Uncommen: Start at the FinishSample

Training For The Run

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

Training for any run can significantly benefit you when running the event. That may seem like an obvious thing to say, but we men rarely apply this to other aspects of our lives.

Training does two things for us. First, it prepares the body. Distance running is hard on the body's joints, and building up is essential to strengthening the joints and lessening the impact on your body's mechanics. Secondly, it prepares the mind. The result is that when you push hard during training, your mind and body are ready for the challenge of the event itself. For my ½ marathon, I found an excellent online trainer who set a schedule for me to follow. Imagine training with no plan or physical and mental preparation.

How often do we do that in life, though? We often act as if the events in our life are new to all humanity, and we must work them out independently. I often recall the words of Solomon: "What has been, it is what will be, and what has been done, it is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Solomon's message was that what you are going through isn't new. You are certainly not required to go through it alone.

I used to look at the Bible as two-dimensional. The "characters" in the Bible were just part of the story. But at some point, the Holy Spirit woke me up and drew me into the lives of those who walked before me. Peter isn't just some name in the Bible. He was a fisherman, he was married, Peter betrayed Jesus, and he was also the "rock" on which Jesus said His church would be built. Imagine being Peter, called to follow Jesus but also called to honor, love, and care for his wife. Sound familiar?

Paul hunted Christians, met Jesus, and was transformed. His life didn't get easier. It became more challenging, but with the affirmation of Jesus, and the support of the Holy Spirit, he focused on the finish – building Christ's church.

Uncommen Questions:
Who in the Bible do you most admire and relate to best?
Why do you relate to them?

Uncommen Challenge:
Look at one issue in your life, and then think about the person you most related to in the Bible. For example, maybe your job is challenging (David), perhaps you are called to follow Jesus in ministry but are worried about your family (Peter), or maybe doing the right thing is putting you in some crisis (Paul.) Take time today and write down how these men tackled their challenges and start to see how you can apply their examples to your life.