Addict

#mystory continued…Doctors confirmed the cause of my recent fainting spell was the result of low blood pressure combined with stress and possibly a virus. I was told to cut back on my running, which I loved. No joke. A doctor actually told me to quit exercising excessively. Most of you don’t get it…and looking back I don’t know if I get it either…but I was an obsessive runner. I woke up and thought about running. On occasion, it was my quiet place to find solace with just God and me. On my treadmill, I gathered my thoughts, memorized Scripture and prayed. Cutting back seemed to be such a challenging concept to me. I didn’t want to. Truth be told, running had become a major part of me.

My identity was all tied up in my running. I had completed five marathons in recent years and loved the runner’s high. It was sorta addicting. Funny how we can get caught up in what we are doing. If we are not careful, it is easy to measure our self-worth by what we do. For me, I found a place to belong among my fellow running friends. I woke up each morning anticipating their comradery. For others, they may find identity in their sports team, education, accolades, job titles, or even their kids. We are born longing to belong.

We are born looking for love.

Have you ever considered why we enjoy rooting for our college alma mater or wear t-shirts denoting our favorite team? Why do we desire to be fashionable and wear the latest trends? Some will grasp onto a period in their lives where they felt accepted, failing to let it go. Clinging tightly to what used to be. Highschool sports team. College sorority. Friendships in a city you no longer live. We look and we look for a place to call home.

Idols don’t happen overnight. They have to be erected. It takes somebody to make something into an idol. We can make idols out of our children, our spouse, our jobs, our hobbies, our t.v. shows, our bank accounts and why, just about anything. Idols are not merely golden, carven images made of gold. Idols are not simply fat little Buddhas found in nail salons. No. Idols are anything that take the place of God. A glass of wine that we have to have. A television series we must see. A book that we cannot put down. A Facebook account that we constantly monitor. Let’s get real: idols are a problem for both you and me.

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:4

Thankfully, God wasn’t finished with me yet. As long as you have breath in your lungs, He is not finished with you either. He is doing a work in you so that you may be perfect and complete.