Knocked Back Down to Size

    It is so easy for me to take pride in my physical strength, especially when I consider all the hard work I have had to do to achieve the level of fitness I am at. In preparing to run a 5K every month, I try to run at least the 3.1 miles when I get out to run. Last week, however, I was running four to five miles when I went running. Because I had never run five miles before, my self-confidence escalated very quickly. Then came yesterday's run.

  After three days of the most miserable, cold drizzle my Texan mind can imagine, the clouds blew away. The sky was blue, the sun shining, I was witnessing a perfect winter day. I had every intention of running four miles, but after a single mile I had no motivation to run. After walking forward about fifteen feet I was thoroughly disgusted with myself for stopping so I turned around and made myself run another mile. At the end of my second mile I again lost my motivation. But this time I did not have enough self-disgust to make myself continue running, so I came inside to stretch.

  I thought about my bad run, and thought and thought and thought about it, wondering what on earth was the matter with me. Then it hit me like a rush of cold air slamming into your lungs. I had been relying on myself for strength to run. God had let me glory in the strength He had given me and when I became full of it, He lovingly knocked me back down to size. My body may be capable of some pretty incredible feats, but only because God gave me the ability to do them.