and focus: That new healthy chocolate smoothie recipe I had at home. I would run and move through the tiredness… and enjoy a nice shower followed by a creamy chocolate smoothie. As if that wasn’t enough of a motivator, I almost ran right into a very large snake. I bypassed it by crossing the street, and was motivated by getting home as soon as possible and out of the way of any other impending snakes!

And I made it! Not only did I make it- I went two times farther than I had anticipated. My goal was 2, maybe 2-1/2 miles. I ran 4.25 miles!! I was shocked when I saw how far I went. It was kind of crazy. And the smoothie reward was even sweeter on account of that.

But it all boiled down to focus for me. Running, straining towards a goal, moving through the difficulty and tiredness of this challenge was about focus. I didn’t focus on the hardship. I focused on the goals.

I thought about all the difficult situations I have encountered not just this previous year, but in my life. If I focused on how bad things were, how tired I was of the struggle, how difficult it was to push through, I wanted to give up. Give up on the situation or myself. I wanted to throw in the towel and say, “I just can’t do it.”

But there were times, where I purposely changed that focus. I focused on my blessings. I focused on God’s faithfulness in spite of my struggles. I focused on love and beauty and even art. I focused on things that encouraged me to move forward just one more day with hope in my heart. And then, eventually, I’d make it through the other side.

So to my friends who say they can’t run, I say, yes you can. It’s all about what you focus on. Perseverance is not about shoes hitting pavement. Perseverance is about focus. Hard work and determination definitely come into play.  But focus carries you through when hard work and determination don’t seem to cut it.

So whatever you are running through today; whether it’s a rainy storm and season in your life or it’s a 1 mile distance you’re determined to conquer – I use Paul word’s to encourage you: forget what is behind you. Forget the distance, the mistakes, and the failures. Focus on what is ahead. Strain towards it. Mediate on the things that will keep you moving on without convincing yourself that you can’t possibly take another step forward. You can! And I can give you the chocolate smoothie recipe so you can enjoy it as a reward at the end too!