Running Away From Home

On Thursday, April 20th, I ran a 3 miler on a treadmill in a place far away from my home. I ran on a hotel treadmill while I was away with my daughter for a Bible Quiz Tournament. My hope was to run twice, but alas, I only ran once. So, my weekly total only came to 7 miles. Not what I had hoped.

I am hoping to run tomorrow, here, in my familiar surroundings and on my favorite running course, around my neighborhood. Indeed, there is no place like home. I am glad to be home.

While "running" away from my home, the Lord was bringing the truth of "brokenness" to my mind. I had just read some things about "brokenness" in a book about this topic that morning. I was reminded that it is "the shattering of my self-will -- the absolute surrender of my will to the will of God." As I ran, in unknown surroundings, on a foreign treadmill, I both desired and did not desire to be in that place of "brokenness." For this "brokenness" is far from the selfish home I am accustomed to. Yet it is a place far from self where the Home of God is truly found. I want to be Home with God. But that doesn't always mean I want to run on the path that leads me to His Home.

Runners will always have their favorite places of "running" preferences. And in my limited travels to various States around the country, I have always preferred to run around my own little neighborhood. If I ever reach the point where "brokenness" is continually preferred over the comfort of my own selfish will, I will know that I have found the place God meant for me to be all along, even from the beginning of time. How far I am from that Home. And I have a lot of running in "brokenness" to do before I get there.