Walk by Faith

Faith is an interesting thing.  We entrust ourselves to those who we know have more knowledgeable than we do when we embark on something new.  If you have been reading this blog for any amount of time, you will find that last June I began a journey to run a marathon for the first time in 20 years.  Having been an accomplished runner in my teens and early twenties, I can honestly say I felt pretty confident in training for a 5k, a 10k, even a really fast mile. As a matter of fact, I had been an age group winner, or top 3 placer in several races in the past 10 years.  Because of my successes I was confident that I would be able to handle a further distance.  I had pulled a training plan for a few half marathons (13.1 miles) in the past few years and followed the plans exactly.  However- though I had done so, I was clearly missing something.  How did I know this?  I knew this because I ran a series of 6 half marathons.  In each of these endeavors I crashed at mile 10.  Though I  could run my race in under 2 hours, I have never run my last 3 miles in under a 9:50 mile.  If you are a mathematician, or someone who simply wants to check my stats,  you'll find that an entire half marathon at a 9:50 per mile pace would put me at a 2:08 finish time.  So let's put this in a different perspective.  My fastest half marathon is 1:57:40.  This means I ran my first 10 miles at an 8:47 pace and ran my last 3.1 miles in 30 minutes, a.ka 9:41 minutes per mile.  

I could have continued with my own plan, or I could have made a choice to put my faith elsewhere.  I made the choice to put my faith in someone who could help me reach my goal and not crash.  I signed up with the Dallas Running Club (DRC) training program and spent my next 22 weeks training for a marathon.  Trust me, there were times I questioned the training program.  But clearly I had no idea why I kept crashing at mile 10.  So I had to choose- continue to put my faith in my own knowledge, or put my faith in someone much smarter that I when it comes to running, nutrition, and of course - the "older runner".  Yes I had to admit I knew nothing about running a marathon and the change in physiology of a runner after age 40. So I put my faith in the DRC coaches and pace leaders.  And guess what? I finished.  Not only did I finish, I improved my 1/2 marathon time, 15 K time,  10k time, and my 5k time.  

So what does this mean? Recently I read, "Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present" (The Daily Walk Bible). Had I not had faith in the results the marathon training plan would achieve, following it would have been pointless.  As a matter of fact, it would have been a lesson in futility.  I mean who on earth would put themselves through 111 miles of running during the month of August in the 100 degree weather of Texas unless they knew it would pay off?  In life we have many opportunities to walk by faith.  We have faith in our diet plan, or our exercise plan.  We put our faith in doctors and dentists to protect our health. We even put our faith in the stock market and 401 K's to improve our financial portfolio.  But there is no faith like that found in Christ.  Pastor Joyce's word for the day explains this kind of faith.  

January 4

Walk by Faith

Everything from God is received by faith! Hebrews 11:1-3 clearly provides faith’s definition, “Faith is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about the things we do not see.  It was for this that Scripture attested the merit of the people of old.  By trusting, we understand that the universe was created through a spoken word of God, so that what is seen did not come into being out of existing phenomena (things which are visible)”. In verse six of the same chapter we read that, “without faith, it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches Him must trust that He does exist and that He becomes a rewarder to those who seek Him out.”

It is tough to add thought to words that clearly define what must be.  When we trust in and rely on God to lead us through life, all the blessings of Abraham of the Old Testament are ours to enjoy (an overview of the blessings is given in Deuteronomy 26). It is not something that can be explained to the natural mind, for everything from God is received by faith, and is conveyed through the Spirit.

No one, I repeat no one is automatically endowed with faith, trust, or reliance in God naturally.  Faith comes through hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!  So it boils down to this, to walk by faith and be well pleasing to God we must walk and abide in His Word.  Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My child, pay attention to all my words and give heed to all my sayings.  Let them not depart from sight; keep them in the center of your heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh.”