On a hilly course in Charlotte, N.C., he won the trials -- but was sick five times in the last two
miles. Kempainen, the American record holder in the marathon, has experienced stomach troubles since junior high school. But that hasn't kept this medical student from pursuing marathoning."To stop was out of the question," he said when asked about his physical condition. With the goal in sight, he knew there would be plenty of time to rest after the race and five months to prepare for Atlanta.
When God puts a desire in your heart to achieve a specific goal, you can have the confidence that He will give you the strength and the ability to accomplish it.
Every person has their own obstacles to overcome in life. In Kempainen's case, the condition of his stomach is trying to hinder him from winning the marathon race at the Olympics. In your life, it will be something else. But we all face difficulties and challenges on the road to success -- and the difference between those who succeed and those who fail is simply persistence.
Life is not a level, smooth path, but rather a series of hills and valleys. There are times spent on the mountain top, when everything seems clear and perfect. Then, there are those times we feel like we are wondering around in a dark cavern, feeling our way around and trusting God for every step of faith we take.
A runner gets a "second wind" after forcing himself to go on when he feels like he can't. We feel the joy of God's Spirit lift us up and carry us on when we choose to continue in faith, no matter how we feel or what's going on around us.
Take a moment to set your heart to be persistent in your faith -- faith in God to lead you, pick you up when you have fallen, give you strength to go on, and ultimately bring you to victory!
2Samuel 22:33-34 says, "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to stand on the heights."
Running!
MT
No comments:
Post a Comment