A few years ago, I had a “perfect storm” of problems. Nothing tragic but just an overabundance of sad and unfortunate things. It was kind of like an infestation of sugar ants. One or two or even three little ants are not too bad but when you see them swarm the kitchen counter, it gets disturbing.
I didn’t feel like running but forced myself to get out the door anyway. I tried to think on good things because running solo can be tough while dwelling on your bounty of problems. But there were so many and every thought seemed to remind me of another. I was starting to wonder if I should even be training like this with so much going on. The ants were swarming my run. Something had to be done.
During that run, I realized I should do these two things:
#1 Determine what problems were out of my control. Those problems needed to be given to the Lord in prayer. Let Him have them.
#2 For the rest of the problems, I needed to pray for those as well but I also needed to figure out what I could do to improve them and do it.
I almost couldn’t wait to get home to organize and actually list these problems. There were 19 of them but, once categorized, I saw I’d been fretting about 10 things that simply needed prayer (sister’s surgery, friend moving away, a friend’s divorce). Those were on God’s list. With the other 9 things, I made plans to do something about them instead of worry (parenting, my health, school). Making that list felt like a weight had been lifted. It showed me the best way to wade through that time and even gave a renewed energy to keep on training.
Exodus 33:14 (NASB)
And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Isaiah 54:10
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says the Lord who has compassion on you.