Are you old enough to remember Stretch Armstrong? I never had one so I was never able to put him to the test of his limits in stretching but I think it would have been cool. I know…call me a closet-sadist. 🙂 One of the properties of Stretch was his ability to bounce back to his original form, sort of like Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) of the Fantastic Four. Sort of like we need to be in life, and in ministry.
When I played basketball (years ago when shorts were well…short, and socks were knee high, and shoes were Converse), there was one drill I literally hated. We called them Suicides; it has been given other names. At the end of practice, when we all were pretty wiped out, the coach would line us up on the end line, blow his whistle, and that was our cue. Run to the other end line; touch the line; return to the one you just left. Bend and touch then run to the opposite foul line; bend & touch; then return to the end line. Bend & touch then run to the mid-court line…you get the drill now don’t you? To make things worse, if he saw any one of us “dogging it,” he would do it again and add lines. I think they were imaginary. 🙂 Now Coach had a purpose for his madness, so he said. “Get in shape, boys. We may not be the tallest team (we weren’t since at 6’4″ I was the tallest), but we will be conditioned. We will not get run out of a gym, but will instead do the running out.” I got his point, although I never grew to like Suicides.
Coach was stretching us. He was teaching us…here’s the word…resilience. That illustration comes to mind as I find myself reading a book by Gordon MacDonald, A Resilient Life. Here is how Gordon describes a resilient person:
They are committed to finishing strong.
They run inspired by the big-picture view of life.
They run free of the weight of the past.
They run confidently, trained to go the distance.
They run in the company of a “happy few.”
Just as my basketball coach was trying to train me/the team to be resilient, God also has that in mind for us. I am sure you have often heard it said, “The Christian life is a long distance run, not a sprint.” I am 58 years old and sadly, like all the others before me (unless you happen to be Marty McFly and have a Doc Brown-type friend), I cannot go backwards. I have three options, as I see it: 1) I can learn from my past and move on; 2) I can pass along what I have learned to others; or 3) bemoan my age and live out my life as a woe-begone. I despise the #3 option, so I pray God allows me to fulfill the first two.
What about you? What lessons are you learning these days that will stand you in good stead for the future? What have you learned that you hope to share with others somewhere down the road? Are you stretching and learning resilience? I would love to hear your thoughts. Now, listen to one of, if not the best, song written in any genre. (Long Distance Runner by DeGarmo & Key)
I’ve never read that book. But I love those 5-Points! Yes my bro, you don’t have 3 choices, only 1. You must finish and finish well!
Praying for you now.
That is my intention Artie. For however long I have, I have no desire or plan to slow down and hit the sidelines. Thanks for the encouragement.
Man – I hated running suicides when I played basketball.
I heard a sermon one time and I have never forgot the first point – People do not remember how you start but how you finish. That bounces around my head a lot.
I also have to remember one day at a time – I can not jump ahead into the future because that will trip me up and I can not live in the past because that too will trip me up. I have got to stay focused on my relationship with Christ today. That is what I have been learning these days.
Good thoughts as always Bill.
so I am not alone in my hatred! Great! I think what you heard in that sermon sure fits with what Artie has shared. Good lesson to remember. Great thing you are learning Jim. Thanks for coming by.
What am I learning? I feel like my marriage is being tested right now. Yes, I’m thankful that I have a wife who is always there, willing to work through things, etc… but I feel that God has really shown us over the last year the importance of being vulnerable with each other, the importance of remembering to pray together, and the reminder that we’re in this togehter (there is an enemy out there and it’s not my wife!).
that last parenthetical statement is so true Dustin. You guys are in it together. Glad you are working together to make it work. Thanks for sharing that. Gives me something more to remember when I pray for you.
The book sounds great! It really does. Finishing strong reminds me of Paul.
It has been a tremendous read so far. Paul is a perfect example. Thanks Michael.
To echo what many have said. It’s not how you start but how you finish. Even if finishing you are beat up, tired and almost fainting. Let those scars show the good fight you have fought.
I want to finish on my feet, with enough strength to put my hands up in victory… then go get a cold cup of “new Jerusalem” water from the heavenly refrigerator.
Well put Moe and i want to join you in that victory salute. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Bill,
What I am mainly learning these days is the value of hope. How rejunivating it is.
I was doing some copying yesterday at Staples. At the copier I met (for the first time) an 80 year old man doing some copying too.
He is still an active and strong believer. There’s hope!! He still goes on missonary trips to Mexico.
He ended up speaking a strong encouragement into my life ‘don’t worry about it’. Simple, and yet God had the 80 years old man use a couple of examples (a couple of things that I had just been thinking about lately) to show me that this 80 year old man was speaking a Word to me, from Him.
God is alive and well and very present in our lives.
Never ceases to amaze me, Linda, how God does things like that. He puts people into our lives just when we need to hear from Him. Hope is a good thing to hear!! Thanks for the encouraging note.
I’ve learned an am learning keeping faith during times of trial and difficulty. And I think God’s going to want me to give those lessons to other people down the road.
I have no doubt that you will be asked to give those lessons somewhere along the line Jason. I am reminded of that line from Field of Dreams: “People will come Ray. They will come from miles around.” I have no clue what God has planned for you but I know His lessons will not be wasted. Thanks.
Keep on keepin’ on is one of my long-term mottos. And it was used by Joe Dirt, so I have good company. There is too much quit in our society. Resiliency is sooooo important and unfortunately sooooo rare.
That was one of Gordon’s thoughts Matt: there is too much quit. He talks about having the quit gene himself. Good comment. and I am sorry but I don’t know who Joe Dirt is. *sheepish look*
I was given that book to read a few years ago and it was my first realization that I’m in the second half of my life (more or less) and it bothered me for quite a while. Especially the “pass on what I’ve learned to others” stuff. It made me think that is all I have left to offer – not doing something creative or new. I got over it though and think that there may still be opportunities to be creative.
I have thought a lot about many of the people in the Bible who started well but did not finish well. It doesn’t matter too much what you do in the first half of your life (or race) if you don’t finish strong. I think this book has tools to keep you on the right track to finish well.
I will have to re-read it now that I’ve accepted where I am a little more.
Good post (and good song too – I can’t listen to it here at work, but I can hear it in my head).
I am thrilled to be reading this book Jim. I can’t remember how old you are but I would recommend it to any age, but especially to those who are over…say, 40. You have plenty of time for creativity my friend. Rock it! I knew you couldn’t listen at work but would have that tune in your head for the rest of the day. 😛 Thanks for coming by.
Bill,
You have been watching this unfold on my blog but I’ve learned the most profound lessons on love, hate, grace and fear from a blog contest where witches took over. I’ve learned that we truly can love people without fear and not compromise our faith in the doing. It has been one of the most profound lessons God has ever taught me. What started as something so bad turned into a great lesson..radical grace, unconditional love- truly moves mountains…
Julie: that post has been on fire. I went there this morning to catch up even more and WOW! while I certainly don’t agree with the pagan/Wiccan/etc beliefs, they responded well to the offer of grace. now we can only pray for them to really hear that message. God is not done yet! For all my readers: please check out Julie’s post here and the responses. The one from yours truly didn’t even get a whimper (which is okay).
http://journeytobeloved.blogspot.com/2011/05/greatest-of-theseeven-for-witch.html
I am learning to trust God when I have no idea what He’s doing…unfortunately I feel that I have been taught this lesson before and will probably be reminded of it again. 🙂 It does get slightly easier with each instance though, and I love to see Him glorified when He makes a way where others see no way. 🙂
You gotta wonder, don’t you Melissa, how often we have to hear something before it really sinks in? I could have saved me a bunch of heartache if I hadn’t needed warning after warning. 🙂 I, too, love seeing Him glorified when everyone is stunned. Thanks for your time and comment.
Hello Bill,
those are great points. Each of these 5 points are essential for running our Christian race.
I thinking being stretched is a beneficial thing but also a hard one. It helps us grow and mature in God. Often we need to rely on God even more while we are being stretched.
Great post.
Dan
Hey Dan: i think they are great points as well. (Wish I had thought of them). 🙂 Stretching, physically or spiritually, will always be hard. Thanks for the input.
I am learning that if we don’t stretch, what’s the point. Stretch Armstrongs whole point was that he could stretch. What a waste of time without the stretching…thanks!
You are right Tom…a big waste of time. thanks.
Well I am too tired to run so I will just putter about untill I take on another challenge.
Resilience: Conditioning to win and drive a good race. That takes drive, perseverence in difficult situations, and the desire to finish first.
Spiritual wise is another story. I am always pumped up and ready to go the distance as long as I can rest a bit along the way. Age thingy you know.
Nothing wrong with resting Larry. 🙂 Just don’t stop for good. thanks for the comment.
Bill, I’m learning what faith really means, especially within these past few months. With all of my fears/insecurities, it’s been both exciting and nerve-wrecking, to just let go and let God.
Fears/insecurities are exciting to watch God get a hold of and bring faith and trust. I believe God has something planned for you that you know not of!! Thanks Jon.