Thursday, March 29, 2007

DAY 61: Morning Motivation- The Power Within

Today in my philosophy class, we watched part of the movie “Chariots of Fire”, the story of two British runners, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, participants in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. I had never seen the movie before, so I just thought it was another sports movie. I was pleasantly surprised to see a truly inspiring film. If you have not seen “Chariots of Fire”, I strongly recommend it.

There is a speech that Eric Liddell gives to his fans that, to me, represents why I run and utilize my gifts from God:

“You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe you're dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job. So who am I to say, "Believe, have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.”

After hearing this speech in class, I was so motivated that I felt like I could a marathon right then and there! Eric’s words were so effective, and so true. We are nothing without God. He is by our side every step of the way. It is up to us to find the strength within to finish the race. As Eric says, this strength within us is not only the endurance we need to push on in our run, but it is strength to do what is right in everything that we do, in every facet of life.

Find the power within you. Run with it. Live with it.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

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