Tough Beginnings- Glorious Endings

Monday began my official training for the Red Hills Triathlon on March 26th. Going in a major goal was to run the triathlon 20lbs lighter than last year. Hears the update after two days: +2lbs. Isn't that encouraging? I guess it's like everything else in life...sometimes you have to go backwards before you can move forward.

Today I can hardly walk. That's because today for the first time in months I did a leg workout with weights. Weight training is an amazing thing. The whole process of weight training is breaking down your muscles so that when they repair themselves they become stronger than they were before you tore them down.

My favorite Florida State football team of all time is the 1989 team. They began the year 0-2. That's right, two years into their run of 14 straight seasons of 10+ wins and top 5 finishes the Seminoles found themselves opening the season with losses to Southern Miss and Clemson. How did they respond? They ran off 10 straight wins including wins over eventual national champ Miami, Florida and complete dismantling of Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl. That is a team that knew what it meant not to give up because it was going through some tough learning experiences. Without that kind of character and willingness to grow the 14 year streak would never have happened.

I'm discovering there are times like that in ministry as well. I wish it was just one grand journey upward but I'm finally admitting what we've known by experience all along...sometimes God will takes through a process (yes a painful one) of tearing down so that we can refocus on what is really important and than allow him to build us back up stronger and more vigorous than ever before. So, don't be discouraged by seasons of tearing down. Have the wisdom to learn from the experience, refocus on what's important and watch remember that's how real growth always takes place.


tags: triathlon