The Gauntlet

Do you ever feel like you are running through a gauntlet?  An invisible one of course, without hot coals or obvious weapons.

Rather a gauntlet of busyness and expectations; your own expectations and those of people who influence you.

One of decisions. Small every day choices like if you should have a soda with lunch and big decisions like whether or not you refinance your house or go back to school.

The question is when do you stop running?

Is it at the the end of the work day?  Or maybe Friday evening as you close out the work week?  Do you slow down when the dishes are finally done and your favorite show, or perhaps any semi interesting program, beckons from the T.V.?

Is life a gauntlet?

I don't have an answer for this question.  But I suspect the answer is somewhere between yes and no.

We currently live in a fallen world.  Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7,  " I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,  I have kept the faith."

This suggests that there may be days that feel like a struggle to get through.  And that's okay.  We have to keep living in faith.

But there is another side.  Jesus states in John 10:10.  "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

In Isaiah 30:15 we find the Lord saying, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength."

Also in Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Maybe a-take-away from this question is that some days, weeks and, sometimes months are harder than others.  But even when getting out of bed in the morning feels like a step of faith, God is present.  And there are so many moments of goodness even in an imperfect day.  Today for example I enjoyed a quick walk in the crisp air and saw a little cardinal chirping in a tree beside the path.  That was a a breath of joy.

And in general, I don't think life was meant to be full speed ahead all the time.  So if we are feeling overworked, stressed, or overwhelmed, perhaps it is time to seek rest in the shade of the Almighty God.

We were created after all for relationship, with God, with each other, with animals, and trees, and sunny days.

So as we say goodbye to yet another month in 2012, may the beginning of the next bring with it peace and rest, and may we continue to learn how to live a life worthy of the incredible calling we have received.