All of this made me reflect on my own life. I have and will have many successes and failures along the road of life. I am a flawed, imperfect human being who is going to make many mistakes. Even as I try to live my life for the Lord, so often I am going to get it so wrong, even if my heart was to get it right. But God does not want me to stay focused on and 'sit in' those failures. He wants me to learn from mistakes but than move forward, focusing on what lies ahead and live life to the best of my ability--for Him. And if I let them, those failures are going to help shape me into a person with more character and wisdom for the next curve in the road of life. I also can't live in the successes, or I am going to become puffed up and full of myself and start relying on myself and not Him. The point? I've got to keep on, keeping on, not focusing on the circumstances of the moment, but choosing to keep my gaze on Jesus every step of the way.
Lamentations 3:22-23: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.
Philippians 3:12-14: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 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."
2 comments:
Maria,
Good luck this weekend. I tell tell by your words that your preparation has been directed in the right direction both physically, but more importantly mentally. Keep the thoughts of our lord in your mind and heart during the run and you will succeed. Wish we could be there to root you on with signs as you did for us. I am running the half in Evansville Sunday, and I hope to set a personnal record. I will be thinking of you and let us know how you do. Eric will do just fine with 5 children. They are so well behaved and loving, and that is something to be very proud of. GOOD LUCK!!!!
Mike,
thanks so much for the encouragement! (By the way,I left you a message on your blog.) I will be praying for you on Sunday--I have no doubt you will set a PR because you are a machine!
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