God never removes our pain before sharing in it with us

I've often said, running changed my prayer life. In running, I discovered that prayer was as much about finding a space where God could speak to me, where I was more available to listen to Him, as it was about me finding the time and the discipline to start a conversation with Him. Maybe much more so. 

The key to that change came in recognizing WHEN it was God showed up - when it was I was more available to listen. And for me, that comes at the time in my run when I'm struggling most. 

For me, in running, when that run is going along good, when I'm having one of those runs where I feel on top of the world and I could run all day, during those runs I find myself often thinking about ME. 

I think about how hard I've worked to get to that point. 

I think about how ready I am to tackle a big race. 

I focus on, man, life is good!

But in the struggle - and be sure, for me, when it comes to running, I spend a lot of time in the struggle - but it's in that struggle that the world gets very quiet. My ego disappears. There is no more Keith, and all of his strength and all he's going to achieve in this world. 

It's in those moments when I hear God saying - hey, what about me? I'm still here - I'm still here ready to participate and make something far more meaningful out of this run than a big race.  

And you know, in running, and in my life, that has proved to be truth. In that struggle, God has revealed some things about life that turn out to be a new way of life - a deeper feeling of being alive - than I ever could have imagined.
 
You know I read this scripture yesterday: Phillippians 4:6

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 

That has always been one of my favorite scriptures. It's certainly been one to lean on in these times. But to be honest - I've always struggled with that part about "with thanksgiving." I mean, if I'm coming to God when I'm anxious - when I'm struggling - what on earth do I have to be grateful about when I present my requests?

Well, it hit me this morning - what I have to be grateful for is the solid understanding that God has always participated fully in my struggles. There have been some dark days in my life. And in all of those days I always felt God saying, hey, what about me?

I didn't always listen. And to be honest, there were days when I said, would you just shut the heck up and let me live my life. But he just kept showing up. He just kept saying, I'm going to keep participating fully in your struggle. 

Henri Nouwen says something in a devotion this morning that so resonates with me - he says, "The mystery of God's love is not that our pain is taken away, but that God first wants to share that pain with us."

For me, as I look back on my life, I'm not more grateful for anything than the truth that God showed up to share every pain I ever had. Whether I wanted him there or not. And in the aftermath of that, I've discovered a love and a life I could have never imagined. 
​
And like in running, I've come to discover when the struggle bus pulls up, I need to know it's God driving that bus, it's God saying I'm here, and it's God saying hold on, I'm about to take you to a love and a life you've never imagined.