I live in the mountains of Utah. My neighborhood is at about 6500 feet above sea level. This is excellent news for future road races out of state. Until that time, my hilly running route serves to fortify my heart and challenge my ideas of what is possible. "The Hill of Death" is a centerpiece of my training.
I baptized the hill, The Hill of Death, due to its incredible, icy winter nature. If that hill is icy in just the right way you are going through the intersection whether you want to or not. It takes some fancy winter driving to stay out of the adjacent field. As it happens, the challenges of driving the hill pale compared to running it.
When I run this hill, I become prayerful. Neighbors are apt to hear phrases like, "Lord have mercy" and "Holy God!" springing from my parched lips. On the inside I am uttering words that would make a sailor blush. So if you see me running, please do not confuse desperation with holiness! This morning when I ran the hill, I started thinking about difficulties in our lives. Oftentimes, when things are good, I forget to be grateful. But when things are tough, I become one prayerful gal.
Suffering is the classic theological question. How can a good God let his people suffer? How can good people forget to say thank you? Challenges make me realize I need help. Whether it's the "Hill of Death", a health crisis or a family problem, hard times remind me of what's important.
Do I welcome challenge and suffering? Hardly. I am not that spiritually evolved. However, I am more aware of the many graces and gifts that come my way. So I say this: Take on the Hill. It's okay to swear a little, but hold fast to prayer. Maybe the prayers of our desperate times will become the habits of our lifetimes.
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| "The Hill Of Death" looking up |
I baptized the hill, The Hill of Death, due to its incredible, icy winter nature. If that hill is icy in just the right way you are going through the intersection whether you want to or not. It takes some fancy winter driving to stay out of the adjacent field. As it happens, the challenges of driving the hill pale compared to running it.
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| Easy on the downhill, you can end up in the field below! |
Suffering is the classic theological question. How can a good God let his people suffer? How can good people forget to say thank you? Challenges make me realize I need help. Whether it's the "Hill of Death", a health crisis or a family problem, hard times remind me of what's important.
Do I welcome challenge and suffering? Hardly. I am not that spiritually evolved. However, I am more aware of the many graces and gifts that come my way. So I say this: Take on the Hill. It's okay to swear a little, but hold fast to prayer. Maybe the prayers of our desperate times will become the habits of our lifetimes.
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