Monday, June 22, 2015

Are We Using What God Gave Us? by Ruth Bigler

I run in the mornings. For years I wasn’t able to run, because pregnancy and babies and something that happened to my knee when I was pregnant with number one. But suddenly, blissfully, I run now, almost every morning.

There is something magical about being outside in the morning in the summer, when the early light is filtering through the leaves that have passed the pale, yellow-green of spring and are now the dark, rich colour of a summer forest. The birds talk more in the morning than they do at any other time of day. They talk more, and they talk louder, quarrelling, singing, jubilating in the experience of existing in a morning in the summer.

There’s a field I run past that’s flat and boggy, and often a moose will startle at my approach and take off running, his gangly legs flailing, his whole disproportioned body evoking a cross between the majestic awe of creation and a great cosmic joke. Sometimes I even see “my” owl perched on a fence post, watching me as I run past, its head swivelling a full 180 degrees to follow me down the road.

And then there’s the running. I never feel more alive, more grateful for the beautiful gift that is my body, as when I’m pounding down the hard-packed dirt road, the smell of dew and aspen and warm dirt in my nostrils, my feet hitting the road in perfect rhythm and my breath as steady as my footsteps. It is my meditation, my zen, my morning devotional. It affects my every day. It affects my confidence, how I feel physically, and how much patience I have for my kids, my husband, and my co-workers.

A beautiful, sublime purpose exists within our bodies and our spirits. When I run, my body is doing what it was built to do; when I pray, or read my Bible, or go to church—when I turn to God—my spirit is doing what it was built to do.

When I first started training again, after six years out of commission, it was hard. I kept injuring myself, so many times that I finally had to go back to a five-minute run per day. For weeks! It was painful, and hard, and some days, just plain boring. There were times I wondered if it was worth it. Sometimes I almost decided it wasn’t. But I had run before, and I knew that once I passed that mysterious threshold, running would once again go from a chore to a part of my life-force.

Being spiritual isn’t easy, either, especially when you’re just starting. Turning to God can be hard, and painful, and sometimes so, so monotonous. Other activities are much easier, and, at least in the short term, more enjoyable. But we keep trying, because perhaps we’ve had a glimpse of how rewarding a relationship with God can be. We’ll sludge and slog our way, step by painful step, until one day we’ll look up and we’re not dragging our feet any more; we’re soaring, and life is more beautiful than we can even comprehend.

We need that glimpse of Heaven first. Before going through the pain and discomfort of fully trusting God, we need to understand why. I write about the rewards of running because I hope others will challenge themselves physically, too. I write about God’s miracles because I want to share them with people who don’t know them or have forgotten. Maybe that’s why you write, too.

Have you experienced a glimpse of Heaven through the mud and sweat of life? God has given each of us a way to let others experience Heaven on Earth. So, if we write, let’s write! If we preach, let’s preach. Even if all we do is run, let’s run for His glory. Because nothing in the world could be more beautiful than being what God made us to be.


Ruth is a bit of a nomad, having moved eleven times between three countries in her seven years of marriage. She's a lawyer, a mother of four very energetic children, and an omnivorous reader, and despite everything, (usually) manages to squeeze in some writing. Ruth writes mostly Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction, ranging from sic-fi to historical. She loves running, dark chocolate, and cross-country skiing, and is determined one day to get her very own dog.

13 comments:

  1. Thank you, Ruth! I love the feeling of running, too. I'll try to bring that feeling to my writing, as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it wonderful? It's the closest thing I know to flying :)

      Delete
  2. I am NOT a runner--just a walker--but I agree with you on the joy doing what your body was created to do and what your soul was created for. If you routinely startle moose on your morning run, I'm thinking you must live in Canada. I just returned from driving to Alaska, north through British Columbia, and back through Alberta. I had the thrill of seeing moose a couple times on my hikes. I'll be blogging about your beautiful country on this site on Wednesday. And there is a book I want one of you Canadians to write...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I do live in Canada! I look forward to reading your post! I'm in Alberta currently, although BC is home. I'll bet that was a beautiful road trip!

      Delete
  3. I too love early summer mornings -- on my bicycle. Much easier on the knees than running. I also find God in the mud and sweat of my garden - literally. It never ceases to amaze me that a tiny black speck seeded into the ground, watered by rain and warmed by the sun, can grow into a lush, nutritious and very tasty lettuce. Or a wizened up kernel can grow eight feet high and produce the most wonderful ears of corn. No wonder God started mankind in a garden home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I love gardening too. There's something so fulfilling about being a part, however small, in God's acts of creation. And you can never have too much fresh garden produce :)

      Delete
  4. Thank you for the encouragement to keep doing what God has purposed for us. It's easy to lose sight of that! Glad you're enjoying your running, too. Isn't it a great way to clear your mind, strengthen your body, and refresh your spirit?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment! I'm so glad to know there are so many fellow runners on here :)

      Delete
  5. Hi Ruth, lovely description of the seasons in one's spiritual growth(?). It's like any good relationship - it can be messy, frustrating, just plain hard and regularly joyful and full of whimsy. But it's wonderful knowing Jesus chose us and is desperately crazy about us. Makes it that much easier to start talking to Him when we know He's always closer than we think.

    I've never enjoyed running in open spaces. On a treadmill, I can go for ages, but for some reason when I'm on a road or on grass I'm over conscious of how much it hurts.

    Great post, Ruth and good having you join us on ICFW. You post reminded me of the "ad" Mel Gibson & Helen Hunt's character's made when pitching for the Nike women's account in "What Women Want"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Ian! It's so fun to write for ICFW, and I appreciate the opportunity. I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right, our relationship with God really is a lot like any other good relationship--although thank goodness that His side of the relationship is endlessly patient and kind and forgiving :)

      Delete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for such an interesting post, Ruth. I'm in awe of how you manage to run each day, in the midst of everything else, including looking after four small children--well done to you! I never was much of a runner and am certainly not now, but I do love gardening--and writing--and speaking--plus minding grandkids! And a few months ago, I finished writing a non-fiction book on the theme of becoming all God made us to be, so I hope I know something about that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jo-Anne, I used to think that life slowed down at some point (when my kids get older ... when I don't have to work anymore ... when my kids move away ...), but talking to Grandmas like you, I'm beginning to think it stays just as busy! :) Your book sounds really interesting! Congrats on finishing it! What's the title?

      Delete