Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. – Hebrews 12:1-2
I think most of us realize that with any physical task or feat, that the battle is not just a physical one, but a mental one as well. Whether you’ve gone through physical therapy after an injury or surgery, prepared for a race, or practiced intensely for a game or competition, there are ways to train both your body AND your mind. We know these challenges rely on our physical strength and ability, but the will power to lift our arms, twist and turn, or to pick up our feet is connected to our minds as well as our bodies.
As a runner since junior high, I’ve heard that running is 90% mental, and the rest is physical. I do believe in the truth of this and realize that our own self-talk and motivation is key to getting through the challenges of a race, training run, or practice. When you set out to finish a certain distance or route, there are going to be times along the way that are more challenging. You might turn into the wind or go up a hill. And on any day, you might also feel fatigued or sore. These are all reasons you might slow down or even feel tempted to quit. To overcome these challenges, a positive mindset will always help to give you strength! It’s important to focus on the end goal and it’s helpful to give yourself a pep talk with encouraging and helpful words, rather than focusing on the negative and critical nature of the difficulty.
There’s a story that stands out in my mind about the power of this positive mindset. Several years ago, my husband (also a runner and a coach of running sports) was talking to my mom who also runs. She was really feeling challenged anytime she had to run uphill. He said something simple and even a little funny to think about. He just told her “The hills are your friend.” And you know, it helped! My mom said that as she would run up the hill, she would say to herself “the hills are my friend, the hills are my friend” and she was able to run up the hills better than she had before. Sometimes you have to convince yourself that you can overcome the challenges and they are better than you think. There’s lots of other things you might say to yourself when facing a challenge (and most of them are not really positive, helpful, or encouraging!), but the power of positive words can truly make a difference.
As Christians, we have our race set out before us as well. We are following Christ – to share God’s love and to bring hope to the world. There are going to be times that are more challenging. There might be lots of reasons you may slow down or even be tempted to quit. You’ve tried so hard to keep the faith and share the faith and it may not seem to be working. But a positive mindset will help to give you strength! Most of all, remember that God is always with you. Fix your eyes on Jesus, remembering both the suffering and ultimately the victory! And remember as you climb those hills on your journey – that the hills are your friend too!
– Amy Givens, Director of Youth Ministry
