Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Last week I tried a new approach to running a difficult uphill; I looked no more than three feet in front of me for the 2 mile 700 foot climb. While this is probably poor form and not approved by the USTF, I successfully summited.
What it forced me to do, however, was to stay focused specifically on the next step rather than calculate how long until the top, budget my energy for the really difficult portion, or become overwhelmed by the climb remaining.
It also gave me an interesting analogy to consider. Jesus famously tells us in his sermon on the Mount that we should not be concerned with tomorrow because today has enough problems. Think about that. Jesus does not tell us "do not worry because everything is going be alright." Instead he tells us that we have enough problems right in front of us, that we should not worry about an imagined future.
Its often easier to fret about tomorrow because there is little you can do about it today, and it helps you avoid dealing with what is directly in front of you. What would it look like if you focused on the task in front of you--the next three feet--and just churned through that? How would you act differently? How would your attitude change?
I love a quote I came across from John Elderidge's book "Wild at Heart" that said, "Life is not a problem to be solved, but an adventure to be lived." Too often we analyze, over-calculate, and become overwhelmed by the looming hill climb that we forget to realize you climb it just by putting one foot in front of the other.
When I reached the summit and looked up, the view was magnificent. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust and my head to comprehend what I was looking over. Even though I had seen this view many times, it was like seeing it for the first time because it resulted from a new perspective and experience. If you are facing a big uphill climb in life, how might you get a new perspective on it?
Last week I tried a new approach to running a difficult uphill; I looked no more than three feet in front of me for the 2 mile 700 foot climb. While this is probably poor form and not approved by the USTF, I successfully summited.
What it forced me to do, however, was to stay focused specifically on the next step rather than calculate how long until the top, budget my energy for the really difficult portion, or become overwhelmed by the climb remaining.
It also gave me an interesting analogy to consider. Jesus famously tells us in his sermon on the Mount that we should not be concerned with tomorrow because today has enough problems. Think about that. Jesus does not tell us "do not worry because everything is going be alright." Instead he tells us that we have enough problems right in front of us, that we should not worry about an imagined future.
Its often easier to fret about tomorrow because there is little you can do about it today, and it helps you avoid dealing with what is directly in front of you. What would it look like if you focused on the task in front of you--the next three feet--and just churned through that? How would you act differently? How would your attitude change?
I love a quote I came across from John Elderidge's book "Wild at Heart" that said, "Life is not a problem to be solved, but an adventure to be lived." Too often we analyze, over-calculate, and become overwhelmed by the looming hill climb that we forget to realize you climb it just by putting one foot in front of the other.
When I reached the summit and looked up, the view was magnificent. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust and my head to comprehend what I was looking over. Even though I had seen this view many times, it was like seeing it for the first time because it resulted from a new perspective and experience. If you are facing a big uphill climb in life, how might you get a new perspective on it?
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