Just do it.

This morning, my friend Dee and I got up early with the intent of running twice around Lake Pine near my house. That's a 2 mile loop, so we planned on doing 4 miles.

I was thinking a lot while we were running. I was thinking a lot about how similar this exercise journey has been to my journey with God. Indulge me in this...

This morning, a friend and I got up and planned to run. We ran. It was hot. It sucked at times. I wanted to quit. I ran at my own pace and Dee ran at her own pace. We started together, and she finished before me and waited until I was done.

We passed a lot of people. We passed walkers, people with friends, people alone, runners, joggers, people that have done this a hundred times before and a few people who, visibly, had never done this before and had to stop their run and walk up the hills.

But they did make it up the hills. They didn't quit.

Here's the thing about running for me...I just have to do it. And I have to remove the blockers that I get into my head that stop me from doing it. Here is my short list of things that are helping me to do it:

1. I have a friend that goes with me, or at least a friend that I report back to.
2. I have a plan.
3. I am patient with myself and know that I am improving.
4. If I miss a week, I remember that it will be harder to get back in the routine.
5. I never forget where I came from so that I will be even more excited to see where I'm going.

Why do I expect my relationship with God to be any different?

I am finding that I run to God when I need Him. I look to God when I am desperate. I want God to solve my problems, but then I want Him to leave me alone. I am impatient with myself. I want to be close to God without the work. I don't want to wait. I want to run a marathon now. I don't want to first learn how to run a mile.

Do you get that? Do you see how we want the marathon spirituality without the one mile preparation? Any running coach would tell you that this is impossible. In fact, if you haven't been training for a distance run and then get out there and try it on a whim, you'd get hurt. You'd be disappointed, defeated, and depressed. Falling short.

Have you felt that way about God? I have. But the reminder to me is that...when I feel far from God, it's not God that's changed position. It's me.

If you are looking for God, don't be discouraged. God was looking for you first. He has a plan for you and wants to run a marathon with you. But the problem is, you have to get out there and run a mile with Him, first. Trust Him in the small things, and watch how He puts the big, exciting things into your life.

Look at that list of five things above. And apply that to your alone time with God. Think of it as a recipe for a relationship with Jesus. 

So get out there. Just do it. Please don't sue me, Nike.

-Liz