Thankful

Many days I find myself running and striving... what more can I learn, how can I help, stay in shape, succeed. Paul compares living the Christian life to running a race in Philippians 3. Push forward for the prize. It seems important to take a moment every once in a while to ask myself though if the race I'm running is dictated by the demands of society, or those of God. If I lived in Japan, society would say I needed to succeed at work. Here, I need to have enough money to buy a nice house, nice car, nice clothes. In the Philippines, I would need to have fruitful relationships, and a companion with me at all times. If different areas of the world, or different groups of people can determine what comprises the race of life, then there must be something more, something bigger that applies to all people.

It's really not so difficult to determine WHAT is needed (it's not quite so easy to carry it out), as it is spelled out in the Bible. Micah 6:8 says "What does the Lord require of the but to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Where (or when, rather) did this world lose sight of the simpler things of life and start running a race that is a competition for success, money, and popularity? How do those things help us to walk humbly with our God?

There's a place downtown that offers a week of free yoga if you've never been there before. I'm using my free week right now, and it's a pretty amazing practice. Difficult and yet relaxing, and incredibly good for your body. The relating factor to this blog is that the instructor was talking yesterday about the balance of discipline and compassion. It is good to strive, to push for more. To seek God with all your heart, absolutely. But there also needs to be an element of compassion that says things are pretty great the way they are.

Today I am thankful. Thankful that I am sitting at a desk, thankful I have a job, thankful I can walk and run. Thankful it's a Friday, thankful I work with those I do. Thankful I have a loving family, a place to live, clothes to wear. Thankful for the opportunities I've been granted... a college education, a semester in France, ski trips, summers working with high schoolers and running kids clubs. Thankful to live in a country where I can worship God freely, thankful for the relationships God has granted me. Thankful for an able mind and body.

As much as I want to make a "bigger" difference, working with other cultures, or at least know more about what's going on in the world, things are pretty great the way they are. I do not need all the things I have, but just to come to an understanding that while I want more, and will continue to seek God for all He is, I must also walk humbly with Him. If the things I'm striving for are for my own benefit, or to conform to the patterns of this world, then my energy is concentrated in the wrong places. That race we run must be run with our eyes on Jesus!