Hills and Other Life Disasters

"Not another hill!"

"How can I get AROUND this hill?"

"I can't do this hill. I've got to stop."

One of the ways that God is using wunning to teach me spiritual lessons is through hills. I really hate hills. I can be chugging along just fine, but if you add a little incline my lungs start to burn and my legs start to wobble.

I've been through this process of working up to a 5K before, and the hills almost did me in. I tried to find the flatest places possible to train, but the course for the race through Raleigh was very hilly. I did run the whole race which was my goal, however, I hadn't really trained properly.

There are going to be hills.

And you can't skip the hills.

It's just like life, right? Because we live in a very broken world, either sooner or later we're going to experience difficulties--sickness, rejection, death, abuse, loneliness, insecurity, financial crisis, job loss, divorce, the pain of a rebellious child, whiplash from bad choices...

There are only two choices when we face a hill--park at the bottom or start up. Although I don't like it, I'm working to master hills. In the process, I'm getting stronger. I'm becoming less afraid. I'm enjoying the downhill slopes as a reward!

As I run the hills, I'm focusing on beautiful Psalm 121:

"I look up to the hills. Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord. He is the Maker of heaven and earth.
He won't let your foot slip. He who watches over you won't get tired.
In fact, he who watches over Israel won't get tired or go to sleep.
The LORD watches over you. The LORD is like a shade tree at your right hand.
The sun won't harm you during the day. The moon won't harm you during the night.
The LORD will keep you from every kind of harm. He will watch over your life.
The LORD will watch over your life no matter where you go, both now and forever."