Optimism

        I can remember clearly, my freshman year, track season. Ever since I was younger I have loved running. When I was in middle school I ran track and cross country. I ran both my freshman year of highschool at West. I love it. Track was my everything, until one day my coach gave me the 2 mile race. Now, don't get me wrong I knew I could do it, but after having two races before that (the four by four and the 400) I knew there was no way I would cross that finish line.  So eshausted when the time came, I heard to starting pistol, and off I went around the track. Dead after my first three laps, with five to go, I started pushing myself harder and harder, when that didn't work at about the 5 lap, I started to recite " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). I have to admit by this point I had a side cramp and couldn't breath, I was 2nd to last  and was walking! I kept repeating the verse through my mind over and over. Sure enough I got pasted up the the 4th place runner, and so I forced each step as I jogged the rest of my way. I started panting the verse to myself to keep myself going. (( You know when everything is happening in slow motion and you feel like you should be moving but you aren't? That is exactly what was happening))Finally, lap number 8. I picked up my pace and rounded the the last edge of the track, the home 100 stretch, I was so thankful to be finished, I sprinted into high gear forcing myself over the finish line, then collapsed in a huge heap. Thankful my humilation was worth it because I got 5th, and watched the 6th place girl come in  45 seconds after me.
           Anyway, the point of this story is not that Philippians 4:13 is a good verse to use only when needed, It is the power of God behind the verse. I believe that God is an optimist. The power of such a verse comes in handy when we are going through things that seem impossible to finish. I think that this is the attitude and character that we are called to have. " And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffereings,  because we know suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character; character, hope. And hope does not dissapoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts , by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" - Romans 5:2-5 Life has been called a race. One of the cultural values we see often today is speed. We are supposed to live high pace lives that leave us exhausted, and never completely satisfied as it turns out. I believe that as Christians we are called to live life to the fullest, taking advantage of every opportunity we are granted. I do not think that at the finish line what place we get matters. So what, 5th place, even 6th isn't bad, the point is that the race is finished. Hebrews 12:1 says that we are called to run with perserverance the race the God has marked out for us. The key word being perserverance, because it isn't easy. That is why call upon the name of Christ for strength in order to do all things. We build character through running the race of life with perserverance, which builds a few things such as character and hope. Optimism in Christ, hope in Christ, doesn't fail us. Even though the race is a struggle, there is the security and the strength provided by God blessing us with the knowledge  of a hope that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.