Run

I'm not much of a runner, I prefer the slow-paced walk and if I'm feeling spontaneous I'd add a slight jog. lol, I know its bad, but I didn’t realise how bad it was until lockdown. When morning runs became a "thing" everyone was waking up at 6 AM to go for a run, my sister who is the most athletic person I know would wake me up and I'd always find an excuse - "it's too cold, or its too early, or I'll do it tomorrow." I was cooped up in my bed thinking that she’s crazy for going out to exercise. Like who does that, skips out on sleep to sweat - like where’s the logic? LOL.

It wasn’t until a miracle happened - (I finally went for a run!) that I'd realised I was the crazy one all along. I thought the comfort of my bed was more fulfilling than going outside for a run. Similarly, we do this with the comfort of our heart, we're content with keeping our heart asleep, hitting snooze any time something alarming happens. Hoping that the longer it's asleep, the longer we don't have to wake up to the reality of what our hearts have actually caused. I don't confront an issue, so it's not there, I don't speak up about my sadness, so I'm not really sad, I don't admit the addiction, so I'm not really addicted.

We're asleep to our own pain.

We carry burdens, we carry our past, we carry our fears and they're like shackles holding us down, no wonder we can't get up and start running!

Psalm 34:8

Blessed are you who run to him.

How encouraging to know that when we run to him he meets us with blessing.

We're not supposed to carry it alone. We're not meant to sleep on our pain.

He calls out to me, he calls out to you, his arms are wide open calling out.

His grace calls you, his love calls you, his forgiveness calls you.

"But, its been like that forever, I've always felt like this, it runs in my family, but this is just how its meant to be". These excuses may seem valid but they're the same as my 'it's too cold, or its too early, or 'I'll do it tomorrow.'

I slept on freedom for too long and so have you.

But its been like that forever - His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23)

I've always felt like this - He renews my mind (Romans 12:2)

It runs in my family - He makes all things new (2 Corinthians 5:17)

But this is just how its meant to be - Let go of “former things,” so we can cling to our new identity in Christ. ( Isaiah 43:18-19)

If you find yourself like this today, put on 'Run To the father by Cody Carnes' and ask God about the parts of your heart that you've slept on, the parts that you've ran away from, the parts that seem too scary to even admit and watch as he runs to you with restoration.