I love running! Some people love to golf, hunt or fish, and that’s great, but I love to run. It hasn’t always been that way; I used to think of running as work. As a high school athlete, I associated running with conditioning or punishment. That perception didn’t change much during my military basic training. We ran everywhere: to meals, to the rifle range, and we even ran to the track so we could run some more. Somewhere in the process of all this running, I began to change. Running became a habit, and it changed from work to pleasure. It became something I not only enjoyed, but needed. During my daily runs, the world slowed down a little, and there were no interruptions. As I got older, the joy of running continued to evolve. The opportunity for some “me time” began to shift to an opportunity for some “we time.” I discovered that my runs were the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with God. I could reflect on the events of the day, and better yet, talk with God. God has been and continues to be the best running partner I’ve ever had.

Too often as runners and in our everyday lives, we try to do it alone. We create our training schedules and decide we know what’s best for us. This is a big mistake! We need to find ways to slow things down and get away from the distractions. We need to allow God to come alongside us and trust Him for direction in our lives. The truth is, we aren’t capable of guiding ourselves. Trying to do anything without God’s help is a recipe for disaster. A solo runner can get lost on an unfamiliar trail, encounter aggressive animals, or be left hurt and alone with an injury. Smart runners don’t run by themselves, and smart people don’t run without God. He knows us, He loves us, and He knows what is best for us. Keep running!

Heavenly Father, thank You for always being available to me. Take away my desire to run alone and teach me to lean on You for direction in my life. Amen.