Deal With It

Deal with It

Overcoming inertia, lacing up the shoes, opening the door, and putting one foot in front of the other, regardless of our great excuses to not run, is commendable—and should be the norm. At times, however, we’ll encounter issues that must be dealt with. Usually these are physical symptoms that could signal severe problems down the road. It could be a hot spot on a foot, a weakness in a knee, or a pain in the back, ankle, or Achilles tendon. We would be foolish to ignore those warning signs and try to run through them. Instead, we should listen to our bodies and take corrective and healing action instead of making the situation worse.

Spiritual warning signs appear as well, and we ignore them to our peril. The signs can include feeling pulled toward a persistent temptation, developing a critical spirit, becoming apathetic about worship and personal Bible study, falling into old habits, losing hope and joy, and others. When we sense any of these warnings, we need to deal with them immediately and take corrective action. That means turning to the Great Physician. That’s what David did, and here’s what happened: “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health” (Psalm 30:2).

Later he wrote this: “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

The Runner

Right at the last mile he felt a twinge in his right knee, just after stepping in the small pothole in the street. “That’ll teach me to run in the dark,” he muttered. He didn’t think much of the incident, figuring he’d run through it . . . and he did.

But the next evening at the beginning of his run, he felt pain in that knee—not debilitating, but noticeable. He stopped and stretched, then started up again. The pain didn’t subside, but it didn’t get worse, so he continued and finished five miles. On his next run, the pain was there and felt about the same, so he kept going but favored the sore leg a bit. The following morning, his left ankle was sore, and he still felt the pain in his right knee. That evening he debated about running, considering how his legs were feeling, but he had a schedule he needed to keep to be in shape for the race . . . so he ran again. Halfway through, shooting pain in his knee stopped him in his tracks, and he limped home.

Soon the orthopedic doctor confirmed what he had feared: a torn meniscus. He needed arthroscopic surgery and wouldn’t be running for a while. His doctor said, “I’m glad you came when you did. Any more running would have risked much greater damage. You wouldn’t believe what I’ve seen here, with runners who won’t stop until the pain becomes unbearable. Discipline is one thing, but that’s just stupid!”

The Race

As is the case with many dedicated runners, we can become so busy with our daily routines and jammed schedules that we ignore or run through our spiritual twinges of pain—warning signs that something might be wrong. Most drivers, when they see “check engine” or “check oil” lights flash on the dashboard, have the car serviced as soon as possible. They don’t want to risk serious engine damage. The same can happen in our relationship with God. When the warning light comes on, we can choose to ignore it or get help. John writes, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8). In other words, if we pretend we don’t have a problem, we’re foolish and headed for trouble.

The warning could be the twinge of conscience that makes us feel guilty about something we’ve thought or done. It might be the convicting nudge of the Holy Spirit during a worship service. It could be a Christian friend confronting us about a poor choice, a sinful action, or a misplaced priority. Usually the corrective process begins with confession, admitting our weakness and sin to our loving heavenly Father. John continues with this great promise: “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9).

The Result

Just as with going to the doctor, confession is the beginning. Sometimes surgery will be necessary as God begins changing your attitudes and desires. You may have to work on a relationship issue if another person is involved. The prescription may mean canceling subscriptions or finding new friends or places to hang out. Whatever God is telling you through that warning sign, you need to deal with it.

And here’s another psalm to remember: “The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads” (Psalm 145:14). Run with that promise!

My Story

I had decided to run a marathon—a huge challenge for me, a big guy and a non-runner. But I found a sixteen-week training schedule and stuck to it. The twenty-mile run came at the end of the twelfth week. It was tough, but I made it with the help of a friend from church. After that I knew I could finish the marathon. Worst-case scenario, I would run 20 miles and then walk or crawl my way through the last 6.2. Either way, I would have accomplished my goal.

Several days later I went out to run a few miles, but after a block, shooting pains in my foot almost knocked me down. I stretched the foot, walked a block, and then tried to run again. The pain returned. Thinking it was just soreness from the long run, I rested a few days. When I tried again, the pain returned, and my confidence turned to worry. Not only would I not be able to finish the race, in this condition I wouldn’t be able to even start. The doctor diagnosed the problem as plantar fasciitis and recommended that I stay off my feet because the foot needed rest to heal.

I followed the doctor’s orders and didn’t run at all. Then I tried to run a week prior to the race, but I still felt some pain. So I realized that my chance of running the marathon was a long shot. During this time I prayed a lot, not in bitterness but to say that I felt like I was on a journey and that I would welcome wherever God was sending me in this trial.

Later that week, some experienced runners suggested I try a different pair of shoes to see if that might help. It was worth a shot. So I went to a specialty running store on the Thursday before the Sunday marathon and bought a pair of shoes they recommended. I decided I would let my foot rest until Saturday; then, if I could run the three-mile loop in my subdivision without pain, I would try running on Sunday.

That Saturday, I remember thinking only a miracle could make my foot pain-free. After the first few steps, I felt no pain—then the first block and then the first mile. I couldn’t believe I had completed a mile. One mile became two, and as I was running back up to my house at the end of my three-mile journey, I knew God was watching over me. Ecstatic, I ran into my kitchen and shouted to my wife that God had healed my foot, and tomorrow I would be able to run the marathon. That was the first miracle of this journey.

Tony

Think It Through

1. What physical problems have you encountered in running? How soon did you deal with them? What did you do?

2. What warning signs have you sensed recently in your relationship with God?

3. How will you respond to those signals? How will you deal with those issues?

4. What will be your first step?

On Running

Why is cross-training important?

The main value of cross-training is helping to reduce injury. By doing alternate activities, you can decrease the risk of overusing a muscle, take the pressure off your knees, and increase your aerobic capacity as well. Biking and swimming are good options for reducing the stress to knees and ankles. Weight training will help to strengthen the muscles most used in running and can increase speed and performance.