I can relate to Paul when he says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.” Of course, many people can. Where many of us stop being able to relate to Paul is when he says he has “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” Now that is something amazing, considering Paul spent much of his time in jail, on trial, hiding, traveling around with no real permanent home and preaching a message that caused many to laugh at him or want to kill him. Like me, many of you reading this have a passion for a sport. We may not be professional athletes, yet we prefer hard workout days to rest days; and we pretend we’re not injured by ignoring a nagging pain that will not go away. Invariably, it happens. We get sidelined by an injury that forces us to set aside our sport for (hopefully) a short period of time. We’re not pleasant people to be around and we spend far too much time stewing about how terrible it is that we can’t get out there and run, bike, golf, swim…(pick your passion). Paul, on the other hand, was content in any circumstance because he knew that no matter what, he could “do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Paul understood that God could and would do great things through him no matter what he didn’t have or couldn’t do. Rather than wrapping my identity in my sport, I desire to be someone who is recognized as a woman of God who has found contentment in her life – whether I’m running or recovering.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me see life through Your eyes – that the things of this world are nothing compared to what you will have for me in heaven. Thank you for loving me enough to do great things through me in spite of my frailties. In Jesus’ name I pray – Amen.
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