Wow. It's been a while. Sorry guys.
Whelp, track season has started again and because I didn't do anything in the off season like I was supposed to, I have shin splits again. Shocker. So this means that in practice when it starts to hurt even when walking, I have to sit on the sidelines and stretch, not getting the conditioning that I need. It stinks to watch my team work their butts off, when I'm looking lazy and wishing I could do the same. Once again, it's entirely my own fault. If I'd been running, stretching, and preparing my shins before the season started, I wouldn't be in this predicament once again.
Just like I had the choice to prepare at the beginning, we as Christians also have a choice. We can be evangelists for the gospel, or we can sit lazily on the sidelines while "going through the motions." We can be lazy in our faith and not strengthen and prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for when God sends us someone to minister too. If we aren't seeking out Christ and equipping ourselves for His ministry, then what's the point? Christianity isn't easy. It's filled with trials. When Jesus gave us the great commission He didn't say "And everyone you look at will turn to me in repentance. There will be no suffering, no pain, no persecution, and my name will sound forth while you do nothing!" He ordered us to GO and make disciples of all nations. He didn't tell us to SIT, He said GO. And if we aren't preparing ourselves to go, then we won't be able to do God's work to the best of our ability.
Recently I realized that I didn't know much about how to defend my faith or even why. My faith was something I had been around my entire life, it was natural. I was surrounded by people that shared my faith, so I was never challenged by someone who didn't. When my dad announced that he was going to teach a class called Theological Foundations 1 and that it would go through the book Bible Doctrine, I decided I would take it. I felt that it would help me learn more about my faith and get me deeper into God's word. It would also get me around other people who wanted to grow in their faith as well.
I believe that God gave us the freedom of choice. I made the choice to not train before track season, and it's costing me. I made the choice to take TF1, and it's equipping me. In one I'm hurting, in the other I'm growing.
