Running Against the Wind!

Yesterday afternoon I went down to one of our nearby beaches to do a run on the boardwalk. It had been a beautiful day, with the temperatures in the low to mid-60’s and just a slight wind. What I didn’t realize was that by the time I got down to the boardwalk for my run, the wind had picked up considerably, especially along the ocean. In fact, it was now a cold wind coming right off the water—a southeast wind to be exact, which is always the most difficult to deal with.  

Since I had driven to the north end of the boardwalk, I began by running south right into the wind. And for almost two miles, I was fighting for just about every step. As I did, all I could think to myself was that things would be different once I turned around to run back north. And sure enough they were. Once I hit the other end of the boardwalk and turned around (after touching the post at the end of the fence, which all of us OCD runners do!), I was no longer running into the wind. Instead, the wind was now at my back. Immediately my pace went from close to an 11:00/mile pace down to about a 9:00/mile pace. That’s a two minute per mile difference—just by a change in direction! What a difference it is to run with the wind rather than against it! 

Let me ask you, how many times throughout your life have you felt as if you’ve been running into the wind? How many times have you hoped for, prayed for, looked forward to a turn around? I tend to think, such has been the case for most of us at one point or another; I know it has been for me multiple times over. After all, it’s not uncommon for us to feel as if the situations and circumstances of our lives are working against us. At times, it can feel as if even the people in our lives are creating a headwind for us to run against. Time and again, we find ourselves in need of a turnaround. 

If such is the case for you today—or, maybe in the future—I want to encourage you to do two things: (1) Keep on running! Don’t give up. Don’t throw in the towel. Keep on moving forward filled with faith and hope, as slow and difficult as it may feel. After all, you’ll never reach the turnaround if you give up part way through. (2) Trust God. Look to him to give you the strength that you need to keep moving. Put your faith and hope in him. And, know that he is able to both take you through whatever life has thrown your way and give you the turnaround that you so desperately need. Believe that he will help you to once again feel the wind at your back!  

The prophet put it this way: “…those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 – NIV) 

“May the wind be always at your back.”  (Old Irish prayer) 

- Pastor Tim Harris