A Delightful Jog in the Woods

I enjoy walking on trails through the woods and often substitute this for the normal gym routine.  Though I’ve never been much of a runner - ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I don’t run unless chased – I have recently found myself beginning to jog intermittently.  Until a recent run in the woods, I always thought I was just getting an exercise physically. I didn’t know that I was going to receive something much more.

I started off walking, reflecting on the day.  Then I felt the urge to pick up the pace and began a light jog.  I recalled in my thoughts my previous experiences with running, always the last place finisher in school when we had track days to “run” a timed mile, perfectly fine checking in with a time of 15:14 as all of my peers sat in the cool grass waiting on me.  Maybe it was because they were watching and I didn’t want to huff and puff and get red-faced when it seemed so easy to them.  Maybe it was the pressure on my heart that got to be too much after the first minute that walking seemed to be the easier choice.  Maybe it was the heaviness as I focused on each individual step forward.  Whatever it was, I never continued to press through and always took the more comfortable route.

As my breathing picked up and my heart began to race, I was tempted to go back to walking.  But, I felt this encouragement within me to focus on a large tree in the distance just before the trail bent off to the left.  By focusing on the tree, I couldn’t focus on myself – the heavy feeling around my heart, my rapid breathing – I just saw the tree getting closer.  While I knew the trail didn’t stop at the tree and there was more in the future I couldn’t see, all I needed to do to keep going was focus on the tree - not the present trial and not what lied ahead of it.

In that moment, I realized, amidst my physical exercise, I was receiving a spiritual workout as well.  In life, we can take the easy route and walk through.  We can look at our peers and wonder why things happen for them that don’t happen for us.  We could be discouraged along the way and let the pressures of life keep us from our full potential.  We could be focused solely on ourselves and our misery and each painstaking step.  Or, we can focus on the Tree.  We could realize that our paths aren’t meant to be the same as those of our peers, but as long we stay on course with the Tree, we’re right where we need to be.  Instead of discouragement, the Tree helps us conquer things we never thought possible, challenging us to be better, to keep going, to never give up.  Focus on ourselves – the present is filled with strife, worry about the future.  Focus on the Tree – the present is actually enjoyable and the future will come naturally. 

Staying focused on the Tree is the key to enjoying everyday life.  It’s impossible to compare ourselves to others, complain how bad life hurts at times, and say it is too hard to go on and enjoy life at the same time.  But, if we stay focused on the Tree, life can be a delightful jog in the woods.  Never a runner before, I am now focused and ready to run the race He has set before me.  Care to join me?  It’s never too late to start!