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When the Fruit Gets Too Heavy

We have an apple tree in our front yard.

Every year, it produces a lot of apples. There were actually a few years when it stopped producing for a while, but this year it came back with more fruit than I think I have ever seen on it.

And I mean a lot of fruit.

Now, I should probably tell you that I don’t have a green thumb. I don’t care to have a green thumb. I don’t want a green thumb. My husband takes care of the lawn, but between keeping up with the yard and keeping up with life, we don’t pay a whole lot of attention to this apple tree.

We pretty much figure it’s going to do what it’s going to do.

And this year, what it decided to do was produce.

The branches were absolutely covered in apples. There were so many that they started hanging lower and lower from the weight.

Then one day, I came home and noticed that an entire branch had broken off.

And this wasn’t a little branch.

It was a huge section of the tree, lying in our front yard, still covered in apples. Other apples had fallen to the ground, and before long the bees had discovered them too.

So Saturday morning, my husband went outside with his saw and started cutting up the broken branch while I gathered whatever fruit I could still save.

And as I stood there picking up apple after apple, I couldn’t stop thinking about how strange it was that the very thing the tree was supposed to produce had become too heavy for it to carry.

The problem wasn’t that the tree didn’t have fruit.

The problem was that the fruit wasn’t being taken off.

And I immediately thought about us.

Galatians 5:22–23 tells us:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

We talk a lot about having the fruit of the Spirit. We want to be loving. We want joy. We want peace. We want patience.

But standing underneath that apple tree made me think about something I hadn’t really considered before.

Fruit isn’t just evidence that a tree is healthy. Fruit is meant to feed somebody.

Our apple tree has been doing that for years.

One of our neighbors comes over and gathers apples to make pies. Another neighbor makes apple butter, jelly, candy apples, and all kinds of treats that she gives away or sells. Other neighbors simply walk by, reach up, grab an apple, and keep walking.

And we love it.

The tree produces far more than our family could ever use, so its fruit ends up blessing people all around us.

Shouldn’t the same thing be true of us?

If the Holy Spirit is producing love in me, someone else should experience that love.

If He’s producing patience in me, someone else should benefit from that patience.

If He’s producing kindness, goodness, gentleness, joy, and peace in my life, those things shouldn’t simply stay with me.

They’re supposed to feed somebody.

And yet we live in a time when it is incredibly easy to constantly fill ourselves spiritually.

We can listen to sermons all day long. We can stream worship music whenever we want. We have podcasts, Bible studies, books, devotionals, conferences, YouTube videos, and social media accounts constantly giving us more.

And none of those things are bad.

But we can spend so much time taking in that we forget that eventually we’re supposed to pour something back out.

We receive.

And receive.

And receive.

Meanwhile, the branches get heavier.

Maybe spiritual growth isn’t only about how much I’m taking in.

Maybe sometimes I need to ask:

What am I doing with what God has already produced in me?

Who is being encouraged because God has given me joy?

Who is experiencing kindness because God has been kind to me?

Who is being loved because His love has filled me?

Who is experiencing patience, gentleness, or goodness because the Spirit is producing those things in my life?

Because the fruit was never meant to stay on the tree forever.

Eventually, somebody needs to pick it.

Eventually, somebody needs to eat it.

Eventually, what God is producing in us is supposed to become nourishment for somebody else.

That Saturday morning, I looked at a branch that had literally become so full of good fruit that it couldn’t carry the weight anymore.

And I couldn’t help but think:

Maybe sometimes we don’t need another sermon.

Maybe we don’t need another podcast.

Maybe we don’t need another Bible study telling us what we already know.

Maybe it’s time to take some of what God has already given us and give it away.

Love someone.

Encourage someone.

Serve someone.

Forgive someone.

Be patient with someone.

Sit with someone.

Pray with someone.

Give somebody some of the fruit.

Because a healthy tree doesn’t produce fruit for itself.

It produces fruit so that others can eat.

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Are You Eating the Lotus Flower?

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

(A few light spoilers ahead for The Odyssey*. If you’ve waited a month to see it, that’s on you.)*

I watched The Odyssey on opening weekend, and there was one scene that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

Odysseus has been stranded on an island with Calypso. In the movie’s telling of the story, he discovers that years of his life have slipped away while he’s been living in a constant state of comfort and distraction. When he realizes he’s been there for seven years, his reaction isn’t relief. It’s heartbreak.

Seven years.

Seven years that could have been spent returning home.

Seven years that could have been spent with his family.

Seven years that he can never get back.

As I sat there in the theater, I couldn’t stop thinking, How many of us are eating the lotus flower?

Maybe not a literal flower, but something that quietly steals our attention one day at a time.

It’s so easy now.

One more episode.

One more scroll.

One more video.

One more article.

One more notification.

None of those things are necessarily sinful. I enjoy relaxing too. I probably spend more time crocheting than I should sometimes, and I certainly enjoy sitting down with a good book. Rest is a gift from God. But there’s a difference between intentional rest and unintentional drifting.

Lately, almost every morning, I’ve been writing Psalm 90:12 in my planner:

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

That verse has become a quiet reminder before I start my day. Lord, help me remember that today matters. Help me choose what matters most and invest my time in the things You’ve actually called me to do.

I’ve started thinking less about time management and more about self management. We all get the same twenty four hours. The question isn’t whether we have enough time. The question is whether we’re directing our attention toward the things that produce lasting fruit.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15 through 16,

“Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Notice he doesn’t simply tell us to be busy. He tells us to be wise.

Our attention is one of the most valuable things we possess, and there are countless people and countless algorithms competing for it every single day. Entire industries are built around keeping us engaged just a little longer. If we’re not careful, we can wake up years from now wondering where the time went.

Wondering why our walk with God feels stagnant.

Wondering why our dreams never became reality.

Wondering why we never started the ministry, wrote the book, served our neighbors, invested in our family, or pursued the calling God placed on our hearts.

Not because we chose something terrible. Because we kept choosing something temporary.

I don’t want to reach the end of my life and realize I spent it consuming instead of creating.

Scrolling instead of serving.

Watching instead of walking.

The good news is that today is still today. If you’ve been eating the lotus flower, you don’t have to keep doing it.

Turn off the screen.

Pick up your Bible.

Call the friend.

Take the walk.

Write the page.

Serve at church.

Start the project.

Have the conversation.

Do the next faithful thing.

Because every day God gives us is another opportunity to live on purpose.

So today, ask yourself one simple question: What is my lotus flower?

Then ask the Lord to help you number your days, live wisely, and spend your life on the things that will still matter long after today is over.

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Turn On the Light

The other day, I was walking along Lake Michigan during a heat advisory. The sun was intense. Even with a hat and sunglasses on, I could feel it beating down on me. Everything around me was bright. The water sparkled, the sky was clear, and there was no escaping the light.

As I walked, a simple illustration came to mind.

Imagine a ceiling fan with four light bulbs. When one bulb burns out, you hardly notice. There are still three working, so the room seems bright enough.

Then another bulb burns out.

Then another.

Before long, you’re down to one bulb, but because the change happened gradually, your eyes have adjusted. The room is much darker than it used to be, but it feels normal because you’ve grown accustomed to it.

Isn’t that how life works sometimes?

We get used to things that were never meant to be normal.

We get used to financial stress.

We get used to unhealthy habits.

We get used to clutter, chaos, and dysfunction.

We get used to spiritual dryness.

Little by little, our eyes adjust.

Then one day we find ourselves feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated, wondering how we got there.

The answer may be simpler than we think.

We need light.

One of the first things God did in creation was speak light into darkness:

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

I’ve always found that interesting. Before God brought order, He brought light.

You cannot create order in darkness.

Whether it’s our finances, our relationships, our health, or our spiritual lives, we have to be willing to see clearly before we can move forward. Yet so often we want God to fix things without first allowing Him to reveal what needs attention.

The beautiful thing is that God’s light is not meant to shame us. It is meant to help us.

When God shines His light on an area of our lives, He is not exposing us to condemn us. He is helping us see clearly so that healing, growth, and change can begin.

Maybe the question today isn’t, “What needs to change?”

Maybe the better question is, “Where do I need to turn on the light?”

What area of your life have you become so accustomed to that you no longer recognize the dysfunction?

Where have your eyes adjusted to the darkness?

Because once the light comes on, clarity follows. And when clarity comes, we can begin creating order.

Sometimes the most important step forward is not doing more.

It’s simply turning on the light.

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The Difference is Grace

Lately, I have found myself thinking about the way Christians respond to the world around us. It seems that everywhere we look, there is criticism, judgment, and condemnation. People are quick to point out the sins, mistakes, and poor choices of others. Yet when I read the life of Jesus, I see something very different.

Jesus never ignored sin, but He never lost sight of the person behind it.

One of my favorite verses is found in John 3:17:

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Jesus came on a rescue mission. He came for the broken, the hurting, the confused, the deceived, and the lost. He saw people not as they were in their sin, but as they could become through His grace.

That perspective should change the way we view the world around us.

Too often, Christians can become frustrated with unbelievers. We wonder why they do not understand God’s ways. We shake our heads at the choices they make. Sometimes we even hear people use harsh or derogatory language when talking about those who are far from God.

But Scripture gives us a different lens.

2 Corinthians 4:4 says:

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

Think about that for a moment. The Bible says they are blind.

If we met someone who was physically blind, we would not mock them for being unable to see. We would not laugh at them for stumbling. We would not criticize them for needing help. We would show compassion. We would offer guidance. We would patiently help them find their way.

Why should our response be any different when it comes to spiritual blindness?

The lost are not our enemies. They are people who need Jesus.

One of the most powerful reminders of this truth is found in Titus 3. Paul writes:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us…”

It is so easy to forget where we came from.

The longer we walk with Christ, the more tempting it can be to look at someone’s current situation and forget that we were once just as lost, deceived, and in need of grace. We were not saved because we were smarter, more moral, or somehow better than everyone else. We were saved because God, in His kindness and mercy, reached down and rescued us.

When I read Titus 3, I am reminded that the difference between me and someone who does not know Christ is not my goodness. The difference is His grace.

God’s kindness led me to repentance. His patience gave me time to grow. His mercy covered my failures. And if that is how He treated me, then that is how I should treat others.

The next time I am tempted to judge someone who is far from God, I want to remember where I came from. I want to remember the patience God showed me, the grace He extended to me, and the countless times He pursued me when I wasn’t pursuing Him.

The world doesn’t need more condemnation. It has plenty of that already. What the world needs is for Christians to reflect the heart of Jesus.

May we never forget that we were once blind too. And may we be willing to lovingly help others find the Savior who opened our eyes.

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Remember Who You Are

As I was reading Philippians 3 this week, there were several verses that really stood out to me.

Paul starts this chapter by talking about all the things that used to define him. He talks about his background, his education, his culture, and his status. These were all things that gave him value and identity before he met Christ.

Then in verse 7 he says something remarkable:

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.”

A few verses later, he goes even further and says that compared to knowing Christ, all of those things are garbage.

That is such a powerful statement.

Paul understood something that we often forget. The things of this world are temporary. Our possessions, our accomplishments, our titles, our status, and even our struggles are all temporary. The only thing that truly lasts is our relationship with Christ.

Sometimes we place so much emphasis on our identity in this world. We identify ourselves as a mom, an executive, a teacher, a coach, a leader, or by whatever role we happen to fill. None of those things are wrong, but they were never meant to be our primary identity.

Paul reminds us that what matters most is knowing Christ.

When everything else is stripped away, that is the one thing that remains.

The second section of Philippians 3 contains one of my favorite passages in Scripture.

Paul is very honest about the fact that he has not arrived. He knows he is not perfect. He knows there is still work for God to do in his life.

Yet instead of becoming discouraged, he says:

“But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”

I love that.

Paul is not saying his past never happened. He is not pretending he never made mistakes. He is simply refusing to allow his past to determine his future.

He keeps moving forward.

He keeps pressing on.

He keeps pursuing the purpose God has for his life.

That is such an important reminder for all of us.

There are so many people who spend their lives looking backward. They are trapped by guilt, shame, regret, or old mistakes. Paul shows us a different way. He says to get up, keep going, and keep your eyes fixed on what God is calling you toward.

We may not be perfect, but we can continue moving forward.

As Paul wraps up this chapter, he returns to a theme that has shown up throughout the entire book of Philippians. He challenges believers to live lives that reflect Christ.

In fact, he tells them to follow his example.

That is a pretty bold statement.

Imagine being able to tell someone, “If you want to know what it looks like to follow Jesus, watch how I live.”

That should be our goal as believers.

We should not have one version of ourselves for church and another version for the rest of the week. We should not have hidden areas of our lives that we hope nobody sees. Instead, our lives should consistently reflect the One we claim to follow.

Paul also warns the church about people whose lives show that they are enemies of the cross. He says they are focused entirely on earthly things. Their appetites drive them. Their attention is fixed on this world and what it can offer.

As I was reading that section, I was reminded of something I wrote about recently.

People are not looking for an echo of the culture.

The world does not need more Christians who blend in with everyone else. The world needs believers whose lives point people toward something greater.

Then Paul closes the chapter with one of the most encouraging verses in the entire book:

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.”

That statement would have meant a lot to the Philippians.

They lived under Roman authority and took great pride in their citizenship, their culture, and their history. Paul was not telling them those things were unimportant. He was reminding them that there was something even more important.

Before they were citizens of Rome, they were citizens of heaven.

The same is true for us.

Before we are Americans, Republicans, Democrats, Baptists, Methodists, executives, teachers, coaches, or anything else, we are children of God.

Our primary identity is found in Christ.

That is really the message Paul is driving home throughout this chapter.

As believers, there should be something different about the way we live and carry ourselves. We belong to a different kingdom. We have a different hope. We are living for something greater than what this world has to offer.

So let us remember what Paul remembered.

Let us hold the things of this world loosely.

Let us forget what is behind and press forward toward what God has ahead.

And above all else, let us remember who we are.

We are citizens of heaven.

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A Life Worthy of the Gospel

One verse from this week’s study in Philippians really stood out to me:

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27, NIV)

Paul wrote those words from prison.

He wasn’t writing from a place of comfort or convenience. He wasn’t writing during a season when everything was going according to plan. Yet his focus wasn’t on his circumstances. His focus was on how believers should live regardless of their circumstances.

As we worked through Philippians chapters 1 and 2, one theme kept appearing over and over again: personal responsibility.

Paul reminds us that as followers of Christ, we are representatives of the gospel. We are ambassadors for Jesus. The way we speak, the way we treat people, the attitudes we carry, and the words we choose all communicate something about the Savior we claim to follow.

In Philippians 2:5, Paul writes:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

He goes on to describe Christ’s humility, His willingness to serve, and His obedience to the Father. Then later in the chapter, Paul gives a very practical instruction:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:14-15, NIV)

Those verses feel especially relevant today.

We live in a culture where criticism is common, complaints are constant, and everyone seems to have an opinion about everything. It’s easy to get swept into that mindset. It’s easy to join the conversation, add our two cents, and echo the negativity around us.

But Paul calls believers to something different.

Recently, I heard pastor and author Carey Nieuwhof say, “The culture needs an alternative to itself, not an echo of itself.” That statement immediately reminded me of Philippians.

That statement immediately reminded me of Philippians.

The world already has plenty of criticism. Plenty of anger. Plenty of complaining.

What people are looking for is something different. They are looking for hope. They are looking for grace. They are looking for kindness. They are looking for people who respond differently because Christ has changed them.

As believers, we have an opportunity every day to show the world what Jesus is like.

We can reflect His humility.

We can reflect His patience.

We can reflect His kindness.

Or we can simply blend in with everyone else.

Lately, I’ve been trying to put this into practice in my own life. Sometimes I’ll see someone doing something differently than I would do it. Maybe it’s a ministry, an organization, or a person making a decision I wouldn’t make. My first thought might be to critique it.

But then I’m reminded: if God hasn’t called me to lead that ministry, run that organization, or make that decision, perhaps my role is not to criticize but to encourage, pray, and trust Him.

Not every opinion needs to be spoken.

Not every criticism needs to be shared.

Not every disagreement needs to become an argument.

Paul’s challenge to the Philippians is the same challenge for us today: live a life worthy of the gospel.

Whether things are going well or poorly.

Whether circumstances are easy or difficult.

Whether people agree with us or not.

May our words, attitudes, and actions point people to Christ.

And may we shine brightly in a world that desperately needs to see Him.

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Finding Contentment Close to Home

This week, I am starting a study through the book of Philippians, and something happened that made me stop and think about one of the book’s central themes: contentment.

I went for a three-mile walk along Lake Michigan. When I finished, I grabbed a blanket that I’ve decided to start keeping in my car, spread it out on the beach, opened my book, and spent some time reading by the water. The sun was shining, the breeze was perfect, and the sound of the waves made it feel like I was miles away on vacation.

I even took a picture because, at a glance, it looked like I had traveled somewhere special.

The reality? I was less than fifteen minutes from my house.

As I sat there, I realized something. Last summer, I barely came to the beach at all. Not because I didn’t enjoy it. Not because it wasn’t beautiful. Life was simply busy, and I overlooked something that was available to me all along.

People drive hours to visit this beach. Some save money and plan vacations around places like this. Yet there have been seasons when I didn’t take advantage of something sitting practically in my own backyard.

It reminded me how easy it is to overlook the blessings right in front of us.

We often think joy is waiting somewhere else. We tell ourselves we’ll be happy when we get the next thing, reach the next goal, take the next trip, buy the next item, or finally arrive at whatever destination we’ve set for ourselves. But sometimes the beauty we’re searching for is much closer than we realize.

As I sat there reading, I couldn’t help but think about Philippians.

One of the most life-changing passages in that book for me is when Paul writes that he has learned the secret of being content in every circumstance. In a culture that constantly encourages us to consume more, buy more, achieve more, and chase more, those words feel incredibly countercultural.

Over the years, I’ve learned that contentment isn’t found in having everything I want. It’s found in recognizing everything I’ve already been given.

I’ve never been especially materialistic. Shopping has never been my favorite pastime, and accumulating more things has never brought me much satisfaction. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more aware of where true contentment comes from.

My contentment is found in Christ.

It’s found in knowing who He is, what He has done, and what He has already provided.

As we begin studying Philippians, we’ll encounter some of the most quoted verses in Scripture. Verses like, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

But I think it’s important that we understand what Paul is actually teaching. So often we define our needs through the lens of our culture. We begin to expect things that Scripture never promises because we’ve confused wants with needs.

The world tells us that contentment is found in getting more.

Scripture tells us that contentment is found in Christ.

That’s why passages like Romans 12 remind us not to be conformed to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. And that’s why I love what Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:3, that God “has given us everything required for life and godliness.”

Think about that.

Everything we need.

Why?

Because He has given us Himself. He has given us His Son. He has given us salvation, grace, mercy, purpose, hope, and the promise of eternity.

The more we understand that truth, the more we begin to recognize that contentment isn’t found in what we’re lacking. It’s found in appreciating what we’ve already received.

So over the next few weeks, I’ll be walking through the book of Philippians one chapter at a time. My hope isn’t to provide a deep theological commentary, but simply to share what God is teaching me as I study His Word.

And maybe it starts with a simple reminder from a beach fifteen minutes from home:

Sometimes the blessings we’ve been searching for are already right in front of us. We just need to slow down long enough to see them.

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Faithful in the Little Things

This morning I was reading Luke 16, the parable of the shrewd manager. The story begins with a manager who is about to lose his job because he has been wasting his master’s resources. Knowing his time is running out, he takes action and begins settling accounts.

As Jesus explains the lesson, He makes a powerful statement:

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” (Luke 16:10)

For years, this has been something God has continually brought back to my attention.

Many of us have big dreams. We feel God has placed desires in our hearts, ministries we want to build, people we want to impact, opportunities we hope will come. But often, while we’re waiting, we spend more time complaining about what we don’t have than being faithful with what we do have.

Why would God trust us to speak to thousands if we aren’t preparing well to speak to twenty?

Why would He increase our income if we’re not managing the money we already have?

Why would He expand our influence if we’re not stewarding the opportunities right in front of us?

The truth is that preparation happens long before promotion.

Faithfulness looks like showing up to work on time. It looks like handling our responsibilities with integrity. It looks like being honest with our time, our finances, our relationships, and our commitments. It looks like serving wholeheartedly, even when nobody notices.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about this with my blog and with women’s ministry. Neither one is reaching the world right now, and that’s okay. My responsibility isn’t to make them bigger. My responsibility is to be faithful with what God has already placed in my hands.

God doesn’t ask us to be successful by the world’s standards. He asks us to be faithful.

So today, instead of focusing on what you wish you had, take inventory of what God has already entrusted to you. Are you stewarding it well?

Because often the little things we’re tempted to overlook are the very things God uses to prepare us for what’s next.

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Grace for the Race

Last week, I wrote about running our own race and staying focused on the path God has marked out for us. But during that same 10K race, something happened that stayed with me long after I crossed the finish line.

As I was running, I saw a woman walking in the opposite direction, crying.

I don’t know her story. Maybe she got hurt. Maybe she realized the distance was more than she expected. I truly don’t know the details, and this is in no way meant to shame her.

But seeing her walk away from the course made me think about how easy it can be in life to feel like turning around and giving up.

Sometimes life feels overwhelming. Sometimes we hit seasons where we think, “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”

Maybe it’s your finances.
Maybe it’s your marriage.
Maybe it’s parenting, ministry, work, or just the weight of life itself.

Paul encouraged believers over and over again to keep going. In Galatians 6:9 he writes:

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

I love that verse because it acknowledges something important:
Sometimes you will feel tired.

But tired doesn’t always mean it’s time to quit.

One thing I love about races is that all throughout the course there are water stations. And it always amazes me how they seem to appear at exactly the right moment, right when you feel like you really need one.

When you’re running, stopping briefly at a water station doesn’t mean you failed the race. It doesn’t mean you quit. It simply means you needed to refresh yourself so you could keep going.

And I think Jesus is that for us.

Jesus said:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Sometimes what we need is not to give up.
Sometimes we simply need rest.
We need to pause, regroup, pray, worship, breathe, and spend time in the presence of God.

The goal isn’t to push ourselves until we completely fall apart. The goal is to stay in the race.

2 Peter 1:3 reminds us that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. That means whatever season we are facing, God will provide the strength, grace, wisdom, and endurance we need to keep moving forward.

So if you’re tired, rest.
If you’re weary, go to Jesus.
If you’re discouraged, pause at the water station.

But don’t give up mid-race.

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Run Your Race

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in 1 Corinthians 9:24–27. Paul writes:

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win. All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I’m not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others, I myself might be disqualified.”

Part of my goal for this summer is to let some of you get to know me a little bit better, and one of my favorite things in the world is running.

I started running in 2018, and over the years I’ve completed a few half marathons and even a marathon. I had to take a couple years off because of some different life circumstances, but this year I’m finally back to running consistently for the first time in three years, and honestly, it feels amazing.

There’s just something about being outside in God’s creation that brings me peace. The quiet. The movement. The fresh air. It clears my mind and settles my spirit in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it yourself.

A couple of weeks ago, I ran my longest race of the year so far, a 10K. The event also included a 5K, a half marathon, and a full marathon. Those races started before ours, so by the time we got onto the trail, runners from all the different distances were already spread out along the course.

At one point, I saw someone already turning around and heading back toward the finish line, and for a second I thought, How are they already that far ahead of me?

Then I remembered… they weren’t running my race.

They may have been part of the half marathon or the marathon. Their turnaround point was different than mine because their course was different than mine.

And immediately I felt the Lord speak something to my heart:

Stop comparing yourself to people who were never assigned your race.

How often do we do that in life?

We look around and think:
“They already bought a house.”
“They’re married.”
“They have kids.”
“They’re traveling.”
“They seem further ahead.”
“They’re doing better than me.”

And before we know it, we feel behind simply because we’re measuring our journey against someone else’s course.

But God never asked us to run their race.

He asked us to faithfully run ours.

We are not competing with other people. We are not competing with other ministries, organizations, or platforms. Our responsibility is simply to run the race God has marked out for us, and to run it well.

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 37:23:

“The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord.”

That verse has grounded me so many times.

When I feel behind…
When I feel uncertain…
When I wonder if I should be further along than I am…

I remind myself that if my life belongs to God, then He is ordering my steps.

Not because I’ve earned it through perfection or performance, but because I belong to Him.

That means every step matters.
Every season has purpose.
Every delay, every stretch of growth, every quiet season, every new beginning, God sees it all.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:26:

“So I run with purpose in every step.”

That’s what I want my life to look like.

Not distracted.
Not constantly comparing.
Not discouraged because someone else appears farther ahead.

I want to run with purpose the race God has given me.

Paul also says:

“I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.”

If I’m honest, there are plenty of mornings when I don’t want to run.

I don’t want to get up early.
I don’t want to run when it’s cold.
I don’t want to look at my training schedule and realize I have seven or eight miles ahead of me.

Sometimes I’d rather stay on the couch and watch a movie.

But training teaches you something important:
You don’t always do what you feel like doing. You train yourself to do what you should do.

And I think spiritually, that matters too.

So many people are overwhelmed because they’re focusing on everybody else’s calling, everybody else’s success, everybody else’s timeline.

But maybe the better question is simply:
What should I be doing right now?

Not ten years from now.
Not what someone else is doing.
Not what social media says your life should look like.

Just:
“What has God asked me to do today?”

Micah 6:8 says this:

“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

That’s it.

Run your race.
Do what’s right.
Love mercy.
Walk humbly with God.

And trust that if He ordered your steps, He knows exactly where He’s leading you.