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During the season, our team encountered some pretty big challenges.. As a team as a whole, and some of us as individuals. I struggled to process everything, and tried to wrap my head around all the unknowns of my ability to run. I'm trying to trust Jesus with the possibility that my legs might be hurt worse than I thought, and I'm trying to be an example to the people around me of what Jesus looks like.
Even so, in the middle of all of this, I feel like I've drawn closer to Jesus and been reminded of so many important truths.
As much as I love cross country and I love my team, I can't find my identity in it. My legs and my team are unstable and imperfect (especially my legs). I can't always rely on it. But even if I lose both of those things, I still have Jesus. I can still cling to the truth that I find in Scripture and in what Jesus says about me. Because ultimately, if I lose everything in the whole world, then I still have Jesus, and my foundation and my identity will not be shaken.
This truth applies to you too. Even if you lose absolutely everything, Jesus is your anchor. He is where you can find your identity, strength, and joy. Not your sport, your health, your relationships, or your accomplishment. But Christ alone.
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." - Psalms 62:5-6
Our world is so inconsistent, and it's easy to look for security in the things of this life. But when it comes down to it, all of those things will fail - except for Jesus.
Jesus is the one that we can stand firm on. He never changes, and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is love (1 John 4:16), truth and life (John 8:32). He is faithful and forever good.
When we submit and surrender to the Lord, not only is He our foundation of truth, He walks alongside us in all that we do. As we walk with Jesus, He isn't just there - He is our strength, our peace, and our hope. He guides us through the hard (and the amazing) things of life, and even when circumstances say otherwise, Jesus gives us life and life in abundance (John 10:10).
As I've been processing some difficult stuff, not only has Jesus proven faithful, He's shown me that there is so much to be thankful for. Even when my shins hurt like words cannot describe, my season doesn't go as I imagine it, my teachers pile on the homework, and people let me down, I am so blessed, and there are so many reasons to praise God. Even in the midst of the struggle, I can run (mostly), I have an incredible team behind me, my teachers can help me understand what I'm learning, and the people in my life love and support me in a beautifully imperfect way.
Yes, there are a lot of challenging things that life throws at us, but God has also given us so many good things. In every hard situation, God gives us so many more blessings. Sometimes they aren't big things, but they are always meaningful gifts from heaven that remind us that there is light in what can seem like endless darkness. From pretty skies to warm cooked meals to laughter, there are so many beautiful things in this life, and God has orchestrated them all just for us. In everything going on right now, I'm reminded to slow down and praise Him for all of that.
And even more than that, Jesus has been teaching me about not only drawing near to Him personally, but also what it looks like to be bold and live for Him. He's opened my eyes that the hard stuff in this life is an opportunity to shine His light to the people around us.
Lately, the Lord has opened my eyes to the many hurting people in my life. He's shown me that there are so many people who need Him, and that He has put me in a position to share His truth with them. Jesus has shown me that I can use my hurt to fuel my love for the other hurting people in this world, and that's a beautiful, beautiful thing.
Recently, I've faced some hard things, but it's so clear to me that Jesus is using all those things to create a grand masterpiece. In the hard, uncomfortable places, Jesus meets us where we're at and teaches us the most important lessons of our lives. In the hard, uncomfortable places, we can experience Jesus in a new, intimate way; and in these places, we can see with new eyes the many blessings and opportunities the Lord has put on our path.
I am oh-so grateful for what God is doing in my life right now, and I would love to hear about what He's doing in yours! Comment down below something that God is teaching you in this season of life, and I'd love to celebrate that with you. Or, if you have any prayer requests, please leave those down below and I'd love to pray with you!
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