By Andrea Goebel
God’s Way
When I was 18, I ran my first half-marathon, the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. As I began the lap around Motor Speedway that marked the halfway point of the race, one fan rang a bell and shouted, “You’re almost done!”
I remember thinking to myself, “Seriously?! We’re not even close!”
I can’t understand why she would say that. Perhaps she just wanted to send a note of encouragement to a discouraged runner, to give him or her hope to continue the race. I have certainly felt discouraged during the miles and races I have run, and I have needed encouragement in my faith life, too.
As we start a new calendar year, I feel like something is missing in my faith life. During Advent, I read a daily reflection to help me prepare for Christmas. After I read the last reflection, I remember thinking, “Well, what do I read next?” I felt so excited for Christmas, but I lacked a spiritual guide to prepare me for the next season.
Most of the time, my prayer routine includes reading the daily Gospel and an accompanying reflection of it. I love this practice, and I plan to continue it.
However, I want more focus and guidance, and a faith-based book seems like a great benefit for my spiritual life. The only problem is, I just can’t seem to make myself sit down and read it on a regular basis. I often carry it from one room to another in my house with the hope that seeing it will make me stop and read it when I have a break. Unfortunately, I have yet to do so.
I wonder when I’ll ever have time to read the entire book, so I give up before I even start, and I’m standing right where the devil wants me: stuck. Not moving forward toward God’s desire because I fear failure.
What if I don’t ever finish the book? What if I read it one day and then forget about it for the next three days? How do I establish a reading routine?
It’s a questioning pattern that happens with anything challenging God asks of me: what if I fail? What if I don’t do this thing perfectly and I mess up along the way? What if it’s hard and I want to give up?
Yet, as I ask these questions, I realize it’s not God setting the expectations — it’s me, and I’m missing the point.
God doesn’t expect perfection. He just wants me to trust Him enough to try.
When I first began to run recreationally, I didn’t start with a half-marathon. I increased my long runs gradually so my body was prepared to run 13 miles one day.
We have to strengthen our faith muscles as well and offer ourselves plenty of grace and forgiveness as we strive to live holy lives.
Reading a few pages of a book each day or week is more than reading nothing at all. Spending a few minutes in adoration with Jesus is better than spending no time there with him at all. Returning to Mass after an extended absence from church and receiving Jesus in Holy Communion (when in a state of grace) is better than never coming back at all.
As St. Paul told the Philippians: “I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus” (3:14).
Every step we take toward God’s calling on our lives brings us closer to communion with him.
I am learning that starting something small brings about greater change than trying to change my entire life in one day, week or month. God is there with me every step of the way, encouraging my forward progress and offering me grace and forgiveness when I stray off course. As we walk together, I grow in faith, pursuing a life with him here on earth in hopes of one day spending an eternity with him in heaven.