Running against resistance

Part of my workout recently was running in the pool. 1500 meters (metric mile). 750m was running forward as shown in this picture, the other 750m was running backwards.  Running forwards  against the resistance seems to work mostly on my calf muscles while running backwards really works my quadriceps. Though I don't run as fast in the pool as I do going down the trail or the sidewalk, the resistance of the water works against my forward progress, putting extra work on the muscle groups of the lower body. The faster I try to move forward, the more the water resists my efforts.  All in all  a pretty good workout I think, although with out some of the cardio benefits of regular running. The advantage is that I don't have the pressure on my knee's and joints I get when  pounding on the  pavement or dirt.

While thinking about this during my workout I was reminded how much like the life of Christian discipleship  that is. Paul encourages us in Hebrews 12:1(NLT) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." In The Message it is even stronger - "Do you see what this means-all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running-and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins."

Running the race in life is just like running in the pool. Our forward progress in living the life of discipleship is constantly resisted. It is resisted by our own lack of faith. It is resisted by those around us who don't understand our journey. Most importantly it is resisted by Satan whose job it is to make sure we never reach the finish line where Jesus waits to reward us. Sometimes it seems that the harder we run the more resistance we meet. At this point we just need to push harder, listen to those who blazed the way who are cheering for our success and keep our eyes on the finish line. 

You can't run the race too hard, but you will lose if you fail to run at all