“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14
This is the time of year when I can’t wait to get out on a run. The temps are cooler, the humidity is lower, the skies are bluer. For runners, this season means lots of racing events which means lots of training. For me it also means making a very important decision; where to train. When it comes to running there are plenty of “asphalt” options around here. We have a really nice greenway, there are plenty of subdivisions, streets with sidewalks, beautiful parks, opportunities everywhere! But man are these blacktop paths tough on the body! The constant pounding on a surface that isn’t very forgiving takes its toll over time. More and more these days I have come to fall in love with the trails. The real trails. You know, the ones with dirt, rocks, tree stumps/roots and significant elevation changes. I find that these trails are easier on my feet and ankles, knees and hips. And I find that I really enjoy being out there in the woods, trekking through God’s creation. But where I live, it’s very challenging to find these places. I have to make sacrifices to be able to get significant training time. If I want to get the most out of this type of training then I most likely have to get in my car and drive a distance which means I have to change schedules etc to make it happen. It’s hard to do it, and the trails generally are a bit tougher to finish, but I get so much more out of these runs! Most days it’s just easier to choose the asphalt, even though I know that over the long term, this choice will be more likely to cause destruction to my body. In life we have to make a choice. We have to determine if we want to choose the path that the majority will walk because it is much easier and readily available, or to choose the path that requires us to make sacrifices, work harder, and maybe even bleed a bit. The path that most choose is the one that leads to destruction. It just makes more sense to most because it is the easiest and least intrusive. But choosing to hit the trails will not diminish your training. It will make you better. It will make you stronger. It will give you a better life than you could ever have imagined! It won’t always be easy. There will be pain. There will be suffering. There will be bruises and exhaustion. But God has promised us that we will weather the storms if we trust in Him. Those wooded paths are narrow. And sometimes it gets lonely on them. But the reward for choosing them is great! Happy Trails!
Good for you Stuff 