Quit looking at your feet when you run!

I have began reading Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. Although it has been around the house for I believe at least a year, this is the first that I have read past the back cover.

I have touted that God continues to ask, “Do you want to be safe, or do you want to live?” and although my hearts cry is to Live, my life actions have for far too long reacted as safe.

Oh there have been moments when I feel that I stand at the proverbial cliff and take a step, but I continually find myself scurrying back to safety at the first breeze that rocks the bridge that had suddenly appeared.

The first couple of chapters of the book Wild Goose Chase speak of a life of adventure, a life of following the Spirit of God instead of having the Spirit follow me. A quote and I suspect the reason for picking up the book in the first place, that seems to hit home is the following: “Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time, And I know that is unsettling, but circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name….. ADVENTURE.

Why does this stir so much in me? Pain of past failures, uncertain futures and the fruitlessness of it all yet here again the thought of living life in abandonment to the Spirit awakens so much inside at each glance in that direction. I don’t want to live life in the cage of fear or failure.

And when brought to the Father as to why I keep getting disappointed in my efforts this is the response…. “Quit looking at your feet when you run.” Sounds bizzar I know, but I also know what He means. You see one of the mistakes I continue to make as a new runner is I concentrate on two things, both of which are wrong…. 1. I put way too much effort in beating my time instead of enjoying the run for the sake of running. And 2. I look down at my feet when I run instead of what is ahead. As long as I look at my feet and worry about what is directly in front of me, I loose focus on where I am going. My run becomes boring very quickly and I tire and just endure the task, but if I raise my eyes to what is ahead and continue on toward my goal, there is so much to take in along the way that the run is enjoyable. I learn to know what is up ahead and manuver around the obstacles instead of reacting as they pop up almost too late in my path.

So the eyes of my heart are once again lifted to the run that is ahead. I don’t want to be an inverted Christian exsisting day to day. I want to live dangerous. I don’t want to live to arrive at death safely. I hear the rusty cage door open, it is up to me to come out….. “let’s get daangerwous!”