Joy (Injury Part 3)

"God-Loyal people don't stay down long, soon they're up on their feet."  -Proverbs 24:16 (MSG)

This summer was one of the greatest roller-coasters of a lifetime. I got to go to Africa, lead a cross country camp, and go to Mammoth Lakes California, where I got to meet my hero, Ryan Hall!

I've also had a lot of ups & downs this summer. When I was in Africa, I was humbled to lead someone to Christ, which was incredible! I also had some great conversations with some high school athletes at the Baylor Cross Country Camp.

On the other hand, I didn't get to run a step this summer due to a stress fracture. I spent a lot of time alone for hours on end swimming and deep water running in the pool. While my teammates were out running, I was confined to the air bubble also known as the Alter G. It was frustrating, and I spent a lot of time asking God tough questions. (see part 2 Frustration)

But through all the ups and downs, the Lord has taught me a lot about His faithfulness, and the joy I have in Him.

My hero, Ryan Hall, who helped lead a bible study I was in this summer while I was in California, shared Proverbs 24:16 with us, which really encouraged me.

The verse in Proverbs 24 doesn't shy away from the fact that we will be down, in fact, it implies that at one point in our life we will be down. However, the cool part of the verse tells us that if we are loyal to Christ, we will be up on our feet! Coming from someone who has had a 3 month fracture in my foot, that verse is really encouraging to hear.

I asked God this summer question I didn't think He had an answer for. I asked Him, "God, how come I have this fracture, why would you give this pain to me, to someone who is seeking You?"

Looking back, I asked God the wrong question. I realized a critical mistake in my question… I attributed my pain to something that God had personally given to me, almost like he was purposefully giving me pain. But if we look in the Bible, we see that all good things come from God (James 1).

God didn't give me a stress fracture, but He has allowed me to have it, so that I may be more dependent on Him, rather than put my identity in running, something I do so often.

My pastor from the church I grew up in, Todd Wagner defined the words worry & joy in a clear way:

Worry: "God has it all wrong"
Joy: "Knowing God is good & sovereign"

I spent the majority of this summer, worrying whether or not I would be able to run, I didn't fully trust in God's faithfulness. I thought like in Todd's definition of worry, that God had it all wrong. It took a trip 7000 miles away to Africa to help me realize that I needed to have joy, and trust that the Lord is a God who is constantly faithful to me, a God who is not forgetful of the pains that we go through, but ever present in the hardships of life.

Although I am not back to running, and sometimes frustrated with the slow process of having to cross train, while with my teammates are out & about, I've got something thats worth more than health: Joy, or a trust in God's faithfulness to me each day that I wake up.

 I know that one day when running ends, I'm going to have something more permanent: A relationship with Christ filled with joy!

Beautiful Feet

There are two words that all runners never want to hear: Stress Fracture.

Unfortunately, this happened to be the case for me.

I had just come off of a career best indoor season, primed for a great outdoor season- had a few good early tune-ups just in time before Texas Relays and Big XII's. Seemed like a new 5k PR was in my sights at last after a hard few months of training.

But the Lord had a different plan for me: a small little fracture in my right foot. 

Instead of the track or the open roads, my world consisted of doctors offices and swimming pools.

The last two months of my life have been definitely out of sync, no running, occasional cross training or pool workouts, but without running, things have seemed out of rhythm.

I've had a lot of free time while I've been out of commission, and it's been a time to reflect and ask God some tough questions. I was driving home a friend from school one day and she told me, "Matt, you have worked so hard to get where you are, I don't understand why God would allow you to get injured."

That was a question I struggled with a lot.

It's hard to watch on the sidelines, its hard going to rehabs and X-rays, when your teammates are out giving it their all on the track. You want to be with them, you want to have that feeling of satisfaction, the one you get when you have run your hardest, and know their is nothing you could have done to make your race any better. Every runner wants and strives for this feeling. And when that opportunity is stripped from you, its hard.

However, I have had an incredible peace about the whole process. The doctors said it was okay to be angry, it was ok to be frustrated. But I wasn't… at all.

I've realized something that has completely changed my perspective on injury:
If my goal is to glorify Christ with running, then why would I be discouraged with an injury? I can use an injury to glorify Christ with my attitude. I can use an injury to open up great conversations with people to tell them about the peace that the Lord has given me!

Romans 10:15 says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

With this perspective, everything has changed. The glass is half full for me.
My "broken" foot, has now become a "beautiful foot," because I can use it to make Christ's name more known!

Life is hard, there is no doubt. Look around us- West Explosions, Boston Marathon Bombings… just 5 minutes of watching the news will clear any doubt that life is hard. But let me tell you, yes life is hard, but Christ is the only way we can get through our trials and struggles in life. And my words mean nothing, Christ is the only one who can truly change our hearts.

My prayer is that we all can find peace and satisfaction through Christ, no matter what comes our way.

my hero, Eric Liddell, in Chariots of Fire said it best,

"Who am I to say, "believe," "have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in his or her own way. And where does the power come from to see the race to its end? From within,

Jesus said, "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts you truly seek Me, then you shall ever surely find Me."  
If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, than THAT is how you run the straight race!