Earlier this week, driving to work, Jared and I listened to a podcast by Breakaway Ministries where Ben Stuart talks about the value of hard work. It's been a theme let me say. Jared and I have had several conversations about our generation and how if something gets hard without instantaneous results, people give up and move on to something else. It's very rare that we come across somebody who puts in the work day in and day out to get to the goal they have set for themselves. Ben talks about this phenomena in our generation in the podcast and it was something that came up on my run today.
It's been a hot summer. I've found it frustrating to run this summer as my paces have significantly decreased and I find myself walking a good deal more on my runs than I would like. I know this is normal. But I tend to get discouraged when I feel like I can't run like I used to just a few months ago. I've held on to the fact that if I put in the work this summer, it will pay off in the fall when temperatures get a bit cooler. If I push my endurance and my speed relative to how hot it is, it will definitely be rewarded in the fall and winter months where it counts (hello marathon!).
Today, it rained all day. I was so excited when my car said it was 75 degrees outside on my way home! I didn't even need a nap after church. I ate lunch with the parents, did a couple of things necessary for work and Duchess and I went on a glorious run through the park in the rain. It was so nice! I was able to run faster than I did pre-summer at a consistent 11'02"/mi AND I increased my pace from to a 9'40"/mi pace on the last mile! I was so happy! I didn't have to wait until fall to see the results of my hard work this summer. Today I got a glimpse of what I'm accomplishing even if I can't see it hot Texas day by hot Texas day.
You may be in a situation at work, with a friend, on a project, losing weight, anything where you are putting in time and effort and you don't see results. There is change, but sometimes, it is too small for you to notice. If I lose 0.14 pounds every day, then in a year I will have lost 52 pounds. However, I may not notice the change on a day to day basis. Only if I look at pictures of myself three months down the road verses when I started will I realize the amount of change in my body! I want to encourage you, whatever work you are putting in will pay off if God is in the mix. Pray about it, see if you are in the place God wants you to be. Then if the answer is yes, trust that if you put in the work, God will bless it!
"My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything."
James 1:2-4
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