Running presents a serious temptation. It can become the thing that you live for. While that is true for anything in this world, running is more addictive than most things. Running is good for you. Some people live for gambling or for drinking which is obviously bad. But they fail to see the danger in something as innocent and good as running.
If something dominates your life then you are a slave to it. It dictates everything. Running can dictate your schedule as you have to spend more and more time doing it to prepare for longer and longer races. Running dictates what you eat. Running dictates how much you sleep. When all other things and activities become subservient to running and all your friends are runners then running has become your boss. When all you can think about is running and all you can talk about is running, you are a slave.
God made us and Jesus bought us back from slavery to sin by his death and resurrection. So if we believe in Him we are twice His. So we should not become a slave to anything! Rather we should give ourselves fully to Him to whom we belong.
C.S. Lewis wrote this in Mere Christianity as something God could be saying:
“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out!
Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self—in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange, I will give you Myself. My will shall become your will. My heart shall become your heart.”
I belong to God with all my talents and everything I have. He may do with me what he wants.
Be careful. Running presents a serious temptation. We should not allow anything other than God to take the central position in our lives.
So I try not run away from God. I run to Him. I run with Him and for Him.
Stephan
Running with a Friend 