Keeping My Eyes Directly Forward

Twice now, I have gone to my mailbox and while walking back to the house and looking at the mail, my feet hit where the curb declines for the driveway and twice I have hit the ground hard – lacerations on my hands and knees and this last time, hit my forehead hard. Thank God, other than the scrapes, I was okay. Thankfully, twice fallen and twice no one saw me fall! Whew!

On this day, May 6, 2012, I ran the Vancouver, Canada Half Marathon. I finished in 2:29. It would have been faster except a little lady carrying groceries stepped off the curb right in front of me and tripped me. I went tumbling. Scrapes and cuts on elbows, knees, hands. I survived to tell this story.

I was recalling all these falls (and, oh, I could tell you more), and feeling so grateful that I have never had a broken or fractured bone. I know my angels must get "time and a half" for their duty with me. Simply distracted, not being cautious and aware of my surroundings. It almost sounds like I’m prone to accidents but more than anything, I think I’m prone to not paying attention to where I am and what I’m doing.

This scripture inspired this blog: “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.” (Proverbs 4:25-26) Well, if that doesn’t explain my “Case of the Falls”, I don’t know what does.

I hear God speaking. “Focus, Donna, focus! Look forward. Fix your eyes on Me!" I knew what He meant. It’s so easy and not just in the physical sense to get distracted, but also in the spiritual and emotional. We can be distracted by concern, worry, doubt, unbelief and when we do – we’ll stumble with the weight of the world on our shoulders. I was truly focused on that half marathon and at Mile 3, was in turbo mode and feeling good. Then that little lady caused me to fall. It wasn’t anything I did. She wasn't looking.

It was like those things that the enemy uses to trip us up when we are making great progress. Something we say or do or someone else says or does or something that takes our focus off the goal that is set before us. About FACE! I get it. Do you get it, too? We must keep our eyes looking directly forward at Him!

Father God, please help us keep focused on the path you have set before us. Please keep us from the distractions the enemy uses to take our eyes off of You and your promises. Please give us the wisdom to discern the enemy's ploys and keep our eyes focused on You Whose plans for us are good and not evil; a straight path and a perfect time and finish. No more looking back or down or sideways -- only forward. Keep reminding us, O Lord, that You are in control of everything and as long as we keep our eyes on You and walk in Your ways, everything will work out according to your perfect will. Thank You for your faithfulness. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Lesson Learned: Run Your Own Race -- Not Someone Else's

I do my best to run at least 15 miles a week on my treadmill and sometimes walk with friends around my neighborhood. Where my Jacuzzi tub would have been installed, I had my builder to simply put the plumbing in the wall, in case I ever wanted to install it. Instead, that’s where my treadmill is located. I’m on purpose. I know the health benefits of running/walking/jogging (i.e., staying active). I’ve been running for many years. Best of all, it keeps my goal weight intact, especially with this love of food that I have! LOL! This is MY race and I’m running it.

I have friends that regularly go to a gym, have fitness trainers, have their FitBit watches on to monitor their activity levels. I could quickly shift from focusing on “my race” – the one that’s marked for me, and start comparing myself to others. When my eyes were not on "my race", I had some major falls and it took lots of intense therapies and chiropractic treatments to get healthy enough to get back in “my race”.

Among the basics for running (or even walking) is “keep your eyes on where you are going”, instead of getting distracted. The distractions can keep us from seeing the uneven pavement, the stones in our pathway, or puddles in the road – all of which can be that obstacle that sends us tumbling. My little sweet Mama taught me that. The older she became, the more focused she was on her steps. She had too many friends with broken hips, legs or arms that came as a result of carelessness – not focusing on “their race”. The remedy is “considering” as we run our races.

It’s the same principle as we run our “life races”. Hebrews 12:1-3 says “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, FIXING OUR EYES on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith . . . Consider Him who endured such opposition so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

The cure to eliminating distractions, disappointments, weariness and from comparing ourselves to others is “considering” (aka focusing). Fixing our eyes on Jesus, CONSIDERING Him and all He went through for us, keeps us pursuing God’s best for us and protects our minds from distractions. It also reminds us that the journey we’re on is not about competition but completion. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Yyou, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!" Isaiah 26:3

I sure want to finish my race strong, and the best, most efficient, and care-free way to do that....is keeping my eyes on where I'm going -- keeping my eyes AND thoughts on Who's waiting on me at the Finish Line! I'm running to the Finish Line set just for me, and when I get there, He WILL BE there waiting for me.....with arms open wide.