Running And Prayer

For those daysI have specific concerns, needs, stress, worries or just need to unload some things in my heart, running becomes that intimate place that I can connect with God.  Im no spiritual wonder kin.  Im just a guy who lives God and who has committed his life to more than just the daily grind,,like  getting my piece of the pie.  Running itself lends itself to working things out physically.   However, it is my prayer life, my walk with God that enhances my running.  He has changed my life so  radically.  That relationship changes everything on my runs; my mind focuses, my heart reaches out and I find God there waiting for me to focus on Him.  

Prayer and running, especially my longer runs, become a rhythm to pace my heart to a different beat.

Yesterday the Father brought some people to mind who need prayer, and some who I need to forgive.  Today this impression was repeated in a sermon from my friend; forgiveness is key to growing, to being free personally and relationally.  I am glad I was able to hear it before today's worship service.

Prayer is not complicated.  We are made to pray, to reach out to our Creator.  We do it whether we mean to or not.  You may want to try it on your next run.  Just being thankful and saying thank you and then asking questions is a great start.  These were some of my first prayers.  Are you out there?  Could you show me?  Thanks for my family, my life! 

The endorphins alone are a great reason to run, but my prayer life just naturally seeps into my meditative exercise regime.

He Runs Beside Me

This verse from the new testament often comes to mind while I am either running or thinking about running.  1 Corinthians 9:26-27.  Now, you many not be a bible reader, but everyone has a connection to scriptures from places all over our culture, as many of our sayings and deep thoughts quote scripture in part.  This particular verse, when I think about it, is an encouragement to keep my faith.  Some might assume it would be faith in myself, in that things will eventually go well with me, or faith in life, that it all will add up in the end.  For me faith is much more specific than that.  It is faith in a personal Being, who is involved in my daily life.  He uses personal experiences to talk to me, including running.

When I think of this time of year, when cold weather prevails and my bed feels like its Velcro to my body, when I am discouraged by my winter times or the hiccups in my plan to get out there and run when I would like, then this scripture speaks to literally running.

But of course, as in many things written, it isn't always about the literal subject.  If you are like me, running is representative to a lot in my life.  Have you ever ruun and felt that you were runing out your pain, your anger, your stress, your grief?  Within hardships, my failures, my triumphs, my tests,  the race represents more so my time here on earth.  This is what I would call hardcore meditation, because it is using much more than my heart, or just my mind to process.  Instead, my daily routine of actually carrying out this activity, specifically running, gives me a connection to this passage that me as a non-runner could only imagine with limited knowledge.

I run for far more than I used to.  I run because for me it is a form of meditation and worship to my Creator.  I have had some argue this point with me, as it is not a traditional sense of spirituality,.  Then anything could be considered sacred! But in this activity there is wisdom.  Only a runner could understand what "beating my body and making it my slave" really means.  It is the discipline, the payment made to reach a goal, or to be qualified for the "prize".  What rich meaning, and what a great thought to ponder.  Each step then becomes a type of cry, or prayer when I have no real words to use.  And I feel a sense of companionship beyond earthly, He runs beside me.

May your time on the road or trail bring you a meditative and peaceful place, a place to connect with your Creator, and qualify you to reach the prize you have set before you.