Sometimes life just needs to pause. Sometimes we need to just stop and realize the present reality. Sometimes we wish we could rewrite our life. Sometimes we wish to rewind, possibly fast forward.
But why not stop and change our veiw? Why not instead look ahead? What if we took notes on the last decade of what worked and what didn’t? What if we prayed over those notes and set goals for the next ten years?
The truth is, once a story is written you can not rewrite it, it can only be revised or updated. The original will still be the original. Our life is no different. We may try to change the past but in reality that is impossible. We simply cannot go back in time to redo what we’ve already done.
You know those feelings and emotions that well up inside of you as you reminis over the past? The guilt, regret, confusion, and hopelessness? We can not rewrite the past but we can edit our present and alter our future.
Yesterday was a very difficult morning run. I did not want to be out and quite frankly didn’t even want to be out of bed. Three miles is a long way when you long to still be sleeping. But the reality was this: I was over a mile from home. I was not in bed. I was on my feet and moving (somewhat) still in the wrong direction to head home.
I began to look around hoping to change my perspective on the situation and noticed this beautiful tree surrounded by a bunch of other ordinary trees. It’s color stood out among the usual earth tones and I couldn’t help but stop and take a picture.
This tree was planted here, crowded by so many others. Yet despite being small and barely noticeable, it stands proud, bold and beautiful. It can not change the fact of where it is, but it can grow and produce fruit. It can not go back and tell the planters to plant it somewhere else, somewhere where it will get easily noticed and better cared for, but it can grow where it is and produce satisfaction to the few passerbys who may notice her.
I challenge all who read this to continue growing where the Lord has planted them. Allow His life sap to flow through you so you can become a tall, bold and beautiful tree (Psalm 1:3).
Be Still and Run 