no excuses

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During the prayer circle that kicked off yesterday's triathlon, Psalm 18:37 was quoted: "I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed."

In the days prior I had committed to memory Ephesians 6, which reminds us that our enemies are not flesh and blood. (It wasn't the other athletes that we were here to destroy!)

Another athlete admitted that his biggest enemy was his own mind, which is full of fear and doubt, not only while he is training, but even as he runs into the water and takes those first strokes of the race. 

I love that we began the race with this challenge to pursue and overtake whatever it is that stands between us and the finish line. Because as I watched athlete after athlete finish, I could see that the victory was not just in finishing. Not just in getting first in their age division. Or achieving a personal best. 

These athletes were overcoming far more than the finish line. They were overcoming all the fears and doubts and voices that said they couldn't or shouldn't compete. 

The voice that said, "You're too old," was met with, "No excuses!"

The voice that said, "You're too young," was met with an outsticking tongue.

"You're too pregnant." Nope. "No excuses!"

"You're barefoot!" Try again voices. "No excuses!"

"You have a family history of cancer!" Cancer sucks. "No excuses!"

"You broke your back in a car accident!" Nothing will stop me from finishing. "No excuses!"

No matter what those enemy voices say, we can pursue and overtake and destroy them when we EMBRACE NO EXCUSES.

Whatever it is you know you are meant to accomplish in life, don't let anyone (especially you!) tell you that you can't do it. No excuses!


Comments

  1. Comrade KevinSeptember 30, 2013 at 8:34 AM

    We can easily build self-fulfilling prophecies around ourselves. It's easy to observe the people who have conquered their own internalized doubt through external, outward acts like running a race.

    But, to me, the real challenge comes with conquering fears internally. The really hard work of looking inside within oneself and making internal modifications is something lots of people struggle to do. I've even known people who have become more athletic and engaged in competition to compensate for internal problems they were not yet ready to consider or try to fix.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 30, 2013 at 11:27 AM

    As always Katie, your insight is amazing! I am so glad that you and Tim were able to race with us this year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KatieSeptember 30, 2013 at 11:54 AM

      Thanks Mike! One of the benefits of running the shortest race is definitely in getting to see everyone else cross the finish line!!

      Delete

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