Hope you are staying cool in the midst of our continuous three digit West Texas summer temperatures. As many of you know, I enjoy running. (It allows me the luxury of eating almost anything I want and more importantly, however much I want.) With the temperature being in the 90's even in the morning, it takes its toll on your body and really messes with your goals of trying to improve your time.
I knew that the heat obviously played a roll in my running performance, but I didn't realize how much until I read an interesting article in the current issue of Runner's World. I discovered that every five-degree rise in temperature above 60 degrees can slow your pace up to 20 to 30 seconds per mile! That means if you normally run a 9-minute mile, but it's 100 degrees outside, it can slow you down to an 11 minute mile. You run two minutes a mile slower just because of the heat.
Well I discovered that there is a spiritual correlation in our walk with the Lord. When we allow the pressures of life (heat) to captivate our focus, it slows us down spiritually as well. We aren't as peaceful, powerful or productive in the tasks God assigned each of us to do. And obviously we can't escape all the pressures of this world...not yet anyway. So, how do we maintain our pace in the midst of the "heat" of life?
Acts 3:19 and Isaiah 40:31 give us some tremendous insight:
So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.
As we keep our minds stayed on Him, we are refreshed by His Presence. So if you've been feeling "faint" lately, or you've seemed to have lost your drive and motivation. Then remember that "those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
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